Table of Contents
The Culinary career in The Sims 4 is a great choice for Sims who spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking various dishes.
This career allows Sims to develop their Cooking-related skills while earning income from activities they can also use in their everyday lives.
After reaching Level 6, you can choose between two specializations: Chef or Mixologist. Each branch has different skill requirements and gameplay styles.
Most rewards from the Culinary career are kitchen- and food-themed decorative items. Some decorations also provide an Inspired Aura, helping Sims obtain the Inspired mood to support Skill development and career progression.
Overview
The Culinary career is one of the creative careers in The Sims 4 and is suitable for Sims who enjoy cooking and mixing drinks.
The Cooking skill is relatively easy to improve because every Sim needs food. As a result, Sims will naturally cook frequently, allowing the skill to increase without requiring much additional effort.
Depending on the chosen branch, the career also involves Gourmet Cooking, Mixology, and Charisma.
Becoming a Chef or a Bartender: Which is Better?
After reaching Level 6, you can choose one of the following two branches:
Chef
The Chef branch focuses on cooking and the culinary world. In addition to Cooking, Sims need to improve Gourmet Cooking to meet promotion requirements.
Mixologist
The Mixologist branch is suitable for Sims who want to become professional bartenders. The two main skills required are Mixology and Charisma.
The better choice depends on your preferred playstyle, whether you want to focus on preparing dishes as a skilled chef or mixing drinks and interacting with customers as a mixologist.
Traits and Aspirations That Help the Culinary Career
The Creative Trait is one of the best choices for culinary activities because it helps Sims obtain the Inspired mood naturally.
The Foodie Trait is also useful because it unlocks various food-related social interactions. However, Sims with this Trait become uncomfortable when eating low-quality food.
For this reason, Foodie is more suitable once a Sim has developed sufficiently high Cooking and Gourmet Cooking skills, allowing its benefits to be maximized without frequently experiencing negative moods from poor-quality food.
Aspirations
The recommended Aspiration for the Chef branch is Master Chef. This Aspiration helps Sims earn more Satisfaction Points from cooking-related goals while encouraging the development of the Cooking skill.
For Mixologists, the appropriate Aspiration is Master Mixologist, which focuses on developing the Mixology skill and is suitable for Sims who want to become professional drink makers.
Every Level in the Culinary Career: Salary, Working Hours, Promotion Requirements, Daily Tasks, and Rewards
The table below provides a complete overview of the Culinary career in The Sims 4, including work schedules, salaries, daily tasks, promotion requirements, and rewards for each level.
During the early stages of the Culinary career, the daily task is either Prepare Food or Mix Drink.
To complete Prepare Food, click a stove or refrigerator, select Cook, and prepare any dish.
Meanwhile, Mix Drink requires a bar. You can purchase one through Build Mode > Objects by Function > Entertainment > Bars. Once the bar has been placed, click it and select “Make Drinks”.
Promotion requirements at this stage focus on the Cooking and Mixology skills.
| Schedule | Rates | Ideal Mood | Daily Task | Promotion Requirements | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 – Assistant Dishwasher | |||||
| Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun(4pm-1am) | §15/Hour §135/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food/Mix Drinks | – | None |
| Level 2 – Head Dishwasher | |||||
| Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun( 4pm-1am) | §16/Hour §144/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food/Mix Drinks | Level 2 Cooking | §334 Bonus, Corporate Chic Countertop |
| Level 3 – Caterer | |||||
| Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun(3pm-11pm) | §26/Hour §208/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food/Mix Drinks | Level 2 Cooking Level 2 Mixology | §368 Bonus, Stainless Steel Auto-Pot |
| Level 4 – Mixologist | |||||
| Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun(6pm-2am) | §35/Hour §315/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food/Mix Drinks | Level 3 Cooking Level 3 Mixology | §515 Bonus, Umber Kitchen Sink |
| Level 5 – Line Cook | |||||
| Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun(2pm-10pm) | §43/Hour §344/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food/Mix Drinks | Level 4 Cooking Level 4 Mixology | §556 Bonus, Corporate Chic Counter Island, Line Cook CAS Parts |
The Chef branch’s daily task involves cooking food using the Cooking and Gourmet Cooking skills.
Promotion requirements also focus on these two skills, allowing cooking activities to simultaneously complete the daily task and develop the abilities required for promotion.
| Schedule | Rates | Ideal Mood | Daily Task | Promotion Requirements | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 6 – Head Caterer | |||||
| Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun(3pm-12am) | §52/Hour §468/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food | Level 6 Cooking Level 2 Gourmet Cooking | §691 Bonus, Positronic Pro Magnetic Knife Rack |
| Level 7 – Pastry Chef | |||||
| Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun(12pm-5pm) | §104/Hour §520/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food | Level 7 Cooking Level 4 Gourmet Cooking | §933 Bonus, Heavy Dutiest Pot Rack, Professional Ceiling-Mounted Pot Rack, Ceiling Pot Rack Oval |
| Level 8 – Sous Chef | |||||
| Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun(8pm-2am) | §131/Hour §786/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food | Level 8 Cooking Level 6 Gourmet Cooking | §1,306 Bonus, Icebox of Steel by Krampft Industries, Write Cookbook on Computer |
| Level 9 – Executive Chef | |||||
| Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun(5pm-11pm) | §253/Hour §1,518/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food | Level 10 Cooking Level 8 Gourmet Cooking | §1,959 Bonus |
| Level 10 – Celebrity Chef | |||||
| Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun(12pm-6pm) | §410/Hour §2,460/Day | Inspired | Prepare Food | N/A | §3,037 Bonus, Stove Hood, Range Hood, The Obelisk, Pancake Griddle, Iron Chef CAS Parts |
The Mixologist branch’s daily task is Mix Drink. If you do not have a bar yet, follow these steps:
- Enter Build Mode.
- Purchase and place a Bars object in the Sim’s home.
- Click the placed bar.
- Select Make Drinks.
To improve the Mixology skill:
- Click the “Bars”.
- Select “Practice Making Drinks”.
- Repeat until the skill increases.
Meanwhile, Charisma can be developed by:
- Performing social interactions such as Compliment on another Sim.
- Practicing in front of a mirror.
- Selecting Practice Speech.
The ideal mood for the Culinary career is Inspired. One way to obtain it is by taking a Thoughtful Shower about 20 minutes before the Sim leaves for work.
| Schedule | Rates | Ideal Mood | Daily Task | Promotion Requirements | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 6 – Head Mixologist | |||||
| Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun(6pm-1am) | §45/Hour §315/Day | Inspired | Mix Drinks | Level 5 Mixology Level 2 Charisma | §691 Bonus, Captain Rodrigo de Pablo Cask |
| Level 7 – Juice Boss | |||||
| Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun(7pm-2am) | §64/Hour §448/Day | Inspired | Mix Drinks | Level 7 Mixology Level 4 Charisma | §1,907 Bonus |
| Level 8 – Chief Drink Operator | |||||
| Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun(4pm-12am) | §111/Hour §888/Day | Inspired | Mix Drinks | Level 8 Mixology Level 6 Charisma | §2,559 Bonus, Vinoteca Bottle Rack, Write Bar Guide on Computer |
| Level 9 – Drinkmaster | |||||
| Thurs, Sat, Sun(2pm-12am) | §166/Hour §1,660/Day | Inspired | Mix Drinks | Level 10 Mixology Level 8 Charisma | §3,916 Bonus, Lemonade on a Sunny Day Torchiere |
| Level 10 – Celebrity Mixologist | |||||
| Thurs, Sat, Sun(12pm-10pm) | §197/Hour §1,970/Day | Inspired | Mix Drinks | N/A | §4,984 Bonus, Bar Setters Bar, Bartender Outfit CAS Parts |
Conclusion
The Culinary career is suitable for Sims who enjoy cooking or mixing drinks. The required skills can also be developed through everyday activities, making this career relatively easy to pursue.
After reaching Level 6, you can choose between Chef and Mixologist. Chef focuses on Cooking and Gourmet Cooking, while Mixologist relies on Mixology and Charisma.
Chef is better suited to Sims who want to focus on preparing various dishes, while Mixologist offers a more social playstyle through mixing drinks and interacting at the bar.
The career also offers various kitchen- and food-themed decorative rewards. Some of them have an Inspired Aura, which can support a Sim’s development.
Overall, Culinary is a relatively relaxed and easy-to-develop career, with two specializations that provide different gameplay experiences.
