How To Become A Chef
You can become a chef by attending a culinary school and/or working as an apprentice for a chef in a restaurant. Chefs often work at several restaurants getting experience under different mentors before they choose a specialty.
Education
You can get training in school vocational programs, two year colleges or four year college programs. Chefs and cooks also may be trained in apprenticeship programs offered by professional culinary institutes, industry associations, and trade unions. Some large hotels and restaurants operate their own training programs.
People who have taken courses in commercial food preparation may be able to start in a cook or chef job without having to spend time in a lower-skilled kitchen job.
School and curriculum varies, but students usually spend most of their time learning to prepare food through practice. They learn to bake, broil, and prepare food. They also learn to use and care for kitchen equipment. There are courses in menu planning, determination of portion size, food cost control, purchasing food supplies in quantity, selection and storage of food, and how to use of leftover food to minimize waste. Restaurant sanitation and public health rules for handling food are also taught.
A head chef will direct a kitchen staff, in addition to preparing meals, or start his/her own restaurant. If a chef is able to withstand the high stress and pressure of the job, they will most likely become a head chef within 10 years.
An executive chefs will often partner with financial restaurateurs to open their own restaurants. These top chefs spend more time with patrons and investors than in the kitchen.
Job Descriptions
Chefs and dinner cooks prepare, season, and cook food. Chefs spend time on their feet, cooking, chopping, and stirring. They need to be able to lift heavy pots and boxes of food.
The responsibilities of chefs and cooks are determined by a number of factors, including the type of restaurant in which they work.
Job Description May include:
- Create, plan and price menus
- Prepare and cook the food according to customer's order
- Arrange and garnish the food for serving
- Supervise other kitchen staff
- Maintain cleanliness in the work place
- Supervise cleaning and dishwashing
- Buy food supplies and cooking equipment
- Keep records of supplies.
In a large restaurant there may be different types of chefs:
- Line/Station Cook - Responsible for day to day food preparation at the restaurant . There may be several cooks, each responsible for a different part of the menu, or a different type of food.
- Garde Manger Cook - The Garde Manger is a highly specialized line cook, responsible for all cold food presentation. They handle all the cold sauces, such as vinaigrettes and dressings, as well as aspics, pickles, chutneys and relishes. They have skills in the creative use of leftovers, which helps a restaurant's profitability.
- Sous Chef - Prepares or directs preparation, cooking and storage of food and ensures that approved menus and apportionment regulations are followed. They decorate special dishes or presentations. They also assist in maintaining kitchen records, menu sheets and forecasts of food requirements. They work the with Cook and Dishwasher on inspection routines of kitchen facilities, equipment and utensils. In the absence of the Chef, assumes full responsibility the operation of the kitchen.
- Prep Cook - The Prep Cook is the equivalent of an entry-level position in a professional kitchen. In general, a prep cook will not apply heat to food. Instead, the prep cook might peel potatoes, mince garlic, and dice onions. Sometimes it might be the prep cook's job to prepare parts of specific dishes. Being a prep cook is a preliminary step in the training of a chef.
- Pastry Chefs - Bread and pastry bakers, also called pastry chefs, produce baked goods for restaurants. Pastry chefs must have the knowledge to create different kinds of baked goods and confections and be able to take on special projects.