What It Takes to Be a Culinary Chef
Being chef is not easy work. It involves long hours, standing long periods of time, heavy lifting, working with fire and sharp objects. It also involves a lot of patience, and studying. You must be able to interact with people, have good management skills, and have a passion for food, cooking and wine. But there are many perks to being a chef: You never go hungry, you can travel and you can make good money.
Understand what it takes
Call your favorite restaurant and make an appointment to talk with the chef. Just try not to call during busy times like lunch and dinner times, or otherwise you will get hung up on or laughed at. Once you meet the chef, ask questions like training and schooling, what it takes and ask about the chef's background. Also ask the chef's recommendation for culinary schools in your area. An idea is to ask the chef if you can shadow him or his staff for a day to give you an idea of what is involved in the kitchen. Most chefs will be more than happy to oblige.
Understand the Difference Between a Chef and a Cook
Today's society has a hard time differing between a chef and a cook. The word chef is an abbreviated word from French phrase Chef de cuisine. It was used as a form of respect use to identify a professional cook that is in charge of the kitchen. The chef has mastered every position within the kitchen. He has been a cooking professional for many years and has mastered cookery. This person trains the kitchen staff, and is a wealth of information for the staff that works with him. This person is in charge of managing staff, creating recipes and purchasing ingredients. This person works long hours to make sure that everything and one is working together.
This person may be a line cook who has graduated from culinary school or may have been hired by the chef to do just food prep.
Deciding Between Schooling or On the Job Training
You have a choice to make: schooling or on-the-job training. Schooling is the best way to go if you want rise up and quickly to become a chef. Most culinary schools offer two- to four-year degrees that will give you the basics in cooking and kitchen management. Going to culinary school will allow you to learn the skills you will need and even allow you to work in a professional kitchen that might even be attached to a working restaurant. You will get a chance to work different positions that make a restaurant, learn management skills and will have the chance to interact with many chefs.
If you cannot afford to go to culinary school, then on-the-job training might be for you. Check with your local health department to find out if you will need a food handler's card. If you do not have any professional cooking experience, do not expect to get hired as a line cook, buy try to get hired as a dishwasher or prep cook instead. In these positions you can watch, learn and gain experience in a professional kitchen. The drawback is the pay is low, however you are getting paid to learn.
Getting a good internship or apprenticeship
Once in culinary school you will have to find an internship. Talk with your career center--a good source of information and can tell you which ones pay and which ones do not. Also talk with your instructors. They network with area chefs and know who is good. Check national food magazines, as they are a very good indication who is following trends.
If you did not go to culinary school then look for a good chef to do a apprenticeship under. Look in newspaper or Internet to find a restaurant and do your research about the chef. Look in local, regional, and national magazines. Check with your local American Culinary Federation chapter.
When you find a chef, call him and introduce yourself. Let them know that you are getting ready to intern and ask if they have room for a intern. Be professional.
Network to help you succeed
Join chef's organizations such as the ACF, Chef Collaborative, and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and network with other chefs.
As you grow as a cook, so will your career and your paycheck. Normally an employer looking for an executive chef will not look at anyone unless they have seven years of kitchen experience and two years of managerial experience as a line cook or sous chef. The better you become, the more the opportunities you will receive.
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