When you think of “Chef” do you think of just cooking? If so, you are not getting the whole picture of this culinary arts career! The chef is a lot more than just someone who knows how to roast lamb to perfection or someone who can cook quiche without it turning into scrambled eggs. What would you do as a real chef?
A chef leads and provides guidance for the whole kitchen. Everyone in the staff looks up to the chef for orders, advice, and protocol. In turn, the chef takes care of many decisions from who is hired or fired, to even small things such as which garnishes should be used on what dishes. Your efforts are what make the kitchen great.
Being a chef is tough. You need to be able to spot problems as the arise and be able to fix them quickly. You also need a vision of what you want your kitchen to be, enough knowledge to be able to plan it, and the backbone to be able to stick to your guns no matter what may go wrong.
Good chefs need good staff. This means that all recruitment and training should be carefully supervised. If someone does not know how to do something, as the chef, it’s your job to teach them. If someone refuses to work well with the teal or is too bossy and disrupting the kitchen, it is your job to set them straight or to fire them.
Once good staff has been found, it will also be your job to keep them sharp. Monitoring the quality of all food is paramount; if the fish is underdone or the tarts are doughy you will need to be the first to find out and make sure it is fixed before the food is sent out. If sloppy work is sent out regularly then that means you are not monitoring things closely enough.
Good chefs don’t just bark orders, they also teach and inspire continually. Take your staff out to the farms. Learn with them about new vineyards and food processes. Do not be afraid to go out there on a limb and try something new, even if you don’t want to add it to your menu. You are all there because you love food, and that passion will need to be fed and renewed to help keep the kitchen going strong.
Being a chef is not for everyone. It takes more than just a good education to make it to the top. You will need to have courage, vision, and passion to become a great chef. However, if you think you have the strength to go the distance and become a great chef, education will help you get your foot in the door.
Is being a chef starting to sound like it’s not your cup of tea? Do not give up yet! Have you thought about becoming a party chef, a food preparation worker, or even a caterer? There are many great culinary arts career options out there so do not be shy to look around.
Thinking about becoming a chef? If so then you’ll want to look into the best culinary arts colleges. Find the right school for you at: http://www.chefsalarydata.com








