You might aspire to become a chef either because you enjoy cooking and experimenting with recipes in the kitchen, or it may simply be a great career path to pursue. Either way, being a chef is a demanding yet highly satisfying career.
We’re super excited to share this article, in which we will explain what it takes to become a chef and answer some common questions such as the kind of experience and skills that are required to be a chef.
But first…
Are you ready to become a chef?
Anyone can be a cook, but not everyone can be a successful chef. To be a successful chef, you must check the following points before embarking on a training journey.
Do you have a genuine love for food? Many of us take food as a necessity, but a few have a genuine love and curiosity when it comes to food. Do you find yourself wondering about the flavor, and texture before devouring your meal? Do you like to experiment with recipes? If you answered yes to any of those, you are on the right track.
Chefs must also have a strong work ethic. The job often demands working long hours and under high pressure. As a chef, you must also be a strong team player and a good leader. While creativity forms a part of the skills that a chef must possess, attention to detail is an important skill if you are aiming to be an outstanding chef. Before embarking on a journey to becoming a chef, explore within to find out if you will be able to commit to such a role?
What is expected of a chef?
Working as a chef comes with varied responsibilities depending on the nature of the establishment. However, as a professional chef, you can expect your job description to include any of the following:
• Preparing menus and pricing for profitability
• Monitoring stock levels and re-ordering
• Inspecting quality of products delivered from suppliers
• Cooking and presenting food
• Introducing new dishes, including seasonal menus and recipes
• Recruiting, training and developing chefs
• Managing a team of junior chefs, waiters and other kitchen staff and kitchen schedules
• Ensuring clean equipment and kitchen spaces to maintain the highest standards of hygiene
STEPS TO BECOMING A CHEF
1. Get the right credentials
Obtain a relevant school qualification for entry, then go to a culinary school and earn your desired qualification. Unlike other professions such as lawyers and accountants, the path to earning professional culinary qualifications often has no clear path. Culinary programs vary in length depending on your entry-level and the institution offering the course. The term ‘culinary school’ is used in this article to mean any institution where you acquire training on becoming a chef. These institutions could locally be identified as Colleges or Vocational Training Centers and may offer a Certificate, Diploma or Degree.
2. Get experience working in a professional kitchen.
This step could be interchanged with step number one. Some people have found the push to attain professional qualification after having worked in a professional kitchen doing mundane work such as cleaning, doing dishes, and found the inspiration to become a chef. Others find it effective to work in a professional kitchen while taking their classes in their extra time.
Doing both at the same time allows you to continue earning a living and gaining experience on your work resume while meeting your academic goals. It is important to note that having the right certificate after graduating from culinary school does not make you a fully-fledged chef. A cook becomes a successful chef with a combination of education and on-job experience.
3. Find your first job as a chef
With your academic qualifications, experience and networking opportunities, you are on the right track to getting your first job as a chef. There is no set timeline as to when this will happen. The good news is that many training institutions have job placement schemes with hotels and restaurants where they offer internships and job placements to their best-performing students.
While choosing where to go for your training, find out if they have such a system in place. Have realistic expectations that you may have to start at a low level and work your way up while learning and sharpening your skills at work.
“To me, the simple difference between a cook and a chef is that one knows how to cook and another knows how to make money cooking.” – Escoffier Chef Instructor Jesper Jonsson
*This article is a simple outlook on how to become a chef and does not cover all the details in depth.
