Chef Career - Let's Get Cooking
by Josh Stone
If you find yourself right at home in the kitchen, perhaps a chef career would
be right up your alley. When the thought of a chef career comes to mind, it may
project thoughts of slaving over a hot, smelly grill, flipping burgers and
hearing endless orders shouted through a loud speaker. While that may be the
scenario for some chefs, there are actually many different options for this occupation.
Cooks for fast food and restaurant chains are always in demand because quick
employee turnover is almost guaranteed. Many high school students take on these
less-paying jobs solely as a summer gig. Others use the opportunity to bring in
income until a more profitable job is found.
However, restaurant, fast food and short order cooks are still categorized
within the chef career spectrum and having the skill of producing high quality,
tasty food is a talent that not everyone has. Everyone has to begin somewhere,
and working for one of these kitchens provides cooking experience, looks good on
resumes, and can act as a jumping off point for beginning a chef career.
If baking will be your forte in your chef career, perhaps a job at a cafeteria
or nursing home would be a good job selection. While fast-food workers are
constantly frying up and scooping out the same food products daily at a lickety-
split pace, an institution kitchen is a more relaxed atmosphere where a variety
of traditional, slightly more healthy dishes are prepared.
For instance, many cafeteria kitchens designate two or three items in which an
employee is responsible for preparing and baking daily, such as a cook who makes
bread products, one who creates casseroles, and others who hand-bread and roast
chicken. Having a set food prep schedule gives a cook or chef the opportunity to
ease into their specialty and, over time, perfect their craft.
After a few years of experience, it may be possible to advance to a head chef
position at a prestigious eatery, such as a steak house or hotel restaurant.
This chef career is a bit more stressful, as you are not only in charge of a
kitchen full of employees; you are also required to insure the food going out to
the paying customers is first-rate and superlative. A chef career at this high
status will pay a higher income because cooking skills must be paramount and
management skills proficient.
Possibly the most sought-after chef career is as a personal or private household
chef. To be selected as a personal chef because of your impeccable cooking
skills, creative dishes and flawless meal presentations is the height of honor
for a chef after years of hard work and practice.
If you are considering a chef career, knowing how to cook is not enough. You
must perfect your craft and stand out from all the rest who are your competition.
Enrolling in a vocational school which provides cooking instructions or even a
specialty college or institution could help mold you into the cooking expert
that will send you on your way to the world of chef careers.
Josh Stone has been a freelance writer with eleven years of experience.
Chef Uniforms.
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