There are quite a few roads to a successful career as a cook or chef. This exciting career requires extensive training, hard work and long hours, but is extremely fulfilling for those with a love of food, a flair for design, and interest in international flavors. Chefs work in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and even, airlines. Some work in homes, preparing food for parties or individuals.
Cooking Education
Most successful chefs attend cooking schools in order to receive needed training and qualifications. Cooking schools operate privately or through local colleges and programs range from 1-3 years to complete. Culinary coursework covers all areas of working in the field, from basic knife skills to advanced dishes from particular cuisines. Common courses include:
- Introduction to the Culinary Arts: This course introduces the student to the field of culinary arts. Topics covered include knife skills, cooking techniques, product identification, and an overview of the history and careers within the culinary arts profession.
- Baking and Pastries: Baking fundamentals include the process of understanding ingredients, weights and measurements, formula conversion and costing of recipes. Students will also use equipment associated with baking and develop different types of breads, pastries, and pastry related showpieces.
- Garde Manger: This course provides an introduction to three main areas of the cold kitchen: reception foods, plated appetizers, and buffet arrangements.
- Cuisines of Europe: This course gives an overview to the student in preparing, serving, and evaluating traditional dishes of Europe and the Mediterranean.
Cooking Degrees
Some culinary schools offer certificate programs in specific cuisines or specialties, while others receive an education in forms of a bachelor’s cooking degree in culinary or hotel management.
Pastry chefs follow a distinct path. While they may receive an overview of culinary arts skills, pastry chefs typically follow a path of coursework independently of other specialties within the program.
Kitchen Hierarchy
Once a student has completed their culinary program they will begin work in a kitchen. Generally, specific steps exist within the industry to ensure appropriate skills are obtained before moving to the next level. Kitchen hierarchy is typically as follows:
- Assistant Cook: The assistant cook assists with a particular section, or station, of a kitchen, earning $23,000 per year.
- Garde Manger: A garde manger is responsible for cold foods, including fruits, vegetables, salads and buffet items. A garde manger earns an average of $27,000 per year.
- Station Cook: A station cook is responsible for a particular station, such as roasts, fish or poultry. A station cook earns an average of $30,000 per year.
- Saucier: The saucier provides sauces, stews and sautés food to order. This is the highest level of station cooks. A saucier earns an average of $32,000 per year.
- Sous Chef: The sous chef is the direct assistant to the executive chef. The sous chef is responsible for menu planning, cost and ordering. A sous chef earns an average of $62,000 per year.
- Executive Chef: The executive chef is in charge of everything related to the kitchen, including menu creation, personnel management and business aspects. An executive chef earn an average of $86,000 per year.
Once again, pastry chefs follow a different path in the culinary world. Primarily, pastry chefs start as assistants, and within 5-7 years move into a pastry chef position. Sommeliers (wine specialists) also follow a non-traditional path.
Non-Restaurant Careers
Cooking careers, however, range beyond a traditional restaurant kitchen. These include:
- Food stylist: A food stylist works for advertising agencies, cooking networks and other types of lifestyle media to make a chef’s recipe or food product look like a masterpiece.
- Caterer: A caterer provides food for business and social gatherings, including weddings, parties, celebrations, picnics and business meetings.
- Food Writer: A food writer critiques local restaurants and food establishments.
- Cooking School Teacher: A cooking school teacher typically has extensive experience in a particular specialty and the skill to pass those skills on to others. A cooking school teacher may work as a skills instructor or teach about a particular region of cuisine.
