What is involved in a Chef Instructor Job?
Culinary arts programs and independent cooking schools employ chef instructors to train all the aspects required to become a chef. Some of the larger restaurants and hotels also offer training programs for employees. While there are a variety of culinary programs, ranging from weeks to years, the job requirements of the instructor are similar.
Students spend the majority of their time in the kitchens learning to prepare dishes and practice cooking skills under the direction of a chef instructor. The chef instructors teach proper cutting techniques as well as how to use and maintain cooking equipment.
He may be required to prepare courses in menu planning, portioning, how to purchase raw ingredients, managing kitchen inventory, as well as the proper methods for storing food to avoid waste. The curricula will also include serving techniques and presentation.
The main requirement is that the chef instructor must plan classes, prepare teaching materials and handouts, as well as teach coursework to students. The chef instructor also must provide thoughtful feedback on how the students are progressing.
Chef instructors not only have to be successful chefs in their own right, they need to be able to utilize a variety of teaching methods that allow students to actively participate in the learning process. To be a successful teacher, the chef instructor will need to create a learning environment that will help students achieve a high level of expertise as well as the culinary skills they will need to work in restaurant kitchens.
Chef instructors are also required to hold office hours to answer student questions, as well as be an advisor to assigned students during the academic program. Some chef instructors are also required to evaluate potential students for the program.
Instructors also provide students training in food service management, inventory software, as well as banquet services.
Chef instructors also maintain contacts with local restaurants to provide internship and apprenticeship opportunities for students as part of the program for some schools. In larger cities, such as San Francisco, Chicago, or New York, instructors will work with renowned chefs to secure internships for culinary students.
Educational Requirements and Background for Chef Instructors
Culinary institutes attract students based on the quality of the chef instructors they employ. To be a chef instructor, a candidate needs to be a successful chef. The American Culinary Federation provides certification for pastry professionals, culinary educators and the various levels of chefs. While certification may not be required, it does show a level of accomplishment.
Many institutes require either a two or a four-year degree as well as five to seven years of experience as a chef. The experience will need to include training apprentices and less advanced cooks.
Chefs who have shown their skills in fine dining restaurants in larger cities may be used for marketing the culinary institute.
What to Emphasize in the Resume and Cover Letter
Culinary institutes want to find instructors who will be successful in training students to become accomplished chefs. Institutes also want to hire chef instructors who understand the issues and challenges of running fine dining restaurants as well as hotel restaurants chef jobs.
Candidates who have been successful chefs or master chefs should highlight the restaurants that they worked for as well as any ratings from restaurant critics or travel guides. Candidates who have also trained apprentices and interns should outline their experiences as well as what schools they helped provide internship programs.
If a candidate helped design curricula for a restaurant training program or a hotel training program, they should stress this on the cover letter, as well as in the resume, as this experience is integral to being a chef instructor. Any writing, publications, or articles that the candidate has completed should also be summarized in the cover letter.
Communication skills are critical for chef instructors. Schools look for strong presentation skills as well as excellent written skills. Because chef instructors have to provide constructive feedback to students, the candidate should outline experiences that required providing positive feedback as well as constructive criticism, and the results of the criticism.
Candidates who have hired apprentices should also outline this skill in their resume, as many schools have the instructors screen prospective students prior to admitting them to the program.
Job Outlook
Jobs for chefs and cooks are expected to grow by 9% between 2006 and 2016, which is about the same rate as the economy. Jobs for chef instructors are also growing about the same as the economy.
Conclusion
For an accomplished chef who also enjoys training students to become better chefs, becoming a chef instructor may be an excellent career option. Chefs with excellent communication skills and who understand teaching techniques may find this career a rewarding and profitable choice.
