There are several ways one can become a chef, from graduating from a culinary school to becoming an apprentice at a well-respected restaurant. Many great chefs have even climbed the job ladder one rung at a time, starting as dishwashers and eventually earning fame as some of the best chefs in the world. There is certainly something to be said for an approach that lets one understand all the ins and outs of every single job in the kitchen! Of course, for those looking to start a bit higher on the food chain, (not to mention with a rather higher paycheck,) chef jobs will require some basic qualifications.
1: Find a good cooking school or culinary arts program
Of course, it is always important to know what you are doing in the kitchen, from proper cutting technique to a repertoire of recipes you understand inside and out. By graduating from one of these programs you not only prove that you understand the food business, but you also gain critical experience and networking connections within the industry. After all, the old saying is true. It’s not what you know, but who you know, and a good letter of recommendation from a respected culinary teacher can make all the difference in the world when it comes to getting hired for chef jobs or even executive chef jobs. Truth be told, many people who would already be fully qualified for chef jobs on their own still enroll in these programs just so they can have that added boost of name recognition, both for their diploma and for their teachers.
2: Practice makes perfect
And experience is practice. Chefs work in a high-pressure environment where they have to instantly recall and perfectly reproduce recipes with no mistakes. They need to understand and experiment with flavors and ingredients, becoming intimately familiar with every aspect of food production. Those looking to climb higher on the culinary career ladder, especially with executive chef jobs, had better be able to do the job in their sleep.
3: Know what you’re getting into
Just like doctors train in medical school under grueling schedules and long hours, a budding chef will get the same sort of practice at culinary school. Chef jobs require people to be awake very early in the morning, work a long day, and then be back to work again the next day. It is hard to get started in the business if one is not already used to the hours.
4: Keep pushing
Always try to achieve your very best in anything you do in the kitchen. People will be watching. If you hope to climb the job ladder to achieve an executive chef job one day, you will always need to look your best in everything you do.
5: Love what you do
If you love cooking, love food, and everything about the business you will go far. This is the difference between a cook and a great chef.
