Understand that becoming the head chef takes years, with the right set of skills, the right talent and an excellent mentor it can be achieved in as little as ten years. This isn't a position that you will be able to get right out of culinary school or even after finishing your first two or three apprenticeships. You have to perfect your skills, enhance your talents and prove that you can take the stress and pressure of running a kitchen. Be prepared to do your fair share of grunt work, be able to take long hours in the kitchen on your feet and be willing to take the extra initiative that is needed to prove that you have what it takes.
Job Duties
First, understand the job. The executive chef starts his/her day in the kitchen by planning the menu. This is a very important part of the job as it has a direct impact on the success and growth of the hotel or restaurant. The head chef is going to rely on their culinary skills and creativity to create a menu that is effective and enticing. The executive chef is also going to be in touch with the food vendors so that he or she can handle the food supply aspect of their position. Keeping a finger on what is the latest trend in the industry is also very important when it comes to meal planning.
The executive chef also has to keep in the forefront of their mind that there has to be a balance between what is expected of the food preparation team and what the clients want. This position also needs to know if there is food that needs to be stored in advance, that quality control is always very high so that the customer is getting a well prepared meal. The exact description of the executive chef will vary depending on the establishment they are working for.
Educational Requirements
For a head chef position you are going to need a 4 year degree in the culinary arts. It is advisable to also have additional experience that has been gained through apprenticeships and internships. As stated earlier these requirements help lay the foundation for the position of executive chef. It doesn't mean that after 4 years in school you are ready to be the head chef anywhere. There are many culinary training programs and job placements that are offered by many professional culinary schools. Becoming an executive chef requires years of experience in multiple areas of the kitchen, not just one. It is also very important that you never lose your passion for food.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations
Believe it or not executive chef jobs are very profitable positions. When you take a look at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics they are expecting the executive chef employment to increase eight percent every year for the next 6 years. The employment opportunities for top level chefs will continue to grow in 2007 it went from $379 billion to 558.3 billion in 2008. The median salary for an executive chef is around $60,000. The more experience the executive chef has and the more skills they acquire the more they will be able to earn. It is a demanding position, one with a great deal of responsibility and recognition.
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