All the of the reality cooking shows like Iron Chef, Hell's Kitchen and the Food Network have made chef jobs popular. Everybody gets to see what goes on inside of a busy kitchen, how people work and the trials and tribulations of the contestants. If you wanted to be a chef a decade ago there really wasn't a lot of publicity surrounding this field. Now there is an entire cable television show dedicated to food. The food industry has come a long way.
Catering chefs must have a background in the food industry preferable with some catering experience. They will need to have had food training at a two year college or vocational school. You will need to be able to deal with people, so if you have a terrible attitude you won't succeed. You can work for a major restaurant chain, private outfit or simply start your own company. Time management skills are needed as well.
Chefs are the cr? de la cr? of the food industry. They are the kings or queens of the kitchen. What they say goes. Many restaurants are branded by the notoriety of the chef alone. In order to be the head chef you'll need to work your way up from other food and culinary positions. It depends on your level of experience and how well people like your food to determine how long it will take to get the top spot. You are not only responsible for the kitchen but for supervising the staff, inventory and food replenishment too. You should have culinary training with a minimum of five years of experience, unless you happen to be the final contestant in a reality cooking show.
You don't have to be the jack of all trades in this position. You can specialize in a food type or even an ethnic food group. The choice is up to you and where your creativity and passion lies. You will need to have a kitchen that will allow you to practice to prefect your cooking skills. You might even create the next irresistible dish.
The advent of all of the cooking shows has propelled chef jobs to the mainstream of society. Because of the rise in popularity it is now a competitive field. It isn't geared towards one gender or the other. You have to be able to know your way around the kitchen and have dishes that would be considered your specialty. The food industry is constantly changing so you'll have to stay current with the latest in food trends and appliances to stay one step ahead of your competition. What was hot last year may not sell or work this year.
The ultimate dream of any chef is to have their own restaurant. The sky is the limit for this field. Everybody must eat. Whether or not customers return to your establishment depends on if they enjoy your food. The d?r of the restaurant plays a part too, but if your food sucks they won't return.
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