What Are the Job Duties of a Chef?
Job Descriptions July 17, 2014If you want to pursue a career as a chef, then you should know from the very beginning that you will have a huge responsibility. However, your salary will be directly proportional with your duties, as you will receive the highest paying salary in the industry. Basically, you will have to oversee the food preparation in the establishment you’ve been employed in. Still, this job has many different nuances that most people don’t know about.
The Chef’s Responsibilities
The job duties of a chef may differ depending on the employer. Still, no matter where you will work, you will have to manage the entire kitchen, from food supply to training the employees. Degreedirectory.org mentions the following as primary duties: menu planning, recipe experimentation, managing and training the employees, and designing the dishes.
At the same time, as a chef you will have to supervise every step of the food preparation process so as to make sure that everything goes according to your plan. The job duties of a chef also include business abilities. They are extremely important, because you will have to make sure that the food quantities are enough for the amount of dishes you’re going to cook in a week, and you will also be in charge with of ordering more supplies and checking them to see if they’re qualitative or not.
Another duty will be to ensure the sanitary standards in the restaurant’s kitchen and make sure that all the employees are respecting them. Last, but not least, if you work in a high-end restaurant, the job duties of a chef will be to design the dishes so as to offer aesthetically- pleasing plates to the customers.
Training Needed for Becoming a Chef
Not all the chefs have pursued and graduated earned a culinary art degree, but this hasn’t stopped them from becoming famous and appreciated. As chef to be, you will have to practice in entry-level positions first. By gradually gaining cooking skills and knowledge, you will be able to rise through ranks and eventually become a chef.
A culinary arts degree could help you to obtain a better paid job from the very beginning. Still, it cannot propel you in the highest of the ranks. This title must be earned through experience and reputation. The culinary degree can be obtained from culinary academies, community colleges, or technical colleges.
Finally, if you want to be an accredited chef, you must get a certificate from the American Culinary Federation. It offers 7 kinds of certification for both restaurant chefs and private chefs.
Work Environment for Chefs
Any type of restaurant requires a chef, so you can find work in various establishments, including catering companies, restaurants, gourmet boutiques, hotels, grocery stores, banquet halls, private residences, or cafeterias. The work environment depends on your qualifications and skills.
If you want to be a chef in a high-end restaurant, you will need many years of hands-on experience and a few accredited certifications to make this dream come true. As in many other professions, in this one you will also need lots of hard work, dedication, talent, and creativity.
