How to Become a Sous Chef

A sous chef (French for "under chef") is the person who works directly under the head or executive chef. The sous chef may assist the executive chef with menu planning, ordering food and other supplies and preparing food. Large restaurants or hotels may have several sous chefs, each assigned to a specific task or area of the kitchen. Advanced coursework or a degree in the culinary arts is generally needed to become a sous chef.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Experience working in a kitchen
• Culinary arts education
• Business coursework or budgeting experience

1. Gain experience in the food service industry by getting a job as a cook in a restaurant. In many cases, this will be a lower-level position until you have studied at a cooking school or culinary arts institute. The important thing is that you will become more efficient and learned in your art.

2. Apply to a culinary arts institute or a college that has a culinary arts program with a high job placement rate after graduation. Get the best education you can afford for your best chance at a future as a sous chef.

3. Become equally adept at cooking sauces, meats, vegetable dishes and desserts. As a sous chef at a smaller or mid-sized eating establishment, you may be called upon to prepare every type of food. You may become a more specialized sous chef at larger restaurants that employ more chefs and line cooks.

4. Study nutrition so you are able to put together creative and tasty yet health-conscious menus. Be able to develop vegan, kosher or low-sodium dishes for people with dietary restrictions.

5. Be flexible about your work schedule. An executive chef will want an assistant who can perform in the kitchen but also someone who is willing to work nights, on weekends and holidays.

6. Take a business course that teaches you how to plan a budget. This may be part of your job as a sous chef.

7. Express your enthusiasm and passion for your work through innovative new ideas. Experiment with new ways to serve a course or flavors that will complement each other in a dessert. This shows you have critical thinking skills as well as a talent for preparing food.

8. Treat other members of the kitchen staff with respect. Remember that it takes all the members of the team to get the job done right.

Tips & Warnings

• Have patience as you move through the ranks as a professional chef. Sous chefs are not made in a day. Most chefs spend many years as apprentices, interns and station chefs before they have acquired the experience needed to become a sous chef. Try not to become discouraged if you do not get the job you want as quickly as you expected.

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