How to Become a Successful Sous Chef

Sous chef at work

"Sous" is French for "under", equivalent to the word "sub" in English. A Sous Chef, otherwise called Assistant Chef; Chef's Assistant is a ranking just below the Chef of Cuisine or an Executive Chef. The Sous Chef's duty is overseeing the kitchen operation. Normally, the Executive Chef spends a lot of time in the kitchen office, so the Sous Chef commands actual activities, like supervising the kitchen cooks and other relating staff (i.e. dish washing workers, janitors), and the meals that the kitchen makes.

Things You'll Need

• Culinary arts education
• Ability to mutitask
• Able to work fast and under time pressure
• Good memory, (for recipes)
• Excellent people and communications skills

Instructions

1. 

   Education is a valuable and a must asset in the chef career but you may meet or know Chefs who have worked their rank up from the very bottom. The advantage in a school trained environment is that you are exposed to different styles of food, plus international cooking, little known and fresh techniques, and more nutritional ways of preparing food. You can also earn a Specialized Associates Degree in Culinary Arts, or become a Certified Safe Food Handler. Food safety has been receiving a lot of focus in the news, so it is good to have a safety certificate on your resume.

2. 

   The job becomes more easier the more computer literate you are. Computer software have made it very easy and convenient to test and create new dishes. Speaking of the internet, many questions that you have can be found within minutes on the web. Thousands of websites with enormous archives of food articles, cooking groups, discussion forums, food blogs, and specialty meals for chefs. Trends spread quickly through the web, and cooks and chefs enjoy following it because it gives them to try new techniques. The worldwide network allows the industry to share ideas, innovation and gather relating resources.

3. The restaurant industry tends to promote from within, so leadership skills become important the higher your position. A great leader is one who has "seen all, been there and done that" type, there will be more respect from the kitchen staff of somebody who knows the place from the ground up. Expect to start from the "bottom" in the company, but never stop for more responsibility or a better pay.

4. 

   The more enthusiastic you are, the more you will be popular in the food industry. You need the skill and language to satisfy both your employees and customers for you to advance. The reality is that you can specialize in an area and also find a wide choice of options and flexible schedules to fit your lifestyle. You can be working in homes, hospitals, airports, corporate office, on cooking shows, schools, hotels, senior care facilities, catering, airlines, on cruise ships, clubs, food processing and production plants, and many more.

Tips & Warnings

• Being a chef is one path which you can take. But you can always learn more, then decide on a niche area or specialty to focus on.

• Nowadays cable television channels has shows devoted to the would-be chefs. Apprentice style contests are frequently held. Participating in these shows at a young age almost guarantees a great career.

• It feels good to let others know that you graduated from a "top" culinary school, but in the end, what you learned and your ability is what counts.

Resources

• Becoming a Sous Chef
• All About Sous Chef
• The Many Paths to Become a Sous Chef
• So You Want to be a Sous Chef
• A Job Description of the Sous Chef