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Step 1
Find out what being a cook entails before you think about doing it for a living. You can work in a restaurant, but a better way is to shadow a cook for a week or so. You'll quickly discover the hardships and rewards of the job. You'll also find out about the hierarchy in professional kitchens.
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Step 2
Attend a vocational school, a college cooking program or a culinary institute to give you a solid foundation. Along with basic skills, you'll learn about nutrition, food storage, menu development and more. You'll have time and opportunity to ask questions, and learn the whys and wherefores of cooking. On-the-job training is fine, but restaurant pace is often too fast for you to learn what you need.
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Step 3
Expect to pay your dues, especially if you don't have formal training. Initially, you might get hired as a prep cook (a lot of peeling and chopping) and then advance to a position as line cook (in charge of a certain area of the kitchen, such as sauteing or grilling).
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Step 4
Work hard, and distinguish yourself among the other line cooks. Ask for new assignments so you can gain fresh skills. If you shine at your jobs, you may have a chance to advance to the position of sous chef (assistant to the executive chef) and eventually to the top job in the kitchen.
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Step 5
Advance your career by taking a class and getting certified in a specialty by the American Culinary Federation. See Resources.
