How Do You Become a Gourmet Chef?
The life of a gourmet chef isn't for armchair celebrity cooking fans, or weekend kitchen dabblers. Only those with a real passion for cooking --- and the stamina to work punishing hours on their feet in a hot kitchen --- can achieve a career as a gourmet chef. And on the way, you'll be surrounded by countless other chefs-in-training, all of them just as hungry and ambitious as you. Scared away yet? No? Then read on!
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Your own set of knives
- Tuition for culinary school
- Acceptable grades
- Basic cooking skills
- Knowledge of fine cuisine
Instructions
-
-
1
Consider culinary school. Cooking for a restaurant is nothing like cooking at home --- everything from the recipes to the techniques to the equipment is designed for large-scale quantity and consistent quality. A degree from a culinary school isn't an absolute necessity, but if you're light on restaurant experience it's a good way to get a solid foundation.
-
2
Apply for an apprenticeship at a good restaurant. Life as the lowest person on the kitchen totem is far from glamorous -- you'll spend endless hours peeling vegetables, making stocks, and trimming cuts of meat. But you'll learn the ins and outs of the professional kitchen, and gradually you'll be trusted with more responsibilities.
-
-
3
Keep climbing the ladder. There's no shortcut to the top; in the world of gourmet cuisine, you have to earn your dues. After your entry apprenticeship you'll work your way to garde manger, and prepare cold appetizers, soups, and salads. From there, shoot for a position as a line cook, firing and plating the main entrees. Learn all you can from everyone around you.
-
4
Become a sous chef. The sous chef is the second-in-command, and at many restaurants he or she is the functional head of the kitchen. The sous chef is responsible for everyone else in the kitchen, and must be a good manager and a diplomat as well as an excellent chef. Cultivate a good relationship with the executive chef -- it'll serve you in good stead.
-
5
Strike out on your own. At this point you've seen the insides of more kitchens than you'd like to recall, and you probably have a few good horror stories. But you've also been developing your own culinary knowledge, experimenting with different flavor combinations and unorthodox preparations. Maybe you've got a few tricks up your sleeve. Now it's time to put them to work. Whether you take over an existing restaurant or open your own, your own tastes and ideas will be the heart of the enterprise.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Research potential culinary schools carefully before you apply. Reputation, location, and tuition should all be taken into consideration.
Don't think about becoming a chef if you value free time on nights, weekends, and holidays. Remember, you'll be working your hardest so that everyone else can relax and celebrate.
As you ascend from position to position, try not to make enemies. The restaurant world is surprisingly small, and a bad working relationship might come back to haunt you.
References
- Photo Credit serious woman image by Lisa Eastman from Fotolia.com
