Is the kitchen your sanctuary? Would
you rather spend time cooking or baking than watching television or playing
video games? Cooking is your passion, and you're now ready to take that passion
and turn it into your career!
When you have something you love
doing and have an opportunity to make a living doing it, you have found
something that many people search for their entire lives. This is the time to
learn how to become a chef and never worry about having to "work"
another day in your life.
How will you start your journey
towards a career as a chef? Continue reading below! Here's everything you need
to know about becoming a chef.
Complete
a Culinary Program
If you haven't already started a
career as a chef, then a culinary school might be your first step. There are
culinary programs offered by different universities or community colleges you
could look into. There might also be culinary programs offered separately,
meaning they won't require you to complete other types of courses (only the
ones geared towards your culinary certificate).
It's during these programs where
you'll learn the basics. You'll also discover plenty of new tips and tricks to
use in the kitchen that you didn't know before! Make sure you find the right
program for you as not all schools are made equally.
Look up reviews about the culinary
program you're considering. Speak to someone who has completed the program
before. Where did they go, and did they enjoy it?
Then, take it seriously. Failing to
complete this program will only set you back with both time and money.
Learn
Pre-Vocational Skills
Don't forget that pre-vocational skills are just as important as any other
type of skill, specific to your career. Pre-vocational skills include your
on-the-job appearance, time management, taking responsibility, and more. The
vocational skills are the skills you'll learn in school that are more specific
to being successful at your job.
These skills include how to complete
an interview or how to listen well to instructions given by an employer. Before
you transition from school to your career, you should be sure you know all of
these skills. Having an understanding of all the skills listed above will set
you up to not only be successful but to make your way up the culinary-career
ladder as well.
Gain
Your Chef Experience
Keep in mind that experience is
essential. Many employers won't hire new employees unless they have some type
of experience, so you want to take this seriously.
There's nothing like getting
hands-on experience in a career field. Sure, you've spent lots of time in your
kitchen at home, but now you need experience working in a kitchen serving
customers. While making your way through school, it's a good idea to pick up a
part-time or even a full-time job working in a kitchen.
Don't feel disappointed if the only
positions available are entry-level. This is to be expected. It might be better
not to have a bunch of job responsibilities while trying to finish school
anyway.
Apply for the entry-level position,
and use it to gain as much experience as possible. Speak to the chefs working
in the restaurant with you. Ask them about their own career journey.
These are the best people to go to
for advice because they've been through the process themselves.
Earn
Your Certification
Although your state might not
require you to have a certification to work as a chef, obtaining one or two is
ideal. Having multiple certifications in different culinary areas can give you
the upper hand when competing against other applicants. When considering
different certifications, think about what you'd want to specialize in.
For example, you can specialize as a
pastry chef or even a personal chef. When you have multiple certifications, it
shows employers you're versatile and are a person of many trades when it comes
to the culinary field. To earn certifications, you generally need to have
schooling and experience.
There are also exams you must take
and retake every few years to recertify.
Start
Networking
You know how important networking is
for many careers. It's no different for a culinary career. You need to be networking whenever possible.
Speaking to the chef at your
part-time job is a great first step. You never know who might have
opportunities waiting for you. You should also do your best to get to know
people at your school.
Whenever there's a networking event,
don't miss it. These aren't mandatory but in your eyes, they should be. How
disheartening would it be to see someone other than yourself given a wonderful
opportunity all because you decided to skip the networking event and they
didn't?
Work
Your Way to the Top
As with many other careers, you'll
need to work your way to the top of the culinary industry. How can you do this?
You start off working in a fast-food restaurant.
There's nothing wrong with that, but
over time, you'll want to leave that job to find something different. Don't,
however, leave one type of job for a similar type of job. You want to have a
variety of experience to put on your resume.
Be sure to try positions in a steak
house, at a fine dining restaurant, at a food truck, and so much more! While
working at these places, don't hesitate to take on more tasks than given.
Impress your employers and take on management roles once you feel comfortable
doing so.
Know
How to Become a Chef and Get Started Today
After reading through this guide,
you hopefully now know how to become a chef and can get the process started
today! Use all the helpful information listed above to ensure you find your way
into the career of your dreams.
For more posts with food topics and
plenty of other topics as well, make sure to check back here on a regular
basis.
