Professional Chef: A Life Of Culinary Expertise
So you want to be a professional chef right? You might have the skills,
talent and passion for cooking, but do you really understand what being a
chef is all about? The term chef is very broad – it can be used to refer to
someone who does general cooking duties, someone who makes menu plans, a
person who has extensive culinary skills and experience, or maybe someone
who assumes a supervisory role in the kitchen. A chef can be involved in so
many culinary activities – from entry-level positions to supervisory roles,
which is why it is important to have a good understanding of their duties
and responsibilities. But what does the term “chef” really mean? Nowadays,
a lot of people have misconceptions about this word – almost anyone who can
cook proficiently or is working inside a kitchen is being called a chef. If
you try to do some research, you will find that the word “chef” came from
the French term “chef de cuisine”, which literally means “head of the
kitchen”, and is technically an individual who is in charge of all the
aspects of a professional kitchen. What this means is, in order to be called
a professional chef, you need to be running a professional kitchen, which
not everyone may be privileged to have. Unlike home cooks, line cooks and
cooking instructors (who are also often mistakenly called chefs), a
professional chef primarily is in charge with tasks such as making menus,
determining the costs/pricing of menu items, setting up and managing all the
facets of the kitchen, keeping track of inventories, placing food orders,
hiring and staffing, and ensuring that food served meets quality standards.
It is these responsibilities which separate them from cooks and other
culinary experts. Also, if you might notice, a professional chef is rarely
involved in any actual cooking. A chef who is in charge with all the
matters about cooking is referred to as “sous chef” or “second chef”. He is
the one generally tasked with the responsibility of supervising the entire
kitchen personnel (line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers), although he may
sometimes do some actual cooking from time to time. A “chef de partie” or
“station chef” refers to the chef who is responsible for a particular
cooking station and is the one doing the actual cooking. They are usually
organized into specific sections and there are separate chefs for the
roasting section, grilling, sautéing, etc. If you really want to become a
professional chef, you must understand that this is a career that cannot be
rushed. Whether you’ve entered a culinary school or not, the key to becoming
a successful chef actually lies in one thing – experience. It is this
experience which separates true-blooded chefs from the seasoned ones. This
experience can only be acquired inside professional kitchens – a place where
newbie cooks are able to sharpen their culinary talents and skills, and
mature to become competent professional chefs. And as with any career or
endeavors in life, you will need to put in perseverance and hard work –
these are the secrets of true success.
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