Getting Ready for Chef Jobs
The first thing you need to do if you’re thinking about executive chef jobs is learn what to expect. When you’re an executive or head chef, your job is to make sure that everything is properly coordinated in the kitchen. You’ll need to work with a wide range of other employees and cooks in order to get the food prepared and served in a timely fashion. You may need to assign different cooks to different stations within the kitchen to ensure that everything gets prepared simultaneously. This requires understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your staff, as well as knowing how to motivate the staff to work together as a team.
Besides the responsibilities above, you will also be in charge of planning the menu for the restaurant. Most chefs have a specialty or two that will appear on the menu, so you should focus on perfecting some dishes that are going to stand out as your signature items. These are sometimes going to make the difference between landing a job and continuing your search.
Of course, you may not be able to start off in a top position, such as executive pastry chef jobs. That means you should also be familiar with some of the lesser head chef jobs (such as those with less renowned restaurants) because they can offer you the opportunity to advance your skills and move on to higher positions with different restaurants. You can also get started in a non-head-chef position in a top-notch establishment. For example, a chef de cuisine handles the daily operations in the kitchen. This person will directly report to the executive chef. A sous chef is another example of someone who reports to the head chef. This person is sometimes entrusted with running the kitchen when the main chef is not present. Either of these positions is going to be a good starting place if you want to eventually secure an executive chef job.
You should also keep in mind that executive chefs tend to work longer hours than others in the kitchen. The reason for this is that you an executive chef needs to oversee many of the important interactions and preparations for the kitchen. For example, the head chef needs to oversee the delivery of food shipments to the kitchen to ensure that everything is of the utmost quality. Don’t be surprised, then, to find yourself working up to 12 hours an evening in a head chef position.
Preparing for the Profession
You also need to understand what type of preparation is required for the profession. You won’t be able to get many executive chef positions unless you have received some education beyond high school. Lower level kitchen jobs, such as food prep staff positions, don’t require much formal education. When it comes to chef jobs, however, most employers want to be sure that you are familiar with the advanced cooking techniques you’ll only encounter through additional formal training. Today, many vocational schools are offering two- to four-year training courses that will provide you with this critical training. Additionally, the training will expand your cooking experience and knowledge, which means you’ll be able to prepare a wider range of dishes. This, in turn, will expand your job potential.
You may also want to attempt to gain certification through the American Culinary Institute. Although not all employers will require this certification, having it can be an advantage in this competitive field.
Remember that if you are just finishing your formal training, you will almost certainly not be hired as an executive chef. You will need to prove your skills at lower levels in the kitchen first. That said, all of these early connections will help make it easier for you to land the job you want eventually.
Finding the Job You Want
Growth in this area is about the same as for most occupations in the United States. That doesn’t mean you won’t find a great deal of competition for the available spots in the best restaurants, though. One way to gain an advantage in your job search is to use a website that specializes in chef and cooking positions. By using such a site, you can sometimes get advanced knowledge about when a new restaurant is about to open and might beg looking to hire kitchen staff.
Remember that having strong qualifications, signature dishes, and references from others in the industry will help you find the job you want. Having experience in the kitchen is also vital if you want to be an executive chef, so keep that in mind as you work your way up through those lower level kitchen jobs.
