Do you think of cooking not just as simply making food to eat? If you are someone who can come up with delicious and attractive culinary concoctions, then you might as well consider using your passion for cooking to pursue an interesting and worthwhile career as a chef or food expert. As they say, nothing can be better than having a hobby that you can use to make money as well. By pursuing a career in cooking, you will actually appreciate the fact that there are a number of different fields to engage in. In this article, you will learn about the different awesome careers you can focus on with an educational background in cooking.
EXECUTIVE CHEF
When it comes to the role played by an executive chef, it could actually vary depending on the establishment. In general, however, it is the job of an executive chef to supervise everything that’s happening in the kitchen. Generally referred to as head chefs, chefs de cuisine or head cooks, these are the chefs who are in charge of delegating or assigning responsibility inside the kitchen. It is also their responsibility to maintain food quality and production. There may be instances also that an executive chef is also the owner of the restaurant. For those chefs who have attained prestige in the world of culinary, they could also serve as the face of the dining establishment. Take note also that executive chefs tend to have superior control when it comes to what food comes out of the kitchen, in comparison to other types of chefs.
SOUS CHEF
Almost all students enrolling in cooking schools aim to become an executive chef, but before they become one, they will have to pass the stage of being a sous chef first. Also known as sub chefs, sous chefs usually are like the personal assistants to executive chefs. And in cases of the executive chef’s absence, it is the sous chef’s responsibility to keep the kitchen operating. In smaller kitchens, it is possible that the sous chef is the only other chef aside from the head cook. In this case, he or she will have the responsibility of preparing and finishing the dishes whereas the executive chef is the one who takes on the majority of the cooking. On the other hand, sous chefs in larger kitchens have some higher profile work, because the lower kitchen staff and line cooks are the ones given the task of making sauces, chopping vegetables and doing the plating.
CATERER
One of the most common careers pursued by those who go to cooking school is catering. This is a great alternative for those who love to cook, but not in a restaurant setting. Caterers have the luxury of starting their very own businesses or they may also opt to work for another business where they will be in charge of the budget and logistics. Catering chefs are also given some cooking tasks every once in a while.
PERSONAL CHEF
There are many trained chefs who also choose not to work in busy restaurant kitchens. Instead, they work as personal chefs for private clients. This is the perfect job for those who are keen on building personal relationships with people and cooking for a particular person. In general, personal chefs are expected to work in their clients’ homes where they will e the one to prepare meals. Another option for personal chefs is to work for a company that offers personal chef services.
RESEARCH CHEF
Not all people who have undergone training to become a professional chef focus on creating food that is to be served immediately. One example of this is the research chefs. A research chef makes use of his or her skills in order to develop different types of recipes for food service companies and restaurant chains. If you want to succeed as a research chef, you will have to be ready and willing to fulfill all the demands of your employer. Take note also that your personal creative visions may not always be the focus of your job. There is always a possibility that you will be required to come up with recipes which are meant to be mass reproduced using a particular set of ingredients. This type of cooking job will also likely require that you have a background and expertise in food science. You may also have an edge if you can put to use your creative thinking as you try to address various issues such as freshness and taste preservations. This is normally what it takes to work in fast food kitchens in particular.
What’s really amazing about cooking careers is that they are open to everyone, regardless of their gender and age. Even if you are employed in a company, you may still find time to enroll in online cooking courses, which will definitely open many doors of opportunities for you eventually.
Cedric Loiselle enjoys writing about a myriad of topics such as business and finance, health, as well as home improvement and lifestyle. He can even give sound advice as to choosing the best New Orleans cooking school for you and your loved ones.