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What are some important things to know about being a chef?

I'm not extremely well versed in the subject yet and I'm wondering if there's any info I absolutely need to be aware of #chef #cook #cooking #baker #baking #culinary-arts #culinary #hospitality

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Junnie’s Answer

Dear Jalil,
The most important thing that you need to know to know being a chef… you have to really love cooking, you love food, and you are a hard worker. Cooking is a very physical job, whether in savoury or in baking and pastry. Every other job can have the long hours nowadays, but the long hour standing, lifting, and cooking with heat. It is definitely hard work. Personally, I am born and raised in a bakery and working with my parents since I was 7 years old. I have my share of working in all kinds of restaurants and food service. But, there are more than opportunities in being a chef in a restaurant. If your passion is in food and culinary, there are options in food history, food science, as well as research and development, and working in the nutritional field, working with food that heals. Please research culinary and food opportunities beyond cooking in a restaurant.
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Brooke’s Answer

You'd need a basic understanding of food. Do you know the mother sauces? Are you passionate about food? Do you understand how flavors play with each other to balance salt, spice, bitter, sour, umami. Do you enjoy cooking for other people? Can you take criticism? Food is art and you often need thick skin to make it in the industry. I highly suggest reading Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Also, On the Line by Grant Achatz. Both are world-renowed chefs who write about what its like to be a chef in those "early years." It an amazing industry that can offer you a life-long career, the opportunity to travel and work in kitchens across the globe, and if you have grit and stick with it, it can be very lucrative.

Brooke recommends the following next steps:

Look for somewhere that offers classes on cooking. Nothing long term, just a one night class or 2 sessions. See what you think. Ask your fav restaurants if they'll give you tours of the kitchen when they aren't busy. Ask to speak to the chef at your fav restaurant to pick his/her brain.
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