3 answers
Anthony
Student
1
Question
Asked
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How can I start becoming a chef?
I love food and seeing people cook so I really want to know to start out my career by becoming a chef
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3 answers
Ron Nicholas, C.E.C.
Culinary instructor
3
Answers
Linden, New Jersey
Updated
Ron’s Answer
Hi Antony what's up, best advise I can give u start from the beginning get a gig as a dishwasher or bus person, and that will give u a little info if u want to do this for a living. Hope this helps u. Good luck. Cheers.
Aisha Taylor
Mortgage Closing Specialist
464
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Aisha’s Answer
Hi Antony,
Ask yourself, is this really my true passion and if the answer is yes, I'd suggest going to culinary school, it will be incredibly valuable in learning how to become a chef. The right culinary program can provide you a chance to study recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques and terminology from around the world. Through hands-on learning and faculty guidance, culinary school can also help you start to feel at home in a professional kitchen, build your palate, and gain valuable confidence working with knives and other industry-standard tools. Culinary school is helpful for figuring out how to become a chef, but it won’t guarantee your success. After school, you’ll need to work hard and put in long hours, and it’s unlikely that you’ll be hired as a head chef right away. Instead, you’ll need to gain more experience and work your way up, learning from other chefs as you go. Cooking in your home and cooking in a restaurant are completely different experiences. Of course, your first restaurant job will likely be a low-ranking one. However, the exposure you get is valuable and can help to solidify your career goals. You can also learn a lot working with and watching the professionals in a top restaurant, even if you initially have little to do with the food being served.
Best Wishes,
Aisha T
Ask yourself, is this really my true passion and if the answer is yes, I'd suggest going to culinary school, it will be incredibly valuable in learning how to become a chef. The right culinary program can provide you a chance to study recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques and terminology from around the world. Through hands-on learning and faculty guidance, culinary school can also help you start to feel at home in a professional kitchen, build your palate, and gain valuable confidence working with knives and other industry-standard tools. Culinary school is helpful for figuring out how to become a chef, but it won’t guarantee your success. After school, you’ll need to work hard and put in long hours, and it’s unlikely that you’ll be hired as a head chef right away. Instead, you’ll need to gain more experience and work your way up, learning from other chefs as you go. Cooking in your home and cooking in a restaurant are completely different experiences. Of course, your first restaurant job will likely be a low-ranking one. However, the exposure you get is valuable and can help to solidify your career goals. You can also learn a lot working with and watching the professionals in a top restaurant, even if you initially have little to do with the food being served.
Best Wishes,
Aisha T
Craig Stevens
Culinary Labor
12
Answers
Tiffin, Ohio
Updated
Craig’s Answer
Ron has the right of it. You probably can get a job in a chain restaurant (like Chili's, Appleby's, etc.) at a young age working as a server, dish, or bussing tables. With a little experience you could then cross-train on a food prep job (don't jump to line cook, give yourself some time).
Alternatively, get a job working in the produce department of a grocery store, where you will learn all about the food that is used in cooking. This helped me get into a restaurant kitchen.
Also, ask yourself: Do you like doing grocery shopping? Do you without hesitation cook at home from scratch, meals for yourself and your family? Do you browse cookbooks for fun? Do you like cleaning dishes and the kitchen? If the answer is yes, then you might enjoy a culinary career.
And you don't have to make the choice binary (only cooking career or something else). Pursuing a different career can give you lots of transferrable experience, such as knowing how to run a business, skill with leadership, math and science skills, and a good attitude towards handling difficult jobs and people. Being able to cook is the easy part!
Alternatively, get a job working in the produce department of a grocery store, where you will learn all about the food that is used in cooking. This helped me get into a restaurant kitchen.
Also, ask yourself: Do you like doing grocery shopping? Do you without hesitation cook at home from scratch, meals for yourself and your family? Do you browse cookbooks for fun? Do you like cleaning dishes and the kitchen? If the answer is yes, then you might enjoy a culinary career.
And you don't have to make the choice binary (only cooking career or something else). Pursuing a different career can give you lots of transferrable experience, such as knowing how to run a business, skill with leadership, math and science skills, and a good attitude towards handling difficult jobs and people. Being able to cook is the easy part!