Chef Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Chefs, what does it take to be a good Sous Chef? I've been considering Culinary Arts for a career besides just Sign Language Interpreting for the U.S courts. I want to be a Sous Chef one day and I want to know: What it takes? How much stress is there in the kitchen? How much is the pay? What things do Sous Chefs do? Chef Gordon Ramsey yells all the time and those chefs seems so stressed.

Answer: V.I.P, it takes dedication and a keenness and a flair for cooking and flavors. Depending on the establishment, if it is continually running at a fast pace then the stress levels can be high, but not all the time, depends on the situation. V.I.P to start the pay will seem crap to you, but as you progress, and Chef sees your Culinary School marks and your enthusiasm towards the job, the rewards increase in more ways than one. A colleague of mine that is a leading Sous Chef, is not only doing Research and Development on new dishes for the menu, prepping for night, he is also responsible to make sure the line cooks are getting the food plated correctly, and those dishes are headed to the dining room well prepared and within minutes of being plated. Each day he checks his stock, fruit, vegetables, herbs spices etc etc, and sees what he needs to replenish. My friend has just received an offer to go to Toronto all expenses paid, answerable only to chef as the offer is assistant chef in charge, his starting Salary is in the order I believe between $60K and $70K per year plus benefits as a start. V.I.Pwhat you see on TV leave it with your idiot box, they liven things up on television for the ratings. Hope this gave you an idea. Oh, if you are into a social life also forget it. Chris

Question: How much money does a chef make a year and what schooling is required? My name is Stephanie and im working on a career portfolio project from School. I was told the choose 3 careers i want to do in later life, one of them is becoming a chef. I've looked on almost everysingle website about chefs, and cooking. But i'm unable to find how much they make a year and what schooling is required. If anyone knows any sort of answer to this.Please replie, cause im stuck. =S

Answer: Income for a chef depends on where they work and what type of work they do. The starting salary would be around 30k per year for a well trained chef working at a decent resturaunt. Chefs at francise resturaunts like Applebees and Chilis probably don't make much more than 20K. Chefs can go to vocational schools to learn thier trade, or they can major in culinary arts or hospitality management at local community colleges. Some colleges have four year degree programs, but not many. Also, every branch of the US military has training programs for chefs and cooks, because of high demand. Chefs in the Coast Guard, Navy and Airforce especially will have better opportunities for training, due to the lack of mobility (They'll be on bases and ships more than out in the field)

Question: I am a chef and will be going to work in a Glatt Kosher place. Do I need to get new knives & tools? After 29 years as a chef I have all my own knives and other tools. I understand that in a kosher kitchen, guidelines over utensils are very strict. Would it work if I simply keep the knives I have clean and sanitary (as usual) or should I be ready to fork out a ton of $$$ for new ones?

Answer: There are cleaning and purifying procedures to avoid this, don't accept the "throw them away automatically". If in doubt, call an orthodox Rabbi and tell him you cannot afford to buy all new stuff, what to do?

Question: What happens chef and managers days off? If a restaurant opens everyday and there is only 1 chef and 1 manager, then what happens if they have a day off or they go on holiday? Is it worth hiring a part time replacement just for 1 day?

Answer: Chefs and managers never get days off. No one in hospitality gets days off. Ha ha, but really, you should have a sous chef and deputy manager that work as little as one day week so you always have a back up. If you have already said this person can have the day off then evaluate whats better to do, if its a slow tuesday take it off. If its a Saturday night, do you not know anyone at all willing to stand in for that day? You really need to think ahead about things like these. Has the chef/manager given you plenty of notice they need to take the day off?

Question: What are the working hours of a full time chef? I just want to get an idea of the working hours of a full time chef in North America, or where you are. I know that in Japan, a lot of chefs work from 8:30am to 11:30pm! They also only get a 1 hour break only. I want to get an idea of general working hours of chefs from whatever country you know about. Please state which country you are answering for and the hours.

Answer: I am a former chef from Canada, and alot depends on the type of operation you in and the position you hold or achieve, a station chef or cook in North America work a standard 40 hours per week with 2 days off and like in Japan any breaks or lunch period if available, alot is determined by the business and how much time is available to do this. I was a sous chef in many types of establishment around the world and did 9 months in Japan at a Canadian owned hotel back in the 1980's, plus I also worked here in Canada, Jamaica and Singapore, and with a job in a supervisory level, your paid a salary and work sometimes 48-60 hours per week, have the same days off, not in a row sometimes and the same perks and benefits as the other kitchen staff. In all the country's I worked including your's, it is very similar for all of us in the trade, like other businesses it is alot like school you have to work within the confines of the system, I never had the urge to have my own business, I liked the advantage of moving when I want, stayed single and never married, my job was my wife and lover, and had 20+ years of enjoyment before health problems required me to step back and remove myself from the food trade, but all around the world we all toil for the good of the cause.

Question: What cook or chef has greatly influenced and inspired you and why? Who do you love, in the cooking world and why or why not? Have you ever worked for a tempermental chef and what happened? thanks!

Answer: You should be doing your own homework, not trying to get someone to write an essay for you

Question: What separates an elite chef from just a good cook? Besides things like knife skills, or amount of recipes memorized? Is it more like, knowing when to add salt, etc? (I can't even make toast or pasta) Given the same recipe and ingredients, will the elite chef make a superior dish than a regular good cook?

Answer: The difference would be professional, where you have worked and what you have done. Chefs are good cooks who have earned respect of their peers in the trade. At least that is how I understand it and I was a chef in the San Francisco area for ten years.

Question: What is the difference between a pastry chef and a baker? I am looking into attending the Culinary Institute of America next year and I need to know the difference between a baker and pastry chef before I apply. I currently work in a bakery, and i know wat bakers do, so whats different about a pastry chef?

Answer: Pastry Chefs make desserts like cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, small and large pastries (puff pastry napoleons, etc), confections and sugar work. Bakers generally deal with breads.

Question: How do I prepare to be a chef? Even though I'm 11 years old, my dream is so become a first class chef (fine dining and pastary work). Can someone tell me how I can start to prepare to become a chef without breaking the bank? Like stuff I can easily do at home. It would also be helpful for some recipies I should try. Thank you to everyone who answers. Also I forgot to add: Could someone give me some tips?

Answer: Take it from me, A real chef. It's very very tough work. I routinely work 70+ hours a week and I don't make that much money. A Chef is a position for someone who has a passion for food. You have to love it more than you love anything else because it consumes you. I went to the apicius culinary school in florence italy however le cordon bleu is great as well. Go overseas. first and foremost. Most schools will give you the option of living with someone for the duration of your schooling. This is what I did and it paid off in spades for me. I got to live with a wonderful old italian woman. I helped her with chores and in return she taught me some of the most amazing recipes. She passed about 5 years ago but I always considered her my second grandmother. These are the experiences you will take with you. If I were you i would start strong right now. Don't get a beginner book go hardcore! Get "Mastering The Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child. You'll be thrilled you did. I started using this book when I was about your age. I made many mistakes but each mistake was a new lesson. I never gave up and neither should you. I love my job and you will too.

Question: Is there a difference between wearing a white chef coat and a black chef coat? I was watching Top Chef last night and one of the guys had a black chef coat on while the rest had white. Is there a difference between the colors -- do the colors symbolize anything (like with hospital scrubs?) or is it just a color? Thanks for your answers.

Answer: You could wear rainbow if you wanted, it's a choice. Possibly you could pick black or white depending on if you had a color that would match the decor better.

Question: How to become a chef and go to cullianry arts school? I want to be a chef and go into Culinary arts. There are colleges I belive that hold Culinary Arts, I don't know if you can get a degree in Culinary Arts? What do you do after you graduate from that Art school? Do you start your own business? Do you work at Burger King? How long soes it take to graduate from that school? Do you even go to college?

Answer: I am not far from the Culinary Institute of America. Yes, it is a college of culinary arts. I presume it is hard to get into. Check out their website

Question: How hard is it to become a professional chef? I really want to be a professional chef when I'm older! I have a passion for food and love to cook. I cook dinner for my family usually once a week when my mom is busy and I'm always making brownies or cakes. Do you know anyone who is a chef or owns a returaunt? I really want to know how hard it is to break into the buissness.

Answer: It is not easy to find good employment as a professional chef, but think outside the box. For starters, you can bake and sell your goodies. Cater upscale birthday parties and events. Even neat kids birthday parties. Then move on to catering a few private affairs. Perhaps work at one of the places that helps people prepare a week's meals to go. You might land a job in a restaurant or a resort, hotel, etc. A family might hire you to cook for them and leave them with prepared meals. You could hold classes for a few other teens to teach them how to make some simple, healthy dishes. I have a 15-yr.old who is basically my private chef. She cooks 5 nights a week. It is now her share of the household chores. Works great. She loves to cook, and I have back problems so it's hard for me to stand in the kitchen for long. She is a huge fan of Rachel Ray, and loves to look online for recipes. We rarely eat out, but we do eat leftovers! Good luck and BON APETITE!

Question: How do I get a job as a chef on a crews ship? Hello, I love to cook and also travel on my own, and was wondering how i could improve my cooking skills as well as see the world and learn from a multitude of chefs from around the world. So how do i get a job as a chef on a crews ship!

Answer: Learn how to spell "cruise".

Question: How hard is it to becaome a professional chef? I really want to be a professional chef when I'm older! I have a passion for food and love to cook. I cook dinner for my family usually once a week when my mom is busy and I'm always making brownies or cakes. Do you know anyone who is a chef or owns a returaunt? I really want to know how hard it is to break into the buissness.

Answer: Well I hope I am able to impart some wisdom to your question, I was a classically trained chef from Canada (retired), I worked here in 8 of the 10 provinces, and while working for a Canadian Hotel chain throughout the 1980's I also had the opportunity as I was single, to work in Singapore, Tokyo, Japan and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The last person before me had some good advice, I recommend to anyone who is interested in a caree as a chef, pastry chef or in the kitchen to find a part-time job in a small restaurant or in a summer resort for a good look at the workings and involvments that come with the job. It is and can be a very rewarding job with lots of fun and opportunitys to see and learn, it can also be a career that involves late nights, working on holidays, a high stress, fast paced, work place and if you are someone who is artistic or creative then a job in the pastry section may be more your cup of tea, it is just as rewarding, but not as fast paced nor is the pressure there to harsh, you have to complete your work but it is not as go-go as in the hot or production kitchen. When you are young look at the local culinary schools even a high school with a trade program, that is were I got the bug in the 1970's while in High school, it was a technical school and offered a chance to work in a kitchen, bake shop and restaurant situation for a school subjects. Just make sure if you are going to follow this path it is something you really want and are dedicated to persuing, Good Luck, I hope you do great.

Question: What are the scientific requirements of being a chef and how can they be applied on the job? I need to show how science can be used by chefs and what sort of education would be needed to be a chef. I also have to write a report demonstrating how it would be applied in the workplace.

Answer: Just like in science, you have to think of a hypothesis, test, conclude and retest. As a cook, you think of a recipe, try out some ingredients to see if it works and taste the final result. If it's bad, you go and re-test it again. There is also a lot of measuring. Not enough yeast might not raise your cake. Even the subtle flavors in a dish, like bringing out the vanilla in a dessert without overpowering the other taste buds. That is a science. Find out what other duties and responsibilities, chefs and cooks might need in the workplace at http://www.badeconomyjobs.com/jobs/cooks/

Question: How much would a Professional chef with a franchise make a year? When im older i want to become a Professional chef, go to culinary school and go into business and own my own chain of restaurants. how much would this profession i want to per-sue would make a year would u say.

Answer: Depends on the type of restaurant. Restaurants are very, very hard to open and get going. A large number of them fail within the first year. It's best to work for another successful restaurant for a good many years, and then take your good reputation on to another, and even then it's still a crap shoot. I am an executive chef and do pretty well for the area I live in.