Working in the food industry requires creativity. They are responsible for the food that comes out of a kitchen, from … When you become Head Chef, it is critical that you are ready and not only know all of the culinary aspects of running a kitchen, but also all the financial, commercial, and directional support you have to show your teams. I truly believe that. A head chef will spend time at the front of the house talking to the customers and … You’ll be planning menus and working out restaurant budgets, too. Being a chef, you must be ready to work at odd hours. There are many reasons a chef may consider changing their career. A: There are no formal education requirements to become a head chef, but many aspiring chefs start their careers at culinary school or by earning a culinary arts degree. You’ll also be an innovative thinker, happy to create new and exciting dishes as and when required. This is the role of a great Head Chef. We're sending an email you can use to verify and access your account. Bank Holidays will no longer be chill time for you, either; you’ll probably have to dust off your chef’s whites and get in the kitchen. That said, formal qualifications will get you to the position of head chef much faster – and if time’s an issue, maybe this is the route to go down. A good sous chef is extremely organized, because their tasks will vary. Stuart Gillies, head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food at Heathrow Terminal 5, and chef patron of the soon-to-open Savoy Grill , says the key to being a good leader is ‘confidence and knowledge’ - … If you don’t fancy going down this path, you can study full time at college, with useful qualifications including a City & Guilds diploma in professional cookery, a BTEC HND in professional cookery, or a foundation degree in culinary arts. 2 Low pay in many cases. Sous chefs are next in line and generally serve as a head chef’s top assistant. Cooks help chefs by preparing and cleaning equipment, mixing ingredients and carrying out other tasks in the food- preparation process. Often, though, chefs start in an entry-level cook role. If you see yourself as the next Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson, perhaps a career in the food and drink industry is on the cards for you? A starting head chef salary could be anything between £16,000 and £18,000, with an experienced head chef earning up to £30,000 per year. The ability to manage a budget and keep accurate records. Good organisation and communication skills. Alternatively, look into relevant courses and think about enrolling on the one that suits you. Making sure the quality of the food is in keeping with the caliber of restaurant you’re serving it from, Managing stock and ordering food from various suppliers, Maintaining good health and hygiene standards, Organising the staff rota and ensuring everyone knows what they’re doing and when. Tim Luff adds: "There's more paperwork than you'd think, and more people related things to worry about, for instance, when chefs in your brigade are off sick or on holiday. A good head chef needs to have excellent communication skills on two different levels. But don’t focus on the positives of becoming a head chef. I truly believe that. Most of the hands-on work in the kitchen is overseen by the sous chef. The Definitive Guide: How To Become A Restaurant Manager Of course, you’ll have to hold your own with the front of house team, as well as successfully run a busy, stressful - and often very, very hot - kitchen! DATA, DATA, DATA. Excellent head chefs have extensive backgrounds in the restaurant industry, specifically with the type of food their establishment serves. Start at the bottom and work your way up, if you don’t want to go down the educational route. You can sometimes end up feeling like an agony aunt or uncle, too – dealing with problems when all you want to do is cook.". How to Be a Good Head Chef. Make a bad choice or two and people may talk about the range and quality of food on offer. On top of this, demonstrating that you’ve achieved any kind of health and safety or food hygiene certificates will certainly take you a long way. Organizational skills. Excellent head chefs have extensive backgrounds in the restaurant industry, specifically with the type of food their establishment serves. The first one is with the customers. Read on…. By clicking the button above, I agree to the ZipRecruiter Terms of Use and acknowledge I have read the Privacy Policy, and agree to receive email job alerts. Do your research and see what else is out there; who knows where you could be in 10 or 15 years’ time! If so, a role as head chef sounds like it’s right up your street. Rather than shying away from certain tasks, they’ll have grabbed every opportunity with two hands; from work placements to overtime, they’ll have had a go at everything. Get access to more career opportunities - Even if you work your way up to a head chef position at a restaurant, you won't have nearly as many career opportunities as you would have with a culinary arts … In the above section, I mentioned how chefs working at high end setups earn good … The rest of the time you’ll be working in a high-pressure environment, under hot and bright kitchen lights. Yes, there is a technique to it! Any food-related qualifications will definitely stand you in good stead, but they’re not the be all and end all – and the hospitality industry is one of the few which encourages people to work their way up to a certain level. Great cooking skills and attention to detail, The ability to manage a budget and keep accurate records, Good organisation and communication skills, The ability to inspire others and help them develop, Innovation in your cooking; customers want to see something different. This method can be used for … How about working your way up the ranks by taking the Modern Apprenticeship route, as well as studying for NVQs or SVQs? And no one will respect you more than the sous chef (the assistant to the head chef) who will no doubt have his or her heart set on the very same position you’re in. The Definitive Guide: How To Become A Bar Manager, © 2011 - 2020 Copyright leisurejobs ltd. All rights reserved. Head chefs do not let their shelves run out of stock; they keep a detailed inventory to ensure they replenish supplies on a regular basis. Lead by example , give compliments when things are done correctly, or are well done. Those chefs at the top of their game can earn £50,000 per year or more, with TV chefs earning lots more. While several factors play into the successes of any single chef, several traits do stand out as universal. Margins are at restaurants are beyond tight -- now factor all the free … To learn more about Compensation Estimates, please see our Another name for a head chef is an executive chef – and if you’re lucky enough to be in either role you can expect to be looked up to by your team. Creativity. Work the line , show them that aside from the fact you are the leader, you are also a cook, and can do … In terms of the key skills you’ll need to do the job, here are just a handful: Great cooking skills and attention to detail. A good educational grounding will provide an excellent foundation for a long and rewarding career as a chef. Head chefs typically run the kitchen, and in operations without an executive chef, they are the top-ranking person in the kitchen. On kitchens and school: “It is important to go to a … Your working week may involve early mornings and late nights and you’ll almost certainly have to work weekends, too. Are you someone who’s full of energy and ready to hit the ground running, no matter how much sleep you’ve had the night before? Choose the right school for you. Of course, you’ll be working longand unsociable hours too – and if you make your way up to head chef level, you’re likely to have even more responsibility. Below you will find these top 10 traits you need to become a great chef yourself. They stay calm under pressure and listen to any concerns brought up by the kitchen staff. … He said:"It's fantastic to have the freedom of expression with your food, to put your own stamp on the menu and to have more time for creativity and self-expression," Learn more: Hiring Head chef/Executive chef/Chef de cuisine HIRE ON THE SPOT, ZipRecruiter, Inc. © All Rights Reserved Worldwide. From any blog you read about what it's like to be a chef, you will quickly … They stay calm under pressure … Every great head chef is supported by the team of … A head chef is a highly skilled professional cook who oversees the operations of a restaurant or dining facility. It's … So, what does a typical week in the life of a head chef go like? Still want to become a head chef, despite that? You’ll be key in deciding which jobs need to be done – and when – and you’ll be happy and comfortable sharing jobs out amongst your dedicated team. Once you’ve held down a role as a head chef for some years, you might feel ready to take the plunge and try something else entirely. Top quality chefs are in high demand around the world. The Definitive Guide: How To Become A Hospitality Manager Head Chefs usually take on a supervisory role within the kitchen, which means that they have significant duties beyond food preparation. It doesn't pay well... at first. Did you know many head chefs have got to where they are in the kitchen ranks simply by training on the job? And it certainly isn’t just about preparing food. It is not a 9-5 job where you have fixed working hours! The Definitive Guide: How to become a Travel Agent? A Head Chef is similar to an Executive Chef, and it is unlikely that a Head Chef and an Executive Chef … Leadership and management skills. Golden Rule: "Start from the bottom and work your way up." Decision making in any business without substantial, useable data is nearly … After you prove your basic cooking ability and professionalism in the kitchen, you may encounter opportunities to move into a chef or head … Setting the tone for the rest of the establishment you’re working in, your menus will pretty much define you too. They’ll … Chefs must be open to incorporating new … To become a head chef… There’s a lot more to the role than simply plating up hot and cold food. 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