Chefs

Chef

Occupation
Names	Chef, Culinarian
Occupation type	Profession
Activity sectors	Culinary arts, Hospitality industry
Specialty	{{#statements:P1995}}
Description
Competencies	Cooking skills, management skills, creativity
Education required	Culinary school, apprenticeship
Fields of employment	Restaurants, Hotels, private households, cruise ships
Related jobs	Cook, Baker, Pastry chef

A chef is a trained professional cook who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term chef de cuisine (French pronunciation: ​[ʃɛf.də.kɥi.zin]), the director or head of a kitchen. Chefs can receive formal training from an institution, as well as by apprenticing with an experienced chef.

Roles and responsibilities

The chef's responsibilities include overseeing the kitchen staff, managing the preparation and presentation of food, developing menus, and ensuring the kitchen meets health and safety regulations. In larger establishments, a chef may have several assistants that help with food preparation, cooking, and other tasks. There are various titles for chefs, including:

• Executive chef - responsible for the operation of the kitchen(s), menu creation, management of kitchen staff, ordering and purchasing of inventory, and plating design.
• Sous-chef - the second-in-command and direct assistant of the executive chef. The sous-chef manages the kitchen staff during the absence of the executive chef and assists in the training of new staff members.
• Pastry chef - specializes in desserts, pastries, bread and other baked goods.
• Saucier - responsible for sautéing foods and preparing soups and sauces.

Training and education

Formal training is not strictly necessary to become a chef, but many chefs attend culinary school to gain the skills needed for this competitive and demanding profession. Culinary schools provide a combination of classroom education and hands-on training in the kitchen. Education typically covers food science, nutrition, and diet, menu planning, kitchen management, and the use of various kitchen equipment.

Cuisine specialization

Chefs often specialize in a type of cuisine, such as French, Italian, or Japanese. Specialization can extend to specific cooking techniques or types of dishes, such as pastries or seafood. Chefs may also specialize in catering or personal services, working in private households, corporate dining facilities, or other non-restaurant settings.

Culinary arts

The culinary arts, the art of preparing and cooking foods, are a critical component of a chef's training. Mastery over the culinary arts requires knowledge of ingredients and their combinations, as well as creativity in the presentation of dishes.

Employment

Chefs are employed in an array of settings, from fine dining restaurants to casual dining establishments and everything in between. Chefs may also work in non-traditional environments like food trucks or pop-up restaurants. The work can be highly demanding with long hours, including early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.

See also

• List of chefs
• Culinary art
• Kitchen brigade system