01. Introduction - So you want to be a chef!  The culinary arts are a great choice for a career. It helps if you have a previous interest in cooking.

Most people that decide that they would like to explore the great field of the culinary arts already seem to have the pre-disposition for it. Of course, that is not always the case.

Some chefs come into the profession later on in life. Of course, if you want to be at the top of your field, you should at least know that there are quite a few things that you should ask yourself first.

02. Chef? - A chef is a person that has studied for many years in the culinary arts to learn how to run a successful kitchen and properly prepare meals in a professional environment.

There are quite a few places that a chef can choose to work in. Some of these include:

• Restaurants
  
  
• Hospitals
  
  
• Hotels
  
  
• Cruise ships
  
  
• Rest Homes
  
  
• Diners

03. Is it right? - Before you can decide whether or not you should become a chef, you should first consider the demands that are placed on a chef’s shoulder.

It can be a very stressful situation for someone that doesn’t already know what it is like to be under such working conditions.

A chef is responsible for many other staff members in the kitchen as well. You need to know what is going on around you at all times, and have great organizational skills to boot.

04. What? - Being a chef is a very physical profession. You are required to remain on your feet almost constantly. Along with that, you must also be stirring, kneading, and chopping your foods.

Many times, you will have to do all of this while also having to ordering foods for hungry customers and critical customers.

A kitchen is almost scorching hot year round so you should be quite prepared for that. Even in the best conditioned areas, a kitchen is often as hot as 95 degrees or higher.

05. Apprentice - It takes many years to become a chef, and much schooling to get to the position of head chef.

Most chefs begin by becoming apprentices for a few years so that they can get the necessary experience of working in a kitchen. Being a chef often requires you to stand on your feet for hours at a time and you are rarely able to relax for very long.

06. Specialty - Most chefs have to first choose a specialty before going to culinary school so that they can specifically study that art in general.

Each specific culinary specialty has their own level of study, and all have their own rewards to offer.

To be a successful chef you need to know how to supervise a variety of kitchen staff, create a nice food display, know how to properly garnish a meal, plan menus, and order, stock and store food supplies.

07. Qualification - Once you have started at a beginning level as a cook or apprentice, you will want to move ahead and into an assistant cook position. This doesn’t sound like much, but it will be necessary when looking to advance to an executive chef level.

You must train and go to school for a few years to be able to work your way into a fine restaurant or a head chef position. You will also need a few years of experience.

08. Money? - There is plenty of money to be made in the culinary industry. Of course, much of this depends on the area, and the type of establishment that you work in.

Naturally a busier area will bring in pretty good money.

The best places to work in are expensive hotels and restaurants. Here is a quick breakdown of the money that you can make that depends on your position.

09. How do I start? - As I stated before, you must go to school if you are hoping to be head chef or executive chef.

There are many avenues that you could chose when deciding where or how you would like to get your training. It really just depends on what kind of credentials you are hoping to get.

There are a few places that you can go to get your training. You can choose Colleges or universities, trade or vocational schools and an apprenticeship.

10. Accredited Colleges - Going to a 2-4 year college in order to become a certified chef is the best place to start if you are hoping to be accredited nationwide.

College courses offer you are more rounded view of the culinary industry and give you much of the skills that you will need in order to excel at your field.

Employers at finer restaurants are more eager to hire an accredited chef that has a college degree in the field than a graduate from a trade school. This is also a great way to know that you are accredited all over the world as well.

11. Equipment? - As in every area of life, you need to have the right equipment when you are trying to become a chef. Most schools require that you purchase your own tools and equipment.

Have you ever heard the old saying “A movie star is only as good as his next movie”? The same is true if you are a chef.

A chef is only as good as his next dish. The best way to start you on the road to making great cuisine is by using the right tools and always having them handy.

12. What Next? - Getting started in your quest to become a chef isn’t as hard as you might think. The first thing that you need to do is research.

You should:

• Research any schools in your area that train chefs
  
  
• See that the tuition is affordable
  
  
• Ensure that there is financial aid available if you need it
  
  
• Determine what transportation you will need
  
  
• Find out how much it will cost to commute.

You will want to make sure that the school or training facility will give you the kind of training and/or credentials that you are looking for as well.

13. Summary - By now, you should know all that you need to know in order to make the culinary industry your chosen profession. In this guide you have learned:

• What it takes to be a chef
  
  
• What type of training you need
  
  
• What the working conditions are like
  
  
• What equipment that you will need
  
  
• The different specialties there are as a chef
  
  
• What you will study in college or university
  
  
• How much money you can expect to pay for tuition
  
  
• How much money you can make as a chef
  
  
• Why you should become an apprentice first.

With this comprehensive guide to becoming a chef, you should by now realize whether or not if it’s right for you.

14. Resources -

http://www.cooking-schools.us
http://www.educationdirect.com
http://www.ichef.com
http://www.chefassociation.com
http://www.personalchefnetwork.com
http://www.culinaryed.com
http://www.culinarybusiness.com
http://www.yourcollegelife.com/Articles/4.php

Books
The Professional Chef (Author: The Culinary Institute of America)

Professional Chef’s Knife Kit (Author: The Culinary Institute of America)

The professional Pastry Chef: The Fundamentals of baking and Pastry (Author: Bo Friberg, with Amy Kemp Friberg)

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