Play around with different types of cuisine to see what fits your style and taste. For example, you might make Italian food one night, Mexican food the next night, then your own twist on hamburgers.
Start by making changes to an existing recipe to make something different. Then, try mixing ingredients without following a recipe. Some of your creations will be a success, while others might be inedible. This is normal, so don’t give up.
If you can, serve your food to people who enjoy the type of cuisine you like to make. They’ll be able to provide a better opinion. For instance, let’s say you enjoy making Indian food. You’ll get better feedback from someone who enjoys Indian food.
Don’t worry about copying the way someone does something. You want to have your own style; However, it helps to watch how they perform certain skills and how they get creative with ingredients.
Your first restaurant job probably won’t be prestigious, but everyone starts at the bottom. You’ll likely work as a line cook. This will help you learn the skills you need to move up the career ladder and eventually become a chef.
Programs are offered at trade or vocational schools, colleges, and culinary institutes. You may be able to earn a certificate in culinary arts from a trade or vocational school in 6-9 months. If you want an associate’s degree in culinary arts from a community college, expect your program to take about 2 years. Additionally, you can earn a 4-year bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from a college, university, or culinary institute. Look for a program that offers classes in business, management, and human resources if you think you might open up your own restaurant someday.
Volunteer to cook for parties and events if people buy the ingredients for your recipes. Use online tutorials and cookbooks to learn new skills.
Some culinary arts schools have relationships with local restaurants that offer internships for students. Your internship will likely be unpaid. However, treat it like a regular job so you can get a good reference when you apply for jobs.
For instance, you might get certified as a master pastry chef, a decorator, or a sous chef. If you have the required education and experience, you can take a certification test through the Research Chefs Association, the American Culinary Federation, the Culinary Institute of America, and the United States Personal Chef Association.
You might start as a kitchen assistant or garde manger, which is the person who prepares appetizers, soups, and cold dishes. The next step up is line cook, then sous chef, which is the position directly under the head chef. Finally, you might become the head chef of a restaurant. If you’ve previously worked in a kitchen, you’ll likely be able to get a better job than someone who’s just starting out.
When you’re at an event with served food, ask to talk to the chef. Talk to the people you meet during training.
For instance, if you’re currently working as a line cook, apply for sous chef jobs at other local restaurants.
Typically, you’ll already have the knowledge and skills necessary to be a chef when you take a sous chef position. However, you might not have the kitchen experience and level of expertise to be a head chef yet, which you’ll get as a sous chef.
It might take several years for you to become a head chef. Making friends in the restaurant industry is the best way to get your work noticed. Be nice to everyone you meet because you never know who could help you get to your ultimate goal of being a chef.
