Chef Schools
Schools by State for This Career
Career Highlights
Training generally required for this career includes: Work experience in a related occupation.
| Jobs and Salary | |
|---|---|
| Median Salary (2008) | $38,770 |
| Unemployment Vs. Other Jobs | Very High |
| Jobs (2006) | 115,000 |
| Job Growth (2006-2016) | 7.6% |
| Jobs (2016 forecast) | 124,000 |
| Flexibility | |
|---|---|
| Working Part-Time | 8% |
| Self-Employed | 7% |
| Education of Current Workers | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor Degree or Higher | 14% |
| Some College | 39% |
| High School or Less | 48% |
What Kind of Person Has This Career?
(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)
| Important Natural Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Oral Expression |  |
| Oral Comprehension |  |
| Anticipating Problems | |
| Work Values | |
|---|---|
| Independence | |
| Recognition | |
| Achievement | |
| Areas of Personal Interest | |
|---|---|
| Starting And Leading Activities |  |
| Hands-On Physical Work | |
| Self-Expression Or Artistry |  |
| Work Style Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Dependability |  |
| Stress Tolerance | |
| Leadership | |
Which Skills and Knowledge are Needed for this Job?
(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)
| Important Personal Skills | |
|---|---|
| Time Management | |
| Negotiation | |
| Service Orientation | |
| Important Professional Knowledge | |
|---|---|
| Production And Processing | |
| Administration And Management | |
| Customer And Personal Service | |
Which Activities and Situations Are Involved in Doing The Job?
(Numbers are % of people choosing the item.)
| Common Work Conditions | |
|---|---|
| Spend Time Standing | |
| Freedom To Make Decisions | |
| Structured Versus Unstructured Work | |
| Common Job Activities | |
|---|---|
| Thinking Creatively | |
| Making Decisions And Solving Problems | |
| Coordinating The Work And Activities Of Others | |
Tools and Technologies Used by Some
Chefs
- Analytical Or Scientific Software
- Blast Freezers
- Cappuccino Or Espresso Machines
Information Sources
BrainTrack's information on colleges and careers is drawn from many sources, including government databases, BrainTrack's own research, and results from original data analysis algorithms.
Chef Job Description
Career tips, salaries, and lists of schools.
Cooking a meal can be as simple as flipping a burger or as elegant as a choreographed symphony of creativity. The difference lies in the training and experience. Whether they're cooking for five, 50, or 5,000, chefs must be skilled not only in creating appealing meals with quality ingredients (with perfect timing), but coordinating a complex process with many moving parts every day.
Chefs may work in restaurants, hotels, conference centers, schools, grocery stores, hospitals, prisons, large amusement parks, cruise ships, and anywhere else where people go to... or need to... eat. When they do their jobs exceptionally well, restaurant chefs can become celebrities.
There are commonly three kinds of chefs who work in food service: an executive chef or head cook chooses recipes for the menu, determines portion and meal sizes, orders supplies and equipment, oversees kitchen staff, directs food production, and makes sure food is prepared to quality standards in clean, well-run kitchens. At a high level in organizations such as hotel or restaurant chains, an executive chef may oversee many kitchens. A chef de cuisine supervises one kitchen while reporting to the executive chef. A sous chef or "sub chef" runs the kitchen when the chef de cuisine is absent.
The responsibilities of all three roles in the culinary arts include:
- Supervising kitchen staff as they prepare, cook and serve meals
- Continually expanding their knowledge of recipes, cooking techniques and available foodstuffs
- Frequently selecting and creating new recipes for meals
- Choosing quality foodstuffs and preparing them according to food handling, sanitation and safety standards
- Ordering food supplies according to how many people are expected to be served
- Meeting requirements for healthy and nutritional meals
- Establishing portion sizes for each serving and the size of the overall meal
- Artful presentation of individual servings
- Ordering equipment needed to serve the number of meals planned
- Maintaining standards of cleanliness, making sure equipment is well-maintained
Research chefs work for food manufacturers, inventing food products by creating recipes based on their culinary skills and knowledge of food science.
Self-employed chefs may work as private chefs for individuals in their homes or be hired as part of an event. Chefs who run their own restaurants or catering businesses also handle business tasks such as paying bills, marketing, planning expansions, and choosing and maintaining decor. They may supervise employees or hire vendors to manage some of these details.
Culinary Arts Degrees and Schools
Most chefs have had formal training in the culinary arts. Programs offered through vocational schools, trade schools, colleges and universities may last from a few months to four years. Shorter programs award certificates of completion or associate's degrees. Longer programs offered through four-year colleges, culinary institutes or professional cooking schools provide specialty training to prepare chefs for work in fine dining. It is also common for large hotels and restaurants to offer their own training programs, and for aspiring chefs to apprentice under established chefs.
Classes
Basic courses in the culinary arts include:
- food handling, kitchen safety and use of equipment
- public health and sanitation rules
- nutrition, portion control and menu planning
- knife techniques and methods for cutting meats, fruits and vegetables
- basic cooking methods such as grilling, broiling and baking
- purchasing and inventory tracking
- proper food storage for perishable and non-perishable foodstuffs
- economy of food preparation, using leftover food to limit waste
- food service management including accounting
- banquet service
Advanced courses include:
- world cuisines and cooking styles
- cooking for buffets, banquets or parties
- advanced cooking techniques
Most programs require substantial practical experience in a commercial kitchen through an internship or apprenticeship.
Online Classes and Programs
There are quite a few online programs that offer degrees in the culinary arts, food science, dietetics and nutrition, food research, restaurant management and other related areas. When evaluating a program, consider whether it offers credits that can be applied to on-campus programs, job or apprenticeship placement assistance, and supervised practical experience in a commercial kitchen.
School reputation is often important to employers, especially in high-profile careers in the culinary arts; online programs may not carry the same weight as on-campus programs. Accreditation through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) means that the program has met industry standards, and graduates of these programs are often preferred by employers.
Employment Requirements
Anyone who is creative and loves to cook can become a chef through work experience, school and apprenticeships. Most employers who run commercial kitchens seek chefs with proof of some formal training and previous work experience, and prefer graduates of ACF-accredited schools. Optional certification as a chef through the ACF can provide leverage in this competitive industry.
How to Evaluate Culinary Arts Schools
When evaluating degree programs for photography or fine arts, consider asking these questions:
- Reputation and accreditation - Are the school and program given a national ranking by a credible publication or organization? Has it been accredited by the ACF? If programs are offered online, has the school also been accredited by the Accreditation Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) or other distance learning oversight organization?
- Curricula and focus - Does the program emphasize: restaurant cuisine; banquets and parties; nutrition, science and research; food service management or other focus area? Does it prepare graduates for optional certification through the ACF? Does the school offer substantial business classes? Programs that align well with personal career goals are important.
- Class structure and amenities - Are classes small enough for optimal learning, yet reasonably easy to get into? Do lab kitchens have state-of-the-art equipment appropriate for the number of students?
- Financial aid and expenses - Does the school provide substantial assistance in helping students take advantage of financial aid options such as grants, scholarships, work / study and student loans? Is there additional cost in lab fees in addition to tuition and fees?
- Graduate success - Are internships and / or apprenticeships coordinated by the program? What is the job placement rate for graduates?
Related Careers
Example Job Titles
(Titles per survey respondents and career experts.)
- Banquet Chef
- Bread and Pastry Baker
- Cake Froster
- Cake Icer
- Cake Maker
- Cake Mixer
- Chef
- Chef de Cuisine
- Chef de Froid
- Chef de Patite
- Chief Cook
- Chocolatier
- Confectioner
- Cook
- Cook Manager
- Cooking Chef
- Corporate Executive Chef
- Culinary Artist
- Culinary Chef
- Culinary Specialist
- Executive Chef
- Executive Sous Chef
- Food and Beverage Director
- Garde Manger Chef
- Head Baker
- Head Chef
- Head Cook
- Head Pastry Chef
- Kitchen Chef
- Kitchen Manager
- Line Cook
- Master Chef
- Menu Planner
- Pantry Chef
- Passenger Vessel Chef
- Pastry Artist
- Pastry Chef
- Pastry Cook
- Pastry Cook Apprentice
- Personal Chef
- Pie Maker
- Salad Chef
- School Cafeteria Head Cook
- Second Baker
- Sous Chef
- Sushi Chef
- Wedding Cake Designer
Relevant Schools for This Career That Respond Quickly to Info Requests Through This Site
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