Chef Gordon Ramsay is known for his fiery temper and blunt comments. Jamie Oliver is famous for his cheeky manner and down to earth personality. Fans love Nigella Lawson because she appears warm, honest, and likeable. But what are the true traits of a successful chef? Let’s do a deep dive into some characteristics you need for a job as a chef.
Chef In Training: Get the Technical skills
Over the next nine years, new job openings for chefs in Canada — arising from expansion and replacement demand — are expected to total almost 34,000 positions. Chefs who truly want to get ahead of the competition must be formally trained. Centennial College’s Culinary Management program is designed to prepare students with both the necessary cooking skills and the business know-how of team leadership and entrepreneurship. The program includes a blend of theory and practical classes with opportunities at the College’s restaurant and café as well as in the industry. The great thing is, the program also trains you for multiple culinary careers that include roles such as kitchen manager, catering manager, or food entrepreneur.
A Job as a Chef Is Creative
Accompany your technical chef skills with creativity and passion for a winning combination. Chefs layer their culinary education with inspired cooking to create unforgettable dining experiences for their guests. Whether it’s through combining two unexpected ingredients (have you ever had blueberry compote on a shawarma?) or unique presentation, there are many ways to add your own personal creative flare to your cooking job.
Small Details Make a Big Difference
We’ve all seen chefs on TV or in movies wiping excess sauce off a plate just before it goes out for serving. That doesn’t just happen in fictional settings. Never mind excess sauce, but imagine a hair ends up in someone’s food or a critical ingredient is missed? Paying attention to details is simply a must. Being detail-oriented goes hand-in-hand with being committed to quality. Your ultimate goal is to ensure diners have a memorable dining experience, for the right reasons.
Culinary Management Requires Business Skills
Spoiler alert: a cooking job requires much more than cooking. To effectively handle a hectic dinner rush, for example, without chaos erupting in the kitchen, you must be both a strong leader and a team player. That involves effectively managing various team members and juggling multiple responsibilities that require business skills and the ability to multitask. Some non-cooking responsibilities a chef takes on may include hiring and training team members, delegating specific tasks to sous chefs, monitoring food stock and balancing the books, ensuring compliance with health regulations, taking feedback without getting offended, and more.
Evolve from Chef in Training to Organized Leader
When combined, organization, time management, and effective communication go a long way in any kitchen. Your job as a chef will require you to run a tight ship. Two of the best ways to do that is by ensuring your kitchen is totally organized before staff members arrive for their shift and by offering straightforward directions. Not only does clear communication save time, but it will also allow team members to feel confident about completing tasks without having to gain clarification. Being direct doesn’t mean you should go Gordon Ramsay on anyone. An upbeat kitchen encourages inspiration.
By: Izabela Shubair