Everyone needs to eat! From fast food to four-star dining, food preparation and the culinary arts are big business. Whether you are making a dish that costs a dollar at a lunch counter or fifty dollars at a chic New York City eatery, a career in cooking can be very rewarding.
There are several basic types of culinary careers. Chefs and cooks oversee the entire process of meal preparation, and are expert in measuring, mixing, and cooking all the ingredients that make up a delicious meal. They may also be responsible for making menus, selecting food supplies, and supervising the activities of the kitchen staff.
Food preparation workers assist chefs and cooks. They perform tasks that may include slicing vegetables and meats, cleaning the cooking area, washing lettuce and crudités, arranging desserts, and much more. Food preparation workers work closely with chefs and cooks to ensure that the kitchen runs smoothly.
Institutional chefs work in organizations that require large volume—for instance, a kitchen at a college or university may prepare a thousand sandwiches to be served at lunch hour in one day. Not only are flavor and appearance important, but so is consistency, because every sandwich must be uniform.
Chefs in four-star restaurants may create imaginative meals using a wide variety of exotic ingredients. They serve a demanding clientele who are willing to pay high prices for exceptional food.
Private chefs may work for a single family or a business. They may be called upon to prepare three meals a day in small quantities, just like you would do for a family. They may also be in charge of doing the daily grocery shopping.
Fast-food cooks prepare a limited selection of menu items such as hamburgers, fries, and fried chicken. They often follow strict preparation guidelines written by the owner of the fast-food franchise.
What’s the job outlook? The U.S. government predicts that during the decade from 2006 through 2016, chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers will have among the largest numbers of new jobs created—about 351,000 over the period.* That’s a lot of new jobs!
How about training? While it may be possible to enter the food preparation industry without training by starting at the bottom, advanced positions often require career training. Fine dining and upscale restaurants often seek applicants with a certificate, a two-year degree, or even four-year degree. Career training programs, such as those found on the Education-For-Careers website, typically offer a wide variety of training specialties including advanced cooking techniques, cooking styles from around the world, courses on restaurant management, and information on the health issues of commercial food presentation.
Chefs often participate in longer training programs offered by professional culinary institutes, independent cooking schools, the armed forces, and in two-year or four-year college degree programs in culinary arts or hospitality. Executive chefs and head cooks who work in fine-dining restaurants have often had many years of training and experience.
If you enjoy cooking, if you like to work as a member of a team, and if you love the expression on people’s faces after a satisfying meal, then you should explore the career opportunities in culinary arts. Contact one of the many career colleges and technical schools on Education-For-Careers and see you can make your culinary career dreams come true.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Chefs, Cooks, and Food Preparation Workers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos161.htm (visited January 29, 2008).
