Top 10 Opportunities as a Chef
So what type of opportunities can a culinary school graduate aspire to as they strive to pursue a career as a professional chef? We’ve gathered a list of 10 opportunities. It doesn’t include all possibilities, but it’s a great list that can spark your imagination to get you cooking in Atlanta and train as a Georgia professional chef.
1. Executive Chef
This department head of a restaurant chain, resort, hotel, or food service establishment is responsible for all aspects of kitchen management. In addition to culinary responsibilities, other duties include budget preparation, payroll, maintenance, controlling food costs and maintaining financial and inventory records. Years of training and kitchen experience are normally required to pursue this career path.
2. Chef de Cuisine
This head chef of a single unit establishment is in charge of all culinary operations with final decision making authority. They are responsible for managing the kitchen staff and maintaining quality levels for food production.
3. Sous-Chef
The Sous-Chef manages a shift or a single area of a kitchen. Often they are second in command to the Chef de Cuisine or Executive Chef. The must understand and be capable of taking over all aspects of food production.
4. Pastry Chef
A pastry chef supervises and manages all aspects of pastry production in a food service establishment. Considerable knowledge of pastry techniques and a mastery of baking techniques are required. There are also Executive Pastry Chefs that manage a pastry kitchen and other pastry chefs.
5. Sommelier
Pairing the correct wine with a meal is art reserved for the sommelier. This food professional not only knows the exact wine to serve with each course but is responsible for ordering and maintaining the wines sold at a restaurant.
6. Caterer
Feeling independent? Want to have a business of your own? Catering may be just the thing for you. A caterer is a professional chef who provides food and beverages to social gathering. Catering businesses range from single person operations to restaurant-like staffs of dozens of employees. Marketing skills play heavily in their success.
7. Private Chef
The ultimate chef for hire. A Personal Chef is a chef who prepares meals for a client in the client's home kitchen, based on the client's needs and personal preferences. As an independent business person marketing and financial management skills are crucial.
8. Culinary Educator
Culinary Educators are responsible for the development, implementation, administration, evaluation and maintenance of a culinary arts or foodservice management curriculum.
9. Culinary Administrator
Large food service organizations require administration and human resource staff that understand the needs of the culinary trade. These professionals are responsible for the administrative functions of running a professional foodservice operation. Needed skills include HR, operational management, financial management, and business planning.
10. Food Writer
Restaurant Reviews. Cookbooks. Food and Travel Guides. Food History. All of these are the domain of the food writer, a person who takes their love and knowledge of all things culinary and share them with the world.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Atlanta. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Atlanta offers Le Cordon Bleu culinary education classes and culinary training programs in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit http://www.Chefs.edu/Atlanta for more information.
The jobs mentioned are examples of certain potential jobs, not a representation that these outcomes are more probable than others. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Atlanta does not guarantee employment or salary.
