Where to go to become a chef. What items do you need to take to be a chef? Culinary College

The chefs of the best restaurants in the world are almost as famous as rock stars. They build the menu and the team, the audience comes to them, they get the respect of colleagues and good salaries. The blog figured out how to break into the world league from scratch.

In the West, such a person is called executive chef, head chef, or simply chef. Closest to this concept is our Executive Director, but in restaurant business. He is responsible for all the work of the kitchen and the popularity of the institution as a whole. Not without reason eminent chefs are brought from abroad, and the public pours on them.

The position requires high-class cooking skills and professionalism in management and management. Let's figure out how a beginner in cooking can gain skills, connections and experience.

Budget start

If you seriously decide to become a chef, you should get a secondary education. Young people who enter after the ninth grade study for three years and during this time they receive a third, sometimes fourth, cook category. The highest rank is the fifth. First professional education in Russia and most countries of the post-Soviet space, you can still get it for free. In colleges and technical schools take to study up to 30 years.

With their crust, you can go to work in a restaurant as an apprentice and start with cleaning vegetables, preparing food and working in the back room.

Specialization

The fourth category and above is received only with work experience. The transition time from the third to the fourth usually depends on the decision of the authorities. When they trust to cook cold appetizers, then the category will be raised.

To climb the fifth step, you still need to learn. Or graduate from a technical school, or take refresher courses. The fifth category gives the right to work in a hot shop and look closely at new professional horizons.

The next step is to lead some of the directions of a large restaurant production or become an assistant to the chef. All these people are called beautiful French words. You can specialize in meat, a meat chef is called a rotisser. On fish (poissonnier), soups (potage), vegetables and side dishes (entremetier or legumier). You can become a gravy - the master of sauces in a restaurant kitchen. Or stay true to cold appetizers, but at a new level: come up with a menu, be responsible for quality and manage assistants. The salad special is called gardmanje. Baking and confectionery is usually the responsibility of people with a confectioner's crust.

Sous-chefs work under the supervision of the chef. This path is for those who are more interested in developing production management skills and leadership skills, rather than improving in cooking.

As in any profession, the number of specializations is impressive. To reach the level of a leading professional, you need the specialty of a chef-technologist and high-level practice. Preferably international.

Grill Chef or Griller: Prepares meals over an open fire

Where to study in Russia

There are culinary colleges and technical schools in all regions. Look for places where learning is built into practice. The correct educational process for a cook is when, from the second year of study, theory and practice in a real kitchen become equal. Such educational institutions can be recognized by the high competition for admission.

For example, the Tsaritsyno College of Hotel and Restaurant Workers has a good reputation among culinary educational institutions. There is a competition of 3-4 people per place.

The next step of a traditional career is higher education. It is possible in absentia, in parallel with work. The Plekhanov Institute, the Commercial Academy in Moscow and universities in the regions will help to get the specialty "engineer-technologist". And then - development through culinary schools and internships with the best craftsmen that you can reach.

A less traditional career model: no school at all. That's also possible. The first step is to get a restaurant apprenticeship with no credits or experience and go all the way up the rank ladder and choose your specialization.

This is an option for those who do not want to spend money and time studying. Many restaurateurs give preference not to professionals, but to housewives who cook deliciously, although they have not heard anything about the recipe book. Of course, it’s good for a career to constantly “cook” in the profession and earn certificates from courses, short-term schools and master classes.

In Paris, the culinary capital of the world, aspiring chefs are hired by prestigious restaurants and work there for free to learn. This practice is widespread all over the world and opens up wide career opportunities for everyone, including our graduate compatriots.

Entering the world stage

Having gone all the way to the level of a good specialist in the field, able to lead a small team, you can stop.

To get international experience and make a name for yourself in the restaurant business, you need to get into a team with the best in the business. If there are no connections and no opportunities to catch, culinary schools will help out. Students of the right schools get their chance: the best teachers and internships in the same status institutions and in the most famous teams.

In Russia and the CIS, this business is in its infancy. We have schools for professionals, but they do not provide an integrated approach to learning and are designed for short-term professional development. But what about management, leadership, personnel management?

International culinary schools

The classical culinary school is studied in Europe. These are France, Italy, Spain, there are schools with a good reputation in London. The cuisines of these countries are the base to which you can add the study of any cuisine in the world.

Important point: to study abroad you need to know at least English language. And even better - the language of the country of study. Therefore, you need to decide on the geography of your specialization in advance. To learn or pull up the language to a conversational level.

To figure out where to place your stops, consider:

  • Which cuisine inspires you the most?
  • What cities do you associate with great cuisine?
  • Are you interested in achieving professionalism in a particular direction, for example, becoming a Vietnamese cuisine guru and learning Asian fusion?

Globalization is doing its job. Chefs different cultures exchange experience, recipes and ideas. Your weight as a chef will grow if you understand several culinary traditions at once.

International culinary academies give more than a chef's diploma. They give access to regional cuisine, the best restaurants, working with celebrity chefs and practical knowledge of international culinary.

USA

Thus, American training programs develop a network international partnerships and send their students to gain experience through work-study programs, where they combine work and study. They give their students the opportunity to travel and study cuisine in places around the world, and then also get a diploma of higher culinary education (Culinary Arts Degree). And this is the main advantage of studying in the States.

Among the higher culinary schools of the USA note: French Culinary Institute in New York and California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

Europe

Thoughts about France, England and Italy are associated with a rich culinary heritage and noble traditions. European students learn to cook like they did three hundred years ago, they know the classic recipes of "haute cuisine", which are not subject to modern trends and innovations.

The gold standard for chef training is the French culinary tradition. In Paris, it is supported by the most famous international blue ribbon culinary academy, Le Cordon Bleu.

blue ribbon

When we talk about European culinary traditions, first of all, we are talking about Le Cordon Bleu schools. This is one of the most important culinary schools in the world, originally from France. Here they teach and promote the principles of classical French cooking.

Today Le Cordon Bleu schools are open in 35 countries. 18 schools in the US, several in Asia, New Zealand and three in Europe. Together they produce 20 thousand people a year. Although not all students become professionals, some study simply to be able to cook great.


Important: branches in Paris, London and Ottawa are managed by the school itself. Establishments in other cities are open on a franchise basis, that is, they simply buy a brand and work on their own.

Types of culinary schools in Europe:

Schools of Commercial Hospitality and Restaurant Management

They prepare professionals with international diplomas and qualifications that will be appreciated in restaurants around the world. Training programs develop students' skills in cooking and presentation of food, introduce them to à la carte gastronomy, pastry business, and kitchen management. They study from one semester to two or three years, practice a lot, train with eminent chefs.

What is important for future chefs, in Europe a lot of attention is paid to the development of communication and management skills, leadership qualities, and the ability to work in a team. As part of the training, you can take a course in management and business management. This experience will lead to new career heights.

For instance: School of Hospitality BHMS in Switzerland.

Commercial culinary arts schools that offer graduate degrees

They also give international diplomas as a cook, sous chef, confectioner, sommelier and open doors to popular restaurants in their countries. They teach international culinary standards and specialize in local cuisine. There are no programs for restaurant managers.

For instance: Academy of Chefs in Terni, Italy; Swiss Institute of Culinary Arts; Manchester City University.

Small private cooking schools

They accept amateurs who want to learn how to cook, and professional chefs. The popularity is based on learning the intricacies of local cooking. To become a master of Catalan cuisine, of course, you need to go to Barcelona. And in Bologna they teach the same Mediterranean classics, but in the Italian version. Etc.

Here are some examples of such schools: Cook and Taste in Barcelona, ​​International Cooking School in Bologna, Cooking ala Turka in Istanbul.

Canada

Canadian metropolitan areas are multicultural by definition. The local cuisine is based on the traditions of the North Indians and a mixture of gastronomic habits of Canadians who arrived from all over the world. French fusion and the traditions of English gastronomy form the Canadian colonial heritage. For example, there is a lot of love for Yorkshire pudding and venison jerky according to ancient recipes from Indian tribes. The geography of the country with severe climatic conditions added meat to the diet of Canadians wild bird and love for smoked meats. Professionals of the Canadian culinary school know very well how to cook venison, fern or pucin - french fries with cheese slices and sauce.

Details

It is not so difficult to unlearn to become a chef in Moscow. There are many places where you can learn to be a cook after grade 9 in the capital of the country. Moreover, you can go to study not only in a school or a culinary college, but also in courses. Let's find out in more detail where you can unlearn to be a chef this year.

To get an understanding of all the technological and physical processes that occur in the process of cooking, as well as to learn how to cook complex interesting dishes, one cannot do without special education. Of course, you can unlearn to be a cook in the process of life at a home stove, but such knowledge will not be recognized by the employer. And here is the diploma educational institution- You can't argue with him.

Where can you learn to be a chef?

There are many options for learning to be a chef. It all depends on what goals you set for yourself. And much, if not all, depends on your perseverance and diligence. Remember the main thing - it's never too late to go towards your dream and change your life. Including changing careers. It is never too late to go to learn to be a chef, if you have definitely decided that this is your calling. If your professional choice from a young age - cooking, then as a step towards obtaining a profession, a secondary vocational educational institution is best suited.

Where to study as a cook in Moscow?

There are plenty of colleges and schools where you can unlearn to be a cook in Moscow. You can enter a technical school both after grade 11 of school and after grade 9. After grade 9, you should go to college if you have already decided exactly who you want to be or you have the need and desire to start working as early as possible. The program for grades 10-11 is also taught in schools, of course, in a slightly simplified form. And because of this, it will take a year longer to study in a secondary school, but, nevertheless, save a year. As a result of training, graduates receive a diploma of a cook of 3-4 categories.

Here are the most famous colleges where you can learn to be a cook in Moscow. College hotel industry"Tsaritsyno" No. 37, one of the most famous colleges in Moscow, where they train as cooks and confectioners. Technological College No. 14, which has 125 state-funded places, where you can also learn to become a cook or pastry chef. College of Service Industry #3, College of Service Industry #32, Food College #33.

Where to go to study as a cook after 11th grade?

If you have a complete secondary education, 11 classes, then you can think about getting a higher education. This will lengthen your path to professional excellence, but it may help in building a career. Higher culinary education can be obtained at institutes Food Industry. The specialty is usually called “Food Production Technology” and the diploma will say Technologist. The chef-technologist not only prepares dishes, but also understands the organization of technological production process, can calculate required amount products and make technological map dishes, knows how to make a menu.

So, sometimes it’s useful to unlearn to become a cook at a university, if your plans include not only conjuring at the stove, but also doing management activities. Because the university provides certain knowledge in the field of enterprise management Catering, commodity science, commodity expertise. The catering business is a complex mechanism. To know how it works, you need not only to learn to be a chef and be able to cook, but also to get additional necessary knowledge.

Learn to be a chef in courses

Another option where to unlearn to be a cook is a variety of long-term and short-term courses. This great option for those who realized their vocation late and no longer have the opportunity to study at the college, but have a strong desire to become a cook. In a few months at such courses, you can master the basic necessary for professional activity knowledge and skills. Moreover, cooking courses provide an opportunity to receive a diploma and a degree. What is needed for those who already work as a cook, but do not have a special education. Diploma courses are a stepping stone to improving working qualifications.

The courses will also help those who just want to improve their cooking skills and learn something new. Usually, the course program includes not only theoretical training in the technique and technology of cooking, but also a lot of practice, as well as basic information on costing and dietary cuisine.

In addition, there are a lot of courses in narrow areas. For example, an Asian chef, a pizza chef, a sushi chef, and the like. Such courses will allow the chef to improve their skills.

Learn to be a chef abroad

Another option where to go to study as a cook is to study abroad. This is an option for the brave. In Europe, there are many culinary institutes and schools that teach the wisdom of various cuisines. This option requires significant efforts, financial investments and knowledge from the cook. foreign language. Training cooks in the leading European culinary school will cost a tidy sum, but such a diploma is valued among employers much higher than a diploma from a domestic college.

The chef is the most important person in the restaurant kitchen. He is engaged in the development and development of the menu, manages the workflow, accepts certification from chefs, is responsible for the purchase of products, and also monitors current trends in the field of culinary and studies the demand of guests.

One of the main functions of the chef is communication with the staff. He draws up a work schedule, monitors the implementation of tasks, monitors compliance with sanitary standards and motivates the team to great achievements. But the chef is also a great experimenter, he improves existing dishes depending on the season and “fashion trends”, and also comes up with new delicious recipes, for which he combines a variety of ingredients with incredible virtuosity.

Such professionalism is highly paid, both in Russia and abroad. For example, in the USA chefs receive from $37,000 to $87,000 a year, in Europe - from £50,000, in Russia - from 100 to 300,000 rubles a month, although in Moscow the salary can be much higher, depending from the income of the restaurant, the season and the number of banquets.

It should be noted that chefs are in great demand in a variety of restaurants and cafes, both in large international chains and in small family establishments.

How to become a chef

This is an interesting, responsible and well-paid position. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people are thinking about how to become a chef. First you need to figure out what qualities you need to have for future work.

So, you need good taste, physical endurance, the ability to manage people, understand the quality of products, do everything quickly and easily, cope with many tasks at the same time, and also show leadership abilities. And, of course, you must love to cook and experiment.

If you have all these qualities and feel that this profession is your calling, study the culinary arts. Where to begin? Get an education and you can get to work in the kitchen. Gradually moving along career ladder, easy to get to the position of the chef of the restaurant. The better your education and higher professionalism, the faster you will achieve what you want.

Where to study to be a chef

Forget about 3-6 month courses or schools in Russia, this is entertainment for housewives and training for canteens. If you really aim to work in the best restaurants in the world: El Celler de Can Roca, Noma, White Rabbit, Osteria Francescana or Eleven Madison Park, invest in education in Europe and the USA.

The undisputed leader in this area is Le Cordon Blue. Teaching at this school is based on the traditions of French cuisine and an impeccable teaching system. Its campuses are located both in Europe (Paris, London, Madrid) and in other parts of the world (Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, etc.).

In all these universities, the education system is very similar. Classes are held in specially equipped classrooms where students can observe the process of the chef's work. The purpose of these lessons is to show how to cook and give specific recipes. Practical classes are held in the training kitchens, where students prepare dishes demonstrated by the chef. On the Bachelor's, Postgraduate and Master's programs, they also master the basics of the restaurant business, management, economics, pricing and other specialized subjects. Let's look at the existing training programs aimed at preparing chefs.

Studying programs

To become a chef, you must not only choose the right culinary school, but also choose the best training program.

Diploma programs at Le Cordon Bleu last 9 months. They are aimed at the rapid immersion of students in a new profession and the early employment of graduates. You can apply for such programs without having a specialized education or work experience. The training starts with the basics and basic techniques and ends with the preparation of the most complex Michelin-level dishes. At this school, each student will be able to find a program that satisfies his professional aspirations: Diploma in Culinary Arts, Diploma in Confectionery, Grand Diploma (includes the previous two diplomas), diplomas in restaurant, culinary, wine, gastronomic management and proper nutrition. Studying at Le Cordon Bleu is the most fast way study the profession of a cook.

For school graduates, Bachelor's programs are more suitable, which are a comprehensive higher education and after 3-4 years of study allow you to work in the restaurant industry. Such programs provide students with all the required knowledge and skills through practical training and paid internships in restaurants in Switzerland. At the same time, graduates do not have to start their careers as assistants and food processors, it is quite possible to become a chef responsible for one of the sections of the kitchen and quickly move up the career ladder, since in addition to practical training in the kitchen, students study a number of management subjects: procurement, management , Human Resources, Wine & Beverage, International Culinary Business, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, etc. Bachelor's programs are available at BHMS, ICI, CAA, Kendall College and some LCB campuses (eg Paris, New Zealand), most of them have American accreditation and double degrees from partner British universities.

For students who already have a higher education, but who want to change their specialty, Postgraduate Retraining Programs will serve as an alternative to the Bachelor's degree. They go to the Swiss schools CAA and BHMS (duration 1 year) and Chicago Kendall College (duration 1.5-2 years). The advantage of such programs is the obligatory presence of an internship, which allows students to study the profession in practice and in the most as soon as possible get not only a comprehensive education, but also experience in international cuisines.

If you already have experience in the restaurant business and want to improve your skills, pay attention to the Master's program. This is the perfect way to open up new career opportunities. Here students master innovative trends and trends in the culinary industry, get acquainted with business planning, strategic management and entrepreneurship in the restaurant segment. An important final stage of this program is an optional internship in Switzerland. All this will help you translate your professional career to a whole new level. You can get such an education at the Culinary Arts Academy (CAA) in Switzerland.

Education in the best culinary schools will give you all the knowledge and skills you need to work as a chef, but your career success depends on your passion for the profession and the desire to improve!

Specialists of the official STUDIES & CAREERS enrollment center will help you choose the right training program that suits your professional plans. All consultations, assistance with the enrollment procedure and obtaining a student visa are free of charge!

If you want to go to study as a cook, you probably have a choice: go to study at a school or go straight to college. But neither one nor the other option, I will not recommend you today, for two reasons. The first is that the education system is so outdated that after you graduate from an institute or college and come to work in the kitchen, the first thing you hear is “forget everything you were taught there, everything is completely different here.”

Unfortunately, this is actually what happens. The second reason is that most people in the world choose a profession to which they want to devote their lives, study for it for several years, work for a while and understand that this is absolutely not what they need, but there is no turning back. And people have to spend their whole lives doing things they don't like.

If you want to avoid this mistake, then follow my advice.

And the advice is this - go right now and get a job as a cook in a restaurant or as an assistant cook. Yes, without work experience, without education, this is real now. I know a lot of chefs who, without education, work as chefs, someone became a chef, someone became a sous chef. This successful people who got this opportunity in life. You can get the same.

How to do it?

How to do it? It's very simple - you write out a list of the coolest restaurants and cafes in your city where you would be interested to work, call them and find out if there is a vacancy for a cook or an assistant cook. Come there and tell it like it is. That you don’t have experience and education, but you have a crazy desire, and you are ready to go to the kitchen right now and do whatever you are told there.

And after a week of work, you will definitely understand whether you really need this job. If you understand that cooking is what you really wanted, you stay to work there, get knowledge, practical and theoretical, on the spot. And at the same time you will earn money. And you will always have time to get a crust about training with the money you earn. Here is the answer to the question - where to go to study?

The cook is constantly learning

Of course, the above method of education may seem too radical for some. Therefore, today there are a huge number of different training courses. These courses can prepare you for the intricacies of confectionery, pastry, and sushi making. The latter are very popular today. V modern world many restaurant chains themselves provide training courses for sushi or pizza parlors. In general, where to go to study better is up to you.

Any cook who wants to be the best in his business must constantly update his knowledge, comprehend new recipes and be an experimenter, getting new interesting and tasty recipes.

Perhaps you will be interested.

Instruction

If you decide to connect your life with professional cooking, culinary colleges are a great first step. Admission to them is carried out both after graduating from a secondary school, and after receiving a complete secondary education. After 9th grade, it makes sense to go to culinary school if you want to graduate early and start working right away. The general education program 10 will be taught to you there, but it will be easier to study than in a regular school. The curriculum of technical schools for students who entered after the 9th grade is designed for 4 years, and after the 11th - for 3. As a result of training in culinary arts, you will receive a general secondary education and a diploma of a cook or pastry chef of the third or fourth category.

note

There are a number of medical contraindications for working as a cook, such as respiratory diseases,
cardiovascular system, digestive organs, kidneys and urinary tract, musculoskeletal system, nervous system, skin diseases localized on the hands, bacteria carrier.

Useful advice

You can become a chef without special education. Many restaurants regularly recruit staff with on-the-job training. Of course, in this case, you will have to start from the lowest position of the assistant cook.

Cooking is the most peaceful profession. It is so tasty, cozy, useful and creative. What a chef does - everyone knows from childhood. And everyone at least once tried himself as a chef in his own kitchen. But few people aspire to build a professional career in the culinary field. To achieve the heights of mastery, you need to have perseverance, patience, a good memory and a rich imagination, be in excellent physical shape and study a lot.

Instruction

Babies acquire the first skills in preparing tasty and healthy food by helping their mother or. If you, the parent, have noticed a child's interest in combining products, give the opportunity to fully reveal their abilities. Tell the cook about the properties of products, teach them how to properly use kitchen appliances, cook simple dishes together and decorate them in an attractive way.

You will find the necessary information on cooking with children in special books, which are presented in a large assortment in stores. On many TV channels, especially for children, there are special programs that tell about the properties of products and the rules for their preparation. In addition, in large cities, on the basis of restaurants and cafes, culinary classes are held with children.

The next step will be school technology lessons. In many educational institutions, their curriculum includes a cooking section. Classes are organized so that students have the opportunity not only to get a general idea of ​​the profession cooks but try it out in practice. Traditionally, the basics of cooking are studied by girls. However, if the young man has firmly decided on the choice of profession and will not experience psychological discomfort, it is possible to agree with the director of the school on admission to these lessons.

After graduating from secondary school, it is time to choose a vocational school. You can become by enrolling in an educational institution: a vocational school, technical school,. Education here is conducted on the basis and 11 classes. In the first case, it will last 3 years. During this time, the student will master the disciplines of the general education course, similar to the program 10- high school and acquire professional skills. For graduates of the 11th grade, training is provided only for special subjects for 1.5-2 years.

Future chefs study biology, the basics of nutritional physiology, sanitation and hygiene, food processing and storage, methods of organizing food production, the rules for preparing various dishes, national culinary characteristics and much more. Theoretical knowledge is consolidated during practical classes and industrial practice. After successfully passing the final exams, students are awarded the qualification "Cook" or "Cook-" 3 or 4 categories.

You can continue the comprehension of culinary skills in a higher educational institution. Training in this direction is carried out, for example, by the Russian Academy of Economics. G.V. Plekhanov or Moscow State University food production. More information about universities with culinary specialties can be found on the Internet, from reference books of educational institutions or in the education department of the regional administration.

University programs are formed taking into account the latest scientific achievements. However, pay attention to the fact that higher education provides great theoretical knowledge, mainly in the organization and management of culinary enterprises. At the same time, universities have developed extensive contacts with foreign colleagues and there are student exchange programs, which makes it possible to experience the beauty of truly national cuisine.

The theoretical base of education should be supported by practical skills. Actively participate in skill competitions, improve your skills at courses, seminars, trainings, communicate in professional communities and watch experienced chefs.

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note

A person suffering from certain types of acute and chronic diseases cannot work as a cook: bronchial asthma, hypertension, heart disease, gastritis, peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, rheumatism, deformities of the spine and chest, eczema, bacteria carrier, etc.

Useful advice

Russian proverb says: "A good cook is worth a doctor"

Modern educational institutions train chefs of the widest profile, and there are a lot of students who want to get this profession. In the art of cooking, the presence of artistic taste and imagination is valued, since cooking is a real creative process. So what does it take to become a chef?

The specifics of the culinary profession

Working as a cook most often provides stable income and good demand in the labor market. Students get a unique opportunity to practice in restaurants, bars and cafes, which allows many of them to find a job even before graduation. After graduating from an educational institution, the future receives a third category, with which you can make a career as a sous chef and even the chef himself. Salary from five hundred dollars and the opportunity professional growth with great prospects are an additional incentive to obtain this profession.

When applying for a chef, remember that you will have a lot of physical activity, constant concentration of attention and the inability to relax during the cooking process.

There are usually no entrance exams for the specialty "cook" - it is enough to pass an interview, during which the selection committee of teachers should understand why you decided to become a chef and how ready you are for this. In some educational institutions, you may even be required to have a school certificate, since triples and losers are unlikely to take work more seriously than excellent students and good students.

Admission to the chef

Before becoming professional chef, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the list of what can be taught in this specialty. So, you will be taught the preparation of both ordinary dishes and gastronomic masterpieces, their original design, table setting, diet and menu planning.

In addition, you will be taught how to select quality products and make an accurate list of necessary products for purchases.

During the cooking classes, you will learn how to prepare salads, soups, appetizers, hot and cold dishes, as well as desserts and diet food. You can become the most successful chef if you have knowledge of school chemistry and biology - it is on these subjects that such professional culinary disciplines as cooking, commodity science, technology are based. confectionery and sanitary and hygienic rules.

During the practice in canteens and cafes, you will master teamwork, hone your body movements, learn how to deftly handle a knife and learn many professional secrets from more experienced ones. In addition, later you will be able to determine the quality of the product by its taste, color, smell, and even “by touch”.

Marketers say that the popularity of any restaurant rests on the "three pillars": good service, the atmosphere of the establishment and the skill of the chef. Sometimes this skill can make a restaurant visitable, even when the other components of success are not perfect, but for this, of course, the chef needs to try very hard. It is clear that such specialists are always in demand and their work is highly valued by restaurant owners.

Features of the profession of a chef

It seems to many that no special education as a chef is required - it is enough just to be able to cook and love this occupation, like millions of housewives who delight their family with excellent dishes. But this opinion is wrong. Firstly, between cooking dinner for several people, and one that is cooked for several hundred, there is a big one, including technological one. Secondly, the range of dishes that a chef should be able to cook is dozens, if not hundreds of times wider than any home menu. Thirdly, the chef of the highest class practically does not use ready-made recipes and must be able to improvise, but in such a way that the new dishes he creates are tasty. And for this you need to know many secrets of thermal and machining products, their compatibility and necessary ratios. And fourthly, most importantly, without which even a person who knows all these nuances can never become a good chef, this is an innate talent for cooking.

Where to get special education

This is available in the lists of specialties that graduates of some universities, schools or colleges receive. You can also earn a Chef Course Diploma in just a few months or even weeks. These educational institutions teach the theory of cooking: the rules for choosing, storing and processing products, the recipes for the most popular dishes, and the principles of cooking. But, unfortunately, graduates of such institutions do not receive full-fledged practical skills in the learning process, they are more suitable for managerial activities.

But, nevertheless, theoretical knowledge will be necessary and in demand if, after graduating from such an educational institution, you yourself take care of the necessary practice. Some cafes and restaurants offer graduates of food institutes and colleges free education in your kitchen, and you can even count on a scholarship. But these restaurants include mainly restaurants and cafes. fast food or network.

You can get to the kitchen of a good or cafe even without special education “crusts”, but in this case, the practice will be more difficult for you, and you will have to start with the dirtiest work - washing dishes and washing vegetables. However, employers are not very willing to recruit people without education. In this case, it is important to get under the guidance of a good professional and get skills lessons from him. And it will always be possible to consolidate the acquired knowledge and skills at paid courses and master classes conducted by well-known, including abroad.

 

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