Chef: Duties & Salary
by Willette Francis
Culinary arts professionals are artists who create delectable dishes at your favorite restaurants. It takes talent, vision, and, most of all, a love of cooking to be an excellent chef. Combining passion and with the right training and education creates the chefs who make dining dreams a reality. If you love preparing delicious, beautiful meals, a career in culinary arts is definitely for you.
What does a chef do?
Chefs know how to prepare a variety of foods, from entrees to desserts, and they do this on a daily basis. At restaurants and other food service establishments, they are responsible for creating recipes and meals with the help of food preparation workers who prepare meats, poultry, and vegetables, keep the work areas clean, and monitor the grill and oven temperatures. The chef's meal preparation and recipe creation is done by using various kitchen equipment. Chefs and head cooks also have the responsibility of supervising other kitchen workers, ordering food supplies, and estimating how much food is required to create various dishes for the restaurant.
Larger restaurants will have variegated menus and this calls for a larger kitchen staff and as many as several chefs to handle the work load. In this case, each chef would work at a designated station where they prepare specific foods. These stations have their own stove, kitchen equipment, and ingredients.
An executive chef or head cook works with the kitchen staff and directs meal preparation. They also determine serving size, order supplies, plan menus, make sure that quality and presentation of meals are uniform, and manage kitchen operations. Executive chefs may also manage hotel restaurants and corporate dining. Chef de cuisine reports to the executive chef and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of one kitchen, while sous chefs run the kitchen in the chef's absence.
A chef's responsibilities vary greatly depending on where they are employed. Institution and cafeteria cooks, restaurant cooks, short-order cooks, and fast food cooks keep different quantities and types of dishes. Some chefs hold positions as research chefs and these chefs use their cooking skills and food science knowledge to create recipes for restaurant chains, food processors, and manufacturers. They test new formulas and the best way to prepare new foods. Other chefs work as private household chefs, preparing meals for individuals and families. This type of chef prepares meals to the client's specifications and dietary needs and personal chefs prepare a week's worth of meals that can be reheated. They can be self-employed or work for a company that provides this service.
How much are chefs paid and what kinds of chef jobs can I get?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that a chef's median wages and salaries in May 2006 was $34,370. The highest 10 percent earned more than $60,730. Chefs and head cooks held the most jobs in amusement and recreation, traveler accommodation, special food services, full service restaurants, and limited services eating places. In 2006, the median salary for private household chefs was $22,870. The highest 10 percent earned more than $55,040. The median salary for institution and cafeteria chefs was $20,410 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $30,770. The largest employer of institution and cafeteria chefs are general medical and surgical hospitals, special food services, community care facilities, nursing facilities, and schools. Restaurant cooks earned a median salary of $20,340 in 2006 with the highest 10 percent earning more than $28,850.
What does a chef do?
Chefs know how to prepare a variety of foods, from entrees to desserts, and they do this on a daily basis. At restaurants and other food service establishments, they are responsible for creating recipes and meals with the help of food preparation workers who prepare meats, poultry, and vegetables, keep the work areas clean, and monitor the grill and oven temperatures. The chef's meal preparation and recipe creation is done by using various kitchen equipment. Chefs and head cooks also have the responsibility of supervising other kitchen workers, ordering food supplies, and estimating how much food is required to create various dishes for the restaurant.
Larger restaurants will have variegated menus and this calls for a larger kitchen staff and as many as several chefs to handle the work load. In this case, each chef would work at a designated station where they prepare specific foods. These stations have their own stove, kitchen equipment, and ingredients.
An executive chef or head cook works with the kitchen staff and directs meal preparation. They also determine serving size, order supplies, plan menus, make sure that quality and presentation of meals are uniform, and manage kitchen operations. Executive chefs may also manage hotel restaurants and corporate dining. Chef de cuisine reports to the executive chef and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of one kitchen, while sous chefs run the kitchen in the chef's absence.
A chef's responsibilities vary greatly depending on where they are employed. Institution and cafeteria cooks, restaurant cooks, short-order cooks, and fast food cooks keep different quantities and types of dishes. Some chefs hold positions as research chefs and these chefs use their cooking skills and food science knowledge to create recipes for restaurant chains, food processors, and manufacturers. They test new formulas and the best way to prepare new foods. Other chefs work as private household chefs, preparing meals for individuals and families. This type of chef prepares meals to the client's specifications and dietary needs and personal chefs prepare a week's worth of meals that can be reheated. They can be self-employed or work for a company that provides this service.
How much are chefs paid and what kinds of chef jobs can I get?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that a chef's median wages and salaries in May 2006 was $34,370. The highest 10 percent earned more than $60,730. Chefs and head cooks held the most jobs in amusement and recreation, traveler accommodation, special food services, full service restaurants, and limited services eating places. In 2006, the median salary for private household chefs was $22,870. The highest 10 percent earned more than $55,040. The median salary for institution and cafeteria chefs was $20,410 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $30,770. The largest employer of institution and cafeteria chefs are general medical and surgical hospitals, special food services, community care facilities, nursing facilities, and schools. Restaurant cooks earned a median salary of $20,340 in 2006 with the highest 10 percent earning more than $28,850.
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