It’s no doubt that chefs are one of the toughest work around. Chefs are required to work long hours, work through the weekends and in an environment that is humid and hot. But being a chef can be a very rewarding career especially for the successful one. With the right mindset and personality, becoming a chef is a good career choice in this age of time due to the high demand and wages for chefs. Other than good monetary rewards, chefs are also rewarded with fame. One fine example is celebrity chefs.
To become a chef is easy. All you need is an associate degree or a diploma and a little bit of on-the-job training. But to be a successful one, it takes times and some positive characteristics are a must. It takes more than just hard work to achieve a successful chef career. Of course, working hard is one of the criteria to become a good chef. Other than hard work, you have to be a computer savvy in this age of information. What that means is you need to at least know how to use the computer for some write ups and basic account keeping.
Moreover, other than being as an expert in food preparation, chefs are required to have business management and finance know-how. The responsibility of just working in the kitchen is a thing of the past. Chefs now are more than just food preparation worker in the kitchen. The employers expect you 4Chefs to manage the business and make a profit out of it. You need to do inventory keeping, resources management as well as attend meeting. If there is a loss in the business, you will need to answer to your boss.
Communication skill is also equally important for a successful chef career. A good interpersonal skill is a must for chefs. Your employer won’t expect you to just stand in the kitchen without talking to anyone. A good chef will need to communicate well not only with his or her peers but also with subordinates. He or she needs to know how to get the positive message delivered across. Other than that, a good chef is required to receive feedback from customers. He or she needs to listen to the needs of customers and do what is necessary to keep satisfied customers coming back.
Last but not least, passion is a must to become a successful chef. If you don’t have the passion in cooking and the kitchen, then chef might not be the right career for you. Without passion, being a chef is like a 9 to 5 day job to you. You will be dragging your feet to work everyday. Therefore, having the right passion is important in order to become a successful chef.