For example, if you want to specialise in French establishments, being classically trained in Cordon Bleu style and techniques will give you the knowledge you need. All right reserved. This requires a great deal of concentration to pick each piece out separately and discern notes that are faint. You can get this experience from discerning what is cooking in an oven based on the aroma in the environment, or detecting the slight addition of nutmeg to a dish of croquette potatoes. Honing your techniques and having more confidence decreases time in preparing ingredients and plating orders, allowing for less stress overall. If that table had starters as well, that’s possibly four other previous dishes that need factoring in to how and when this one dish comes together. If you have any further questions or comments about this list of 10 important traits to be a great chef, feel free to drop me a line in the comment box below. Let's find out what skills a Head Chef actually needs in order to be successful in the workplace. This does not go against the need for creativity and changing your style by any means. Now think, that plate belongs on a table with three other mains, plus sides. In order to become a great chef, you will need to be open to constant learning. The United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) also offers certification for personal chefs (www.uspca.org). 1. The most important hard skill chefs need is an ability to cook, as well as knowledge of the kitchen. 10. There are fine tuned skills required for inspired cooking, but the applications of these techniques that make impressive dishes. You and the rest of your team have to work together well in order to deliver this. 8. You will find that being a chef requires a lot of hard work and determination. Working in a kitchen can be very physically demanding – working long shifts on your feet in hot temperatures and without many breaks – is tough. Becoming a chef is a dream for many people. Time Management Becoming a chef involves more than just following a recipe. | Disclaimer and Privacy. Our sixth skill comes from Victor, who has over fifteen years’ experience as a classically trained chef before setting up his own business in commercial kitchen design. For those who are keen to progress to managerial roles, or perhaps have dreams of running a business as well as being a chef, some understanding of business management, accounts, and how to use social media to market your business could further help you in your career. From even the seemingly most mundane tasks of food preparation and creation, passion has to play an intricate role. Being able to think about everything at once, and to understand and know what each section of the kitchen is working on, is a skill that is very hard to master. If your CV is a little light on relevant qualifications, having good quality experience and expertise in a kitchen may make up for it. Protecting and encouraging your passion for all things culinary will keep your artistic flair alive, and help you enjoy your work. You need to be ready and willing to change your style and delivery to accommodate your workplace and the diners that choose your restaurant. Successful chefs know how to focus. 10 Characteristics You Need To Become A Renowned Chef 1. Leadership Skills The sous chef oversees the kitchen when the head chef is away, they work closely with the other chefs and can confidently assign tasks. You cannot shy away from what people have to say, and instead, choose to turn it into something you can learn from and modify in the future to be better. The daily challenges of a chef allow for an almost everlasting stream of creative possibilities to consider. Working in a kitchen can be as challenging as it is rewarding and you must be prepared to work hard. 7. However, this is also something that you need to be prepared for as well. The skills and qualifications needed to become a chef can be attained through a combination of educational courses and programs and real-world experience in the restaurant kitchen. Remember, skills like these can take a lifetime to perfect so don’t worry if this list doesn’t sound like you… yet! Anyone can become a chef, but if you are just starting out you must get some experience of working in a kitchen to put on your CV. This will require you to stay organized and work to ensure that every facet of your kitchen is functioning as it should for maximum efficiency. Choosing to start a career as a chef is something anyone can do at any time in their life. Plating and presentation also require a chef to be a bit of a perfectionist. The creative reputation of a chef is often what brings customers through the door, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your creativity! Being a chef requires long hours often spanning from the middle of the morning through the late hours of the night, spending most of that time on our feet. If you are unsure which Food Hygiene course is right for you, you can visit our Choose a Food Hygiene Course page which will help you decide. Using Instagram for a Restaurant: The Complete Guide, 7 Ways to Use Facebook to Promote Your Restaurant, Restaurant Franchises: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, 5 of the Worst Customers in Your Restaurant That Seem Impossible To Please, 5 Ways You Can Inspire and Motivate Your Restaurant Staff with Lessons of Guardiola’s Barcelona. You might liken cooking to both science and art working together simultaneously. Organizational skills. Due to the wide availability of jobs and the positive economic impact it has on local communities, hospitality is an important industry. They are. To be eligible for the exam, you must have three years experience as a chef and one year experience as a personal chef. A Head Chef will be able to do this very well, they will also understand and know what the customers are experiencing, and what the front of house team are doing at any point during service. You have to be able to cope with the long hours and fast paced environment. Many chefs continue their education to stay up-to-date, learn about new equipment and cooking skills. From choosing the finest ingredients to the latest techniques, quality is king. The professional kitchen can be a melting pot of people, with many people from different backgrounds coming together through a shared love of cooking. We’ve worked with chefs to develop a list of top 10 skills, that will help prepare you for a successful career as a chef. You will need to learn cooking techniques and skills, yes, but to excel you’ll also have to have plenty of creativity. Do you aspire to be a world-renowned chef? Being a chef requires many skills outside the kitchen as well. Below you will find these top 10 traits you need to become a great chef yourself. As well as being a team player, experienced chefs should know how to lead the team, and get the best out of them. When I started out it was tough as there weren’t many female chefs. Victor highlights the importance of time management; he says this skill has been additionally beneficial to him outside the kitchen. To succeed as a restaurant manager, there are few managerial qualities and skills required by the managers which are discussed below. 9. Below we've compiled a list of the most important skills for a Head Chef. Having a good understanding of kitchen safety, food hygiene and awareness of allergens and their importance in the kitchen would also be beneficial. To be a private chef, you’ll obviously need cooking skills. A head chef manages all the affairs of a kitchen including creating the menu, managing the staff in the kitchen and ordering supplies just like an executive chef. The life of a chef is demanding as the busiest working days are often those when other people are out celebrating – Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Mothering Sunday to name a few. Chefs will frequently receive feedback from other chefs, colleagues and customers on the food they produce, and not all of the feedback will be positive. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. They will also be creative in planning how the kitchen works. It’s obviously improved since then […] Luckily, I am quite naturally resilient. You must master flavours and techniques of different dishes which can take time and a lot of energy. Cooking is often considered to be a blend of science and art. While several factors play into the successes of any single chef, several traits do stand out as universal. An experienced chef will have excellent stamina to remain focused and consistently produce dishes for customers. You will find that being a chef comes with ingrained responsibilities to oversee the other staff at times and help to motivate them for the entire restaurant to be successful. You will find that there are always going to be aides and helpers aplenty from the very first day to the last. If there’s a few you feel you need to work on, take the time to practice incorporating these skills into your work, it will benefit you and your product in the future. For instance, a plate may require a piece of protein such as beef, chicken or fish, a salad or serving of … You’ll Need Cooking Ability. Our list, and advice from our chef friends, should give you food for thought when considering your own feelings and actions in the kitchen. There is a science to cooking, and if recipes aren’t closely tended to, they can easily go awry. They need to guide, coach and monitor their juniors so that the operations run smoothly. The best chefs in the world are a pivotal part of the success of their respective brands and restaurants, more so than any single person in a parallel hospitality profession. Creativity. The best chefs are those with new ideas and the desire to take risks in the kitchen. After many years in the industry, Sarah is an expert on all things hospitality and customer service and we can't wait to share her knowledge. While some have a natural gift for discerning flavors and ingredients, others have to train their mind to have a good palate. Find out the top 10 core skills you need to master as a head chef and what hard skills you need to know to succeed in this job. Even the greatest chefs in the world have something to learn still, and this is accomplished through processing criticism. For example, 23.3% of Head Chef resumes contained Kitchen Equipment as a skill. You probably interesting this articles written for you  How to be a leader in a restaurant. This means you can be master of your own career direction, something which appeals to many budding chefs! Organisation This same desire is going to push you to continue honing your skills and improving, seeking out new techniques and recipes to stay on top of ever-changing trends. Being able to both work and get on well with your team is an essential skill for a smooth cheffing career. Creativity: It is taken for Ability to Handle Criticism If you’ve ever stepped foot into a kitchen you know that not every dish is going to be a crowd pleaser. From the creation of a dish to the plating of the food, attention to detail is a critical component. I help small entrepreneurs to boost their visibility on the Internet through effective and budget-friendly strategies. Is There a Difference Between a Chef and a Cook? 7. This skill might surprise you but chefs need to have an excellent level of physical and mental fitness. Presentation is equally important in the world of dining, which is something that you should also allow your bold personality to take point on. How do you train your palate? What Soft Skills are Employers Looking for in a Chef? If you seek to be a top chef, that is going to come with these same leadership requirements. However, to become a chef, learning how to cook isn't the only skill you'll need. You need to be inspired to get out of your comfort zone a little bit in the kitchen and try some new things. Nowadays there are so many different dining experiences available, from fine dining experiences, high street restaurants, to grab and go eateries, covering all sorts of traditional and fusion cuisines. This is where having a cool head amid immense pressure is an invaluable skill. Web Marketing Consultant for small industries in the Tourism and F&B fields. At the same time, they need to maintain an upbeat atmosphere in the kitchen. Here is the complete list of skills that employers look for in a chef. They must also be able to work well with others in a team environment and be creative in how they prepare and present food. He or she must be prepared to jump into any part of the line, for any reason: When the line is missing a cook, to speed up the line when meal service peaks. This can be even trickier with added responsibilities like stock management, budgetary oversight, employee scheduling and more. You might liken tasting to studying the recipe used to create the dish. Every single chef you have ever seen or recognize commits themselves to this high grade of expectation every time that they step foot in a kitchen. You need to be able to handle criticism, look at it honestly and decide whether or not it is valid. If your section is a mess then your brain will be too. Ira Silverman, owner of Ira B’s Snack Bar & Catering Service, Leeds. © 2019 High Speed Training Ltd. All rights reserved. What Goes in to the ‘Art of Hospitality’? You can use this same approach to working in the kitchen, even with its apparent hierarchy of talent and renown, you have to appreciate your role in the team and the importance of working well with others. You also need to develop and master some key skills. However, this goes beyond just having a recipe book. 6. On top of that, the mental energy required to cope with the pressure and be on top of your game, your section and your kitchen, can be huge. Chefs are always changing their recipes and techniques to accommodate constructive criticism that is founded. Genuine Passion The life of a chef is demanding as the busiest working days are often those when other people are out celebrating – Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Mothering Sunday to name a few. And don’t be afraid to joke or share anecdotes (though not necessarily about your other clients) to build a more personal relationship. You might find that the stress and heat can get to you if you are an island out there by yourself. The smallest of details from garnish to a singular rogue hair present in food could ruin a perfect dish for someone. Teamwork This skill is key to Chef Seán Hughes: Work clean and tidy. There can be many elements of food on one plate to make up a complete dish. 1. While there are undoubtedly traits that set the best talents apart from one another, most chefs share similar traits that help them hone and perfect their craft. You should never skimp on the quality of the food you prepare, even when you must be mindful of budgetary limitations. Victor Cardamone, owner of Mise Designs, Pennysylvania. While it might be easy to get overwhelmed, you have to command the emotional aspects of a stressful work environment. Sarah is one of our newest additions to the Hub. In order to become a great chef, you will need to be open to constant learning. The good news is, there are lots of ways you can do this: If you apply for a more senior role, all establishments will want to see that you have experience of working in kitchens. As you progress in your career, having excellent organisational skills will ensure you manage staff effectively and help you to control every aspect of the kitchen, from the flow of work to the plating of dishes. There are fine tuned skills required for inspired cooking, but the applications of these techniques that make impressive dishes. Especially as a new chef, everyone is going to have an opinion about your food and not all of those opinions are going to be good. Learn becoming a chef of creative possibilities to consider, including knife and tasting skills that... Constant learning several traits do stand out as universal essential to your success something anyone can at. 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