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A chef is a trained professional cook who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term chef de cuisine (French pronunciation: ​[ʃɛf.də.kɥi.zin]), the director or head of a kitchen. Chefs can receive formal training from an institution, as well as by apprenticing with an experienced chef.

Chef

A sushi chef at work
Occupation
Occupation type	Profession
Activity sectors	Culinary arts

An Italian chef preparing a truffle for diners

There are different terms that use the word chef in their titles, and deal with specific areas of food preparation, such as the sous-chef, who acts as the second-in-command in a kitchen, or the chef de partie, who handles a specific area of production, or “Television chef”, such as Alison Holst. The kitchen brigade system is a hierarchy found in restaurants and hotels employing extensive staff, many of which use the word "chef" in their titles. Underneath the chefs are the kitchen assistants. A chef's standard uniform includes a hat (called a toque), neckerchief, double-breasted jacket, apron and sturdy shoes (that may include steel or plastic toe-caps).

Other names include executive chef, chef manager, head chef, and master chef. This person is in charge of all activities related to the kitchen, which usually includes menu creation, management of kitchen staff, ordering and purchasing of inventory, controlling raw material costs and plating design. Chef de cuisine is the traditional French term from which the English word chef is derived. Head chef is often used to designate someone with the same duties as an executive chef, but there is usually someone in charge of a head chef, possibly making the larger executive decisions such as direction of menu, final authority in staff management decisions, and so on. This is often the case for executive chefs with multiple restaurants. Involved in checking the sensory evaluation of dishes after preparation and they are well aware of each sensory property of those specific dishes.

In the UK, the title executive chef normally applies to hotels with multi outlets in the same hotel. Other establishments in the UK tend to use the title head chef.

The Sous-Chef de Cuisine (under-chef of the kitchen) is the second-in-command and direct assistant of the Chef de Cuisine. Sous chef works under executive chef or head chef. This person may be responsible for scheduling the kitchen staff, or substituting when the head chef is off-duty. Also, he or she will fill in for or assist the Chef de Partie (line cook) when needed. This person is accountable for the kitchen's inventory, cleanliness, organization, and the continuing training of its entire staff. A sous-chef's duties can also include carrying out the head chef's directives, conducting line checks, and overseeing the timely rotation of all food products. Smaller operations may not have a sous-chef, while larger operations may have more than one. The sous chef is also responsible when the Executive Chef is absent.

A chef de partie, also known as a "station chef" or "line cook", is in charge of a particular area of production. In large kitchens, each chef de partie might have several cooks or assistants. In most kitchens, however, the chef de partie is the only worker in that department. Line cooks are often divided into a hierarchy of their own, starting with "first cook", then "second cook", and so on as needed.

Culinary education is available from many institutions offering diploma, associate, and bachelor's degree programs in culinary arts. Depending on the level of education, this can take one to four years. An internship is often part of the curriculum. Regardless of the education received, most professional kitchens follow the apprenticeship system, and most new cooks will start at a lower-level 2nd or 1st cook position and work their way up.

The training period for a chef is generally four years as an apprentice. A newly qualified chef is advanced or more commonly a torquecommis-chef, consisting of first-year commis, second-year commis, and so on. The rate of pay is usually in accordance with the chefs. Like all other chefs except the executive-chef, trainees are placed in sections of the kitchen (e.g., the starter (appetizer) or entrée sections) under the guidance of a demi-chef de partie and are given relatively basic tasks. Ideally, over time, a commis will spend a certain period in each section of the kitchen to learn the basics. Unaided, a commis may work on the vegetable station of a kitchen.

The usual formal training period for a chef is two to four years in catering college. They often spend the summer in work placements. In some cases this is modified to 'day-release' courses; a chef will work full-time in a kitchen as an apprentice and then would have allocated days off to attend catering college. These courses can last between one and three years. In the UK, most Chefs are trained in the work place, with most doing a formal NVQ level 2 or 3 in the work place.

Industry Description Full Program Listing

Code	Concentration	More Info
BSGB	Diploma - Professional Cook
School: Sullivan University System Program: The Professional Cook is the mainstay of all commercial food preparation. Professional cooks deal literally "hands-on" with food, its storage and cleanliness, as well as its preparation and presentation utilizing a variety of styles and techniques. The Professional Cook program differs from the associate degree program specifically because it does not emphasize the general studies courses necessary for the degree. This program is also available in the evenings and on weekends. :: Concentration: Culinary :: Online        ::  Location: Louisville ::  more info  ::  Location: Lexington ::  more info  ::  Location: Fort Knox ::  more info

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Industry Description

There are a whole variety of cooking courses available for you to take to kick start your catering career. You can choose to study part time or full time, take a short course for a few hours a week or a full time four year course. You can end up with a certificate, a diploma or a degree – it depends on what you want to study, what time you have available, and what level you want to enter your career at.

Cooking courses can be in different kinds of cuisine, from Chinese to Mexican, from Le Cordon Bleu to Tibetan. You can take a course to improve specific skills, such as bread making or cake decoration, or you can study cookery in great detail over a period of four years. You will find, if your course is full-time, that you will also be studying subjects such as kitchen management, food preparation, hygiene, food science and other related subjects, all of which will help you to acquire the skills you need to create a career in catering and food preparation.

Career prospects are good in the food industry at the moment, as disposable incomes are increasing and people spend money on eating out, according to the US Bureau of Labor. There are jobs available in all the different branches of catering, not only the restaurant trade but also hotels, fast food outlets and industrial and institutional catering.

If you are looking for opportunities in the catering industry, then take a look at the many cooking courses available. You will find one that exactly fits your needs.

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