The landscape is changing rapidly in the culinary world. What we’re seeing lately is far more women becoming the head chefs of restaurants. They are excelling as they have great leadership qualities and can be super organized. Add a dash of creativity with their menu with such treats as wagyu recipes and charcuterie platters and you have the recipe for success.
There are a lot of challenges to face. It isn’t easy to climb the ranks in a restaurant since the world is dominated by men. However, seeing as there are more female chefs than ever, they must be doing something right. In this article, we will go over several ways to become a professional chef and work in a restaurant.
Get trained
Learning to cook well is an adventure that takes time and practice. A good start can make all the difference, and that’s where schooling comes in. This isn’t to say that you have to go to school to learn how to cook. You can get a job and learn while you earn. However, if you at least know the basics and can come to the table with some knowledge then you have a better chance at getting hired.
Culinary school is like a big cooking camp. You learn lots of new things about how to cook and prepare food. This includes understanding how to keep food safe, how to plan menus, and the right way to cook different dishes. But, it’s not just about cooking. You also learn about the science behind food. This gives you a strong base to build your cooking skills.
Culinary school can be as focused as you want it to be so think about what kind of degree you want when enrolling. You can focus on pastry, or even just the business side of running a restaurant.
If you would rather not go to school, or don’t have it in your budget then look for an apprentice program at some local restaurants. You’ll likely be doing menial work for some time before you can start getting behind the stove, but you will end up learning quite a bit.
Get practical experience
Once you have finished culinary school, you need to work your way up to being a chef. This means getting practical experience that you can build on top of the foundation that going to school provides you with. This is when you will put all of the theory you learned into practice.
Look for restaurants that will either hire you outright for a specific position, or have opportunities for internships or stages. These programs provide a platform for you to immerse yourself in a professional kitchen environment, working side by side with seasoned professionals.
Many kitchen staff members start in entry-level positions such as prep cooks or line cooks. While these positions can be challenging and physically demanding, they offer invaluable insights into kitchen operations and are a fundamental stepping stone in your cooking career.
Specialize
The person who is most in demand in a restaurant is not the one that can do a lot of different things and hold many titles. It’s the person who specializes in something and is a complete expert in it.
There’s a lot of specializations within the culinary world that you can explore. From becoming a pastry chef to mastering the art of grilling, or specializing in a particular cuisine like Italian, Japanese, or Mexican, the possibilities are numerous.
When you become known as an expert, people will seek you out and want you to come work for them in the concept that they have been putting together. It gives you a lot of longevity in the business. Then, when you want to run your own place, you already know exactly how to be successful.
Find a mentor
It’s especially important as a woman to have somebody that’s on your side. This means that you need to find a mentor to guide you through your journey.
Mentorship is a powerful tool in many professions, and the culinary world is no exception. Having a mentor in your culinary journey can be transformative. A mentor is often an experienced chef who provides guidance, shares wisdom, and imparts the tricks of the trade to less experienced individuals in the field.
They’re not just teachers. They’re career guides, cheerleaders, and sometimes, they become lifelong friends. Mentors can also provide emotional support. Kitchens can be high-pressure environments, and the culinary industry can be tough to navigate.