Becoming a Chef
So you watch Food channels on television, you read Gourmet magazines and fancy cookbooks and think you could become a Chef. The food channels are great for inspiration for the home cook who is only cooking for 4 but in reality it is very far removed from a commercial working kitchen. Becoming a Chef is not for the faint hearted, of course that is dependable on where you wish to work for example, a cafe or a 5 star hotel.
Also it depends on what kind of Chef you want to become, a restaurant Chef, or a personal Chef, or what kind of area you wish to specialize in, desserts, pan work, buffet work,or a la carte. The areas for specialization are endless, these days however a Chef has general knowledge and experience in all areas but can have a passion or strength for a particular niche and this can become their trademark or point of difference when applying for a job.
Being a Chef requires a lot of special attributes that may not be required at other jobs. For starters you have to be able to stand on your feet for long periods of time, so covered sturdy shoes are a must, in fact covered shoes are a safety regulation and you would never be able to enter a kitchen without them.
You have to be able to stand the heat in the kitchen, so when someone says "if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen" that is exactly true. You will also experience loud noises, people yelling and sometimes in the heat of the moment fellow staff saying things they regret because they are under pressure. A busy kitchen is a stressful place to work in for everyone involved.
When a kitchen is churning out 500 meals a day that's a lot of pressure on everybody. If you're a sensitive type then a fast paced kitchen is probably not for you, as you would be easily offended. I remember when I was working as a prep Chef and the Sous Chef would whack you on the leg or push you aside if you were in his way. He obviously didn't have time or the manners to say "excuse me", but the kitchen staff got used to it and we learned not to take offence, that was just the way he worked.
Usually in the kitchen, everyone works at a fast pace during service, things might be said that under normal circumstances wouldn't be, tempers can get heated, but staff all have the same goal, to create a beautiful meal, and have it served in minimum time all without mishap. There is no time for petty arguments, or grudges, everyone has to pull together in order to have a co-operative working kitchen.
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