5 Things Chefs Need to Know

Actors and entertainers often say they pursue their careers because they see how their performances make others happy. Is there anything that makes people happier than a good meal in a comfortable setting? That’s what culinary professionals do; they serve happiness to their friends and customers.

If you have a passion for food and the desire to be a culinary artist, you should pursue a career as a chef. As with everything else, the days of “working your way up” from short-order cook to Master Chef are long gone. In order to work as a chef, you need educational credentialing and you need to know what chefs know to be successful in your profession. Here are 5 things you NTK (need to know):

1. NTK: Culinary Nutrition, Healthy Cooking

Healthy food and nutrition guidelines are not limited to food service at medical institutions; the restaurant industry (also known as the hospitality industry) is currently adapting to an overwhelming shift in diners’ requirements for healthier, delicious food. Your clients will want to know if their meal is gluten-free, how many and what kind of carbohydrates are being served, if the ingredients are organic or genetically modified, and more. Chefs need to know about culinary nutrition and diet management.

2. NTK: Baking, Pastry Fundamentals

You can have your cake and eat it too, when you become a professional pastry chef. Baking requires a combination of attention to detail and precision, then a heaping spoonful of artistry. Blend and bake to deliver desserts that taste wonderful and look beautiful! A degree specializing in the science of baking can lead to a world of happiness – for you and your clients!

3. NTK: Cooking Methods and Principles

The science of cooking is exactly that: a science. A chef needs to know how sugars caramelize. Starches gelatinize. Fats melt and water evaporates, while proteins coagulate. Understanding how this science will impact your culinary creations is critical! You also need to know about sources of heat and heat transfer, including:

• Conduction – the direct contact movement of heat from one item to another
• Convection – Transfer of heat using liquid or gas (fluid)
• Radiation – Transferring energy using heat or light (infrared, microwave)

4. NTK: Meat, Poultry, Seafood

It may seem overwhelming at first, but with study and experience, you’ll know the basic principles of cooking meat, poultry, and seafood by rote. At some point you will feel like you were born knowing how to roast, barbecue, grill, sauté, broil, and fry meats and fish. Did you know there’s a difference between Kansas City, Memphis, Carolina, Canadian, and Texas barbecues? You will learn this and more when you pursue a degree as a chef!

5. NTK: Kitchen Organization, Supervision

If your goal is not only to learn, but also to supervise and share your knowledge with others, you may consider a career in food service management. This profession takes you beyond professional cooking as a chef and into the business of preparing attractive, good-tasting food in a large kitchen with several employees.

The U.S. Department of Labor says a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Service Management gives you a competitive edge over other job-seekers in this exciting, growing industry. For this career, you need to know about:

• Financial management – budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, facility management and design
• Leadership – business ethics, motivating a diverse workforce, strategic planning
• Operations management – Social media marketing, advertising, creating customer service systems, project management, program design

You Need to Know When

Are you interested in working in a culinary field? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, you might be interested in the Culinary Institute of Virginia, the College of Culinary Arts at ECPI University. For more information about this exciting degree program, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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