Chef Talk: Restaurant Insider Tips You Need to Know as a Culinary Student

They make it look so easy. You turn on the TV, change the channel to one of the many shows starring a celebrity chef, and sit in awe as they filet, flip, fire, sear, and make cooking look incredibly simple.

They've got what beloved and recently deceased celebrity chef, author and television host Anthony Bourdain called "moves" in his New York Times best-selling book "Kitchen Confidential" (a must-read for anyone interested in a no-holds-barred look at the restaurant industry, according to The New York Times). It's enough to make any food-loving person want to pursue a future as a chef.

If the on-screen antics of celebrity chefs have inspired you to pursue a future in the culinary arts, congratulations. You are getting your studies off to a good start by exploring what some of the best in the business are sharing about their (and soon to be your) industry.

But before you try to learn all of your tricks from the celebrities, make sure you don't overlook these insider tips from talented, work-a-day chefs who might not have their own television shows but have valuable, real-world experience to share:

Know Thy Knives

Every culinary professional knows that their knives are their most important tools (and quite possibly their best friends). Finding good knives--really, really good knives--is really, really important.

Once you start studying to become a chef, you will start to do everything with your knives. You'll pare, de-bone, slice, dice, cut, chop, and more with your knives. So get some good ones and then spend as much time as possible learning how to use them properly and with precision.

High Heat Helps

Want to know how chefs achieve those remarkable sears on almost every cut of meat? Or how they can create such spectacular crispy and caramelized browning on every steak, pork, chicken, or piece of fish?

The secret is in the heat.

Using high levels of heat isn't something that most culinary students are comfortable doing. But the sooner you can master the skill, the sooner you can start making your meals even more incredible.

There is no Substitute for Real-World Experience

Anthony Bourdain wrote about it in his book, and it makes a lot of sense. There is simply no substitute for real-world experience--especially when it comes to your culinary arts studies.

Sure, you will need to learn culinary skills and techniques; how to bake, what makes meat magnificent, and what happens in the front of the house. But more importantly, you're going to need to put all your new knowledge and skills to the test. You'll need to see how everything you're learning in school translates to the real world. In addition, you're going to want to build your resume.

The best way to do that is through externships, which put you in a real working kitchen.

Communication is Critical

Kitchens can be incredibly intense places to work--especially when things get busy.

Success often depends on many different people working at different stations to create one meal. Everyone has to be on the same page, working at the same pace. That comes down to effective communication.

You might think that being a chef is all about your palette, knife skills, and ability to come up with incredible flavor combinations. But more often than not, it will come down to your ability to communicate with your sous chef, cooks on the line, and even people working in the front of the house.

If you are fortunate enough to attend a culinary arts school that includes communications in its curriculum, make sure you pay attention, because it's critically important. All the skills in the world won't translate to success without teamwork in the kitchen. 

Be Organized

When you are in culinary class, pay close attention to what your instructors have to say about the importance of kitchen organization.

Things can heat up pretty fast in a busy kitchen, and if you don't have the skills and knowledge to properly mise en place (which means to have everything in your station put in its proper place), you might fall behind and cause all of your kitchen colleagues to do the same.

Take the time to develop your own organizational system, and then keep refining it so that when you graduate you'll always be well-organized.

Ready to get Started?

Are you interested in working in the restaurant industry as a chef? If you want to earn an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts, ECPI University's Culinary Institute of Virginia could give you the skills you need to make a difference. For more information on this exciting degree, connect with us today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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