The Five Levels of Culinary Professionals
For generations, people in the food service business generally worked their way up through the ranks. The highest quality restaurants had chefs who trained at one of the three or four big-name culinary academies, but most of the rest of the industry relied on people whose principal education came through experience.
That is no longer the case. There are now over two hundred certified culinary schools turning out graduates with either specialized culinary training or actual culinary degrees. You can find a culinary program at almost any level, from the vocational schools to community colleges through four year culinary academies.
To a great degree, your culinary education will dictate the level at which you enter the industry. To a lesser degree, the opportunity to move up with the accumulation of experience is still possible. Many executive chefs start out as sous chefs or pastry chefs. What is important, however, is that they have had the requisite culinary education to be an executive chef.
Fast food cooks: These jobs involve limited menus and quick turnaround on orders. A culinary certificate in food handling or a basic culinary school program in general cooking skills is all that is required for entry into this level of the profession.
Institutional chefs and cooks: These professionals manage the kitchens in cafeterias; hospitals; institutional cafes and other large service situations such as extended care facilities. Most facilities at this level will require certification for some level of culinary education. An associate’s degree in culinary arts may suffice; graduation from a culinary school would probably be a step further; and a four year program at a college or culinary academy would be even better.
Pastry chef; sous chef: These positions require a culinary degree from a quality culinary educational institution. In a culinary arts program, you could expect to learn basic culinary skills and the preparation of hors d’oeuvres and appetizers; meats and seafood; fruits, vegetables, salads; soups, baking and pastry. The role of pastry chef is one function in a fully staffed kitchen; the job of the sous chef is another. Both positions also require study of food sanitation, storage, cost control and the use of culinary equipment.
Chef de cuisine: This job requires the most that you can get out of a curriculum in culinary arts. Beyond the food preparation skills described above, a culinary academy-trained chef will have also delved into classic French, regional, or current trends in cooking. A chef’s culinary program will also teach management skills in a large kitchen, food ordering and menu planning.
Executive Chef: A chef de cuisine is responsible for a single kitchen. An executive chef is in charge of all food service operations within an organization and also may supervise the many kitchens of a hotel, restaurant group, or corporate dining operation. This administrative job combines the economic skills of a business manager with the culinary arts provided while obtaining a culinary school degree.