Mastering the culinary arts is a skill that could take you wherever you want to go. Top quality chefs are in high demand around the world. It’s the perfect career for those who demand perfection of themselves and those who take pleasure in providing the highest quality service and culinary creativity to their clients. As you consider your career options, be sure to take into account 10 benefits that are cooking up in the kitchen.
1. Career Options Aplenty
Chefs have the opportunity to hone their skills in restaurants and resorts, country clubs and private homes. Those who enjoy travel can pack their bags and find work on cruise lines, convention centers, casinos and many other exciting destinations.
2. Creative License
Chefs are in charge when it comes to determining what goes on the menu and how it is prepared for guests. This creates plenty of opportunities to get creative and try recipe and menu combinations that will set the venue apart from the competition.
3. Every Day is a New Experience
While there are routines in every kitchen, each day creates plenty of possibilities for breaking the mold and trying something new. Whether it’s a special event or a special’s menu, chefs have the ability to shape the day to their liking.
4. Bonuses, Free Food, Free Drinks
Chefs are often given bonuses based on the performance of the restaurant. As the reputation of the venue grows, these bonuses can become significant. Many venues also offer chefs free food and drinks as part of the compensation package.
5. The Student Becomes the Teacher…and the Teacher Becomes the Student
Chefs are responsible for training those in the kitchen to properly prepare the meals in accordance with the chef’s wishes. From knife control to quality control, chefs have an opportunity to teach others every day. At the same time, chefs have an opportunity to learn from the line cooks, sous chefs, and others in the kitchen who each bring their own unique skills and techniques into the kitchen.
6. Instant (or near instant) Gratification
Whether it is a special event or a special recipe, chefs know right away whether their efforts in the kitchen bore positive fruit. The smile on a customer’s face, the messages relayed into the kitchen by wait staff whose pockets are full of tips, and positive reviews online let the chef know that they’re on the right track.
7. Opportunity to Open Your Own Shop
Many chefs hone their skills in someone else’s kitchen for years, even decades before hanging their own shingle. This experience and time in the kitchen teaches everything from inventory management to reliable HR practices. As your skills grow and you learn all of the aspects of operating a restaurant, catering operation, private chef service, etc., you can use these skills to open your own operations and achieve personal success.
8. Becoming Part of a Family
The kitchen is a close-knit family, and chefs spend hours working with one another and socializing with their colleagues after the shift ends and the last customer has gone home for the night. This creates a close relationship that can lead to strong teams and a positive work environment.
9. It is a Title of Respect
Chefs are held in high regard for their knowledge and ability to perform miracles in the kitchen. Chefs command respect and often find themselves being asked advice on this recipe, that technique, and anything related to the culinary arts. Sharing this knowledge is a great way to make new friends, impress your neighbors, and create opportunities for socializing away from the office. A lifetime title never goes away and doesn’t require renewal of a license to maintain.
10. Chefs Earn a Solid Income
As of 2017, the median salary for chefs in the United States was $42,950 per year. This typically increases based on the chef’s education and experience. There are currently 146,500 chefs in the United States and the career outlook is expected to see an addition 10% growth over the next ten years with 14,100 new chefs expected to enter the field between now and 2026.
Do you feel called to be a chef? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, ECPI University’s Culinary Institute of Virginia offers this degree program at an accelerated rate. For more information about this exciting program, connect with a knowledgeable admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
Source: ECPI University
