From High School to Celebrity – A Recipe for Success
From High School to Celebrity – A Recipe for Success
By Karin Evans
Food: we're a nation obsessed by it. We can't pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV without seeing something about food as the 'enemy.' Despite media reports claiming that the majority of what we eat is bad for us, we love our food and we respect those that can turn food preparation into an art. Celebrity chefs have been on our TV screens for as long as TV has been around.
The popularity of cooking shows is testament to the fact that we Americans have always appreciated cooking as an art and a skill. More and more of us are choosing to eat out and spend our leisure time enjoying a well-prepared meal.
There is more involved in food preparation than a mere necessity for survival, and it shows that our society respects those that master the culinary arts. The increasing number of culinary schools across the U.S. likewise reflects the demand for trained chefs and recognizes that the role of the chef is one that requires specialized training and knowledge.
So what does the path from high school graduate to celebrity chef look like and what about the career path for the chefs that we don't see on TV?A Hidden Art
When you start your career as a chef, you're entering a vast industry that offers opportunities in a huge variety of contexts, some more lucrative and glamorous than others. To get to the top, you need a vision of what you want to achieve to give a focus to your efforts. But, in such a large and diverse industry, where exactly is 'the top'? You need some idea of your interests in culinary arts, if you're going to head in the right direction.
Some regard 'the top' as the achievement of celebrity or acclaim. For others it is giving their best efforts in whatever line of work they're in: the satisfaction of providing quality meals to suit the tastes and requirements of diners and the situation. Only you will know whether you're a success because your aspirations and criteria for measuring success are personal to you.
To set those criteria, you need to know what's involved in working as a chef. So your first step should be to find out what the non-celebrity chefs do and decide whether any of those roles might be right for you.
From outside of the industry, the work of a chef goes largely unnoticed because it takes place behind the scenes and, unless we're dining out in a fine restaurant, we don't usually give much thought to how our meals are prepared. When we think about the work of a chef, we immediately think of well-known celebrity chefs because they are the only chefs we see. The truth, of course, is very different. The chefs that appear on our TV screens and in our magazines are merely the high-profile tip of an almighty iceberg.
There are many more less well-known chefs who prepare outstanding meals behind-the-scenes.The Spice of Life People from all walks of life, in all manner of situations, need the services of a chef, often without being aware of it. We all need to eat and we frequently can't eat at home because of time constraints, or sometimes we just don't want to. During our lunch break, at the shopping mall, in school, or in a hospital--there's a chef of some kind behind every meal served in every location outside the home.
And even at home, there's a chef behind every pre-prepared meal or take-out. The scope for employment within the industry is vast and opportunities abound. Whether you reach the giddy heights of stardom or stop somewhere along the way while working as a chef,,you'll have a variety of different jobs before you get to where you want to be.
Different situations call for different types and levels of expertise and creativity. Whatever the situation, at the very least, a chef needs to have an understanding of food preparation techniques and food hygiene. Most chefs receive such training at a chef school. Only a handful of successful chefs have worked their way up through the ranks by experience alone, something that is increasingly difficult to do with preference given to most chefs who are formally trained.
We live in a world in which our working practices are increasingly subject to regulation, and food preparation is an area in which failure to follow good practice can have serious consequences. So, if you're envisioning a career as a chef, you'll need formal training in culinary arts.
The good news is there is a tremendous number of programs of education and training available at culinary schools across the U.S. These programs provide the theory and the practical knowledge that will make employers want to give you the opportunity to break into the industry. As your career develops, you can add to your resume with specialist training at any time. Chef schools provide programs in all manner of formats that allow the flexibility that fits with a developing career.
Educational providers increasingly work in cooperation with, and in partnership with, employers and experts so that what you learn in the culinary school classroom has real value in the kitchen.A Reality Check Even with the right training, education and experience, only a tiny minority of chefs achieve celebrity status.
Many people deliberately choose to work in areas of the restaurant and food service industry that aren't considered glamorous; be aware, however, that it is an extremely competitive market. Of the estimated 3 million jobs in the industry in 2002, only 132,000 (4.5%) were held by chefs or head cooks.
Nearly one fifth of employees worked in institutions such as schools, universities, hospitals, and nursing care facilities.
All of these are valuable roles but they aren't going to provide job satisfaction if you've chosen them by default rather than through choice. The best way to take control of your career is to obtain the proper education and contacts you need for success—through formal training and experience—that will set you in the right direction.
Once you're heading in that direction, you should expect to work hard. Your chef school training is just the foundation of your career; it is a springboard for success, not a right of passage. You will have to work your way up through the ranks. Your own TV show and cookbook will not be handed to you on a silver platter.It's All About the Journey
Like any other art, culinary excellence is achieved through equal measures of flare and toil. There is no getting to the top without the right combination of natural talent and technical expertise.
When a chef delivers a culinary masterpiece, it is likely to be the end result of years of learning and experimentation in kitchens of every kind. The journey to that point is full of variety, challenges, experimentation, and successes and failures, and learning from these experiences.
This journey will continue throughout your career. There is always something more that can be done, processes and recipes to improve or something new to learn; this is one of the great things about working as a chef.
You may not make it to the big screen but your skill in the kitchen can make a world of difference to people's lives and their leisure time. Whether you're providing nutritional meals for hospital patients or stretching a budget to feed hundreds of school children, you play a key role in determining their level of physical and mental well-being.
Whether you're providing a dining experience for connoisseurs in a fine restaurant or creating new culinary delights daily on a luxury cruise liner, your flair will create the memories of leisure time well spent.About the AuthorKarin Evans works for a government agency researching and writing reports to inform policy.
Her previous experience includes sales and marketing at Cambridge University (United Kingdom) and four years of teaching. Karin has graduate and doctoral degrees in English Language and Literature with a concentration in cultural studies.
By Karin Evans
Food: we're a nation obsessed by it. We can't pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV without seeing something about food as the 'enemy.' Despite media reports claiming that the majority of what we eat is bad for us, we love our food and we respect those that can turn food preparation into an art. Celebrity chefs have been on our TV screens for as long as TV has been around.
The popularity of cooking shows is testament to the fact that we Americans have always appreciated cooking as an art and a skill. More and more of us are choosing to eat out and spend our leisure time enjoying a well-prepared meal.
There is more involved in food preparation than a mere necessity for survival, and it shows that our society respects those that master the culinary arts. The increasing number of culinary schools across the U.S. likewise reflects the demand for trained chefs and recognizes that the role of the chef is one that requires specialized training and knowledge.
So what does the path from high school graduate to celebrity chef look like and what about the career path for the chefs that we don't see on TV?A Hidden Art
When you start your career as a chef, you're entering a vast industry that offers opportunities in a huge variety of contexts, some more lucrative and glamorous than others. To get to the top, you need a vision of what you want to achieve to give a focus to your efforts. But, in such a large and diverse industry, where exactly is 'the top'? You need some idea of your interests in culinary arts, if you're going to head in the right direction.
Some regard 'the top' as the achievement of celebrity or acclaim. For others it is giving their best efforts in whatever line of work they're in: the satisfaction of providing quality meals to suit the tastes and requirements of diners and the situation. Only you will know whether you're a success because your aspirations and criteria for measuring success are personal to you.
To set those criteria, you need to know what's involved in working as a chef. So your first step should be to find out what the non-celebrity chefs do and decide whether any of those roles might be right for you.
From outside of the industry, the work of a chef goes largely unnoticed because it takes place behind the scenes and, unless we're dining out in a fine restaurant, we don't usually give much thought to how our meals are prepared. When we think about the work of a chef, we immediately think of well-known celebrity chefs because they are the only chefs we see. The truth, of course, is very different. The chefs that appear on our TV screens and in our magazines are merely the high-profile tip of an almighty iceberg.
There are many more less well-known chefs who prepare outstanding meals behind-the-scenes.The Spice of Life People from all walks of life, in all manner of situations, need the services of a chef, often without being aware of it. We all need to eat and we frequently can't eat at home because of time constraints, or sometimes we just don't want to. During our lunch break, at the shopping mall, in school, or in a hospital--there's a chef of some kind behind every meal served in every location outside the home.
And even at home, there's a chef behind every pre-prepared meal or take-out. The scope for employment within the industry is vast and opportunities abound. Whether you reach the giddy heights of stardom or stop somewhere along the way while working as a chef,,you'll have a variety of different jobs before you get to where you want to be.
Different situations call for different types and levels of expertise and creativity. Whatever the situation, at the very least, a chef needs to have an understanding of food preparation techniques and food hygiene. Most chefs receive such training at a chef school. Only a handful of successful chefs have worked their way up through the ranks by experience alone, something that is increasingly difficult to do with preference given to most chefs who are formally trained.
We live in a world in which our working practices are increasingly subject to regulation, and food preparation is an area in which failure to follow good practice can have serious consequences. So, if you're envisioning a career as a chef, you'll need formal training in culinary arts.
The good news is there is a tremendous number of programs of education and training available at culinary schools across the U.S. These programs provide the theory and the practical knowledge that will make employers want to give you the opportunity to break into the industry. As your career develops, you can add to your resume with specialist training at any time. Chef schools provide programs in all manner of formats that allow the flexibility that fits with a developing career.
Educational providers increasingly work in cooperation with, and in partnership with, employers and experts so that what you learn in the culinary school classroom has real value in the kitchen.A Reality Check Even with the right training, education and experience, only a tiny minority of chefs achieve celebrity status.
Many people deliberately choose to work in areas of the restaurant and food service industry that aren't considered glamorous; be aware, however, that it is an extremely competitive market. Of the estimated 3 million jobs in the industry in 2002, only 132,000 (4.5%) were held by chefs or head cooks.
Nearly one fifth of employees worked in institutions such as schools, universities, hospitals, and nursing care facilities.
All of these are valuable roles but they aren't going to provide job satisfaction if you've chosen them by default rather than through choice. The best way to take control of your career is to obtain the proper education and contacts you need for success—through formal training and experience—that will set you in the right direction.
Once you're heading in that direction, you should expect to work hard. Your chef school training is just the foundation of your career; it is a springboard for success, not a right of passage. You will have to work your way up through the ranks. Your own TV show and cookbook will not be handed to you on a silver platter.It's All About the Journey
Like any other art, culinary excellence is achieved through equal measures of flare and toil. There is no getting to the top without the right combination of natural talent and technical expertise.
When a chef delivers a culinary masterpiece, it is likely to be the end result of years of learning and experimentation in kitchens of every kind. The journey to that point is full of variety, challenges, experimentation, and successes and failures, and learning from these experiences.
This journey will continue throughout your career. There is always something more that can be done, processes and recipes to improve or something new to learn; this is one of the great things about working as a chef.
You may not make it to the big screen but your skill in the kitchen can make a world of difference to people's lives and their leisure time. Whether you're providing nutritional meals for hospital patients or stretching a budget to feed hundreds of school children, you play a key role in determining their level of physical and mental well-being.
Whether you're providing a dining experience for connoisseurs in a fine restaurant or creating new culinary delights daily on a luxury cruise liner, your flair will create the memories of leisure time well spent.About the AuthorKarin Evans works for a government agency researching and writing reports to inform policy.
Her previous experience includes sales and marketing at Cambridge University (United Kingdom) and four years of teaching. Karin has graduate and doctoral degrees in English Language and Literature with a concentration in cultural studies.
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