Don't you want to be an executive chef? You can start a culinary career as a subchef, line cook, preparation cook, pastry chef, fish chef, vegetable chef, or meat chef. All members of the hierarchy are important and work together to make a restaurant successful. The executive or head chef manages the kitchen and is responsible for shaping the menu. The subchef is second in command and oversees the details of the food line.
The online cook learns different cooking styles and usually specializes in a particular food category. They also serve food, take orders and cut vegetables. The prep cook is responsible for preparing daily meals, chopping ingredients, storing food, and cleaning countertops. Then there are specialized chefs, such as the pastry chef who makes pastries, breads and desserts.
The fish cook prepares and cooks seafood, the vegetable cook prepares vegetables and starches, and the meat chef is responsible for roasting, stewing, and grilling. Any of these races are rewarding. Being part of a team and doing what you like isn't a job, it's a passion. Instead of catering to a constantly changing clientele, personal or private chefs work individually with regular customers and households, selecting ingredients and developing menus based on individual tastes and clients' dietary needs.
As a personal chef, you can prepare one meal at a time or prepare several meals for customers to eat throughout the week. You can also prepare food for parties at your clients' homes or at locations for small events. Personal chefs work alone or with a much smaller team than you'll find in a restaurant kitchen. Personal chefs are also usually self-employed and usually work in big cities such as New York or Los Angeles.
If you become a catering service, don't expect to get bored: you'll be able to cook a wide variety of foods in different environments for all types of customers. You'll prepare food for big events, such as fundraisers, weddings and other celebrations, and you often work on weekends and nights. When you graduate with your associate degree in Culinary Arts, you will automatically receive certification from the American Culinary Federation as a certified culinary (CC).
