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Choosing a specialty |
Most chefs have to first choose a specialty before going to culinary school so that they can specifically study that art in general.
Each specific culinary specialty has their own level of study, and all have their own rewards to offer.
To be a successful chef you need to know how to supervise a variety of kitchen staff, create a nice food display, know how to properly garnish a meal, plan menus, and order, stock and store food supplies.
This may not sound like much, but try having to do them all at once.
When choosing a specialty, it is basically about your own preference. These are some of the specialties that you may wish to get into.
Commis
A commis is an entry level position in the culinary industry. It is basically an apprenticeship position.
You will have to do this at some point if you ever plan to run your own kitchen. For this, you will have to work under the line cook.
In this position, you will be learning how to work effectively in a kitchen environment.Ê You will also be learning how to prep, using your knife, and how to present a plate properly.
In addition, you will learn exactly how stressful working in a kitchen will be. Every person that wants to be a head chef of some sort will be required to give the commis position a try for at least a year.
At least 72% of employees are looking for chefs that have apprenticeship experience. In some states, you are required to do at least a year as a commis before you can get your certification. This is true particularly if you are interested in specializing.
Most employers believe that you just can't beat the experience you can receive during an apprenticeship. Many employers will not hire you without it.
If your business sense is good you will realize that time is money to an employer. It is rare that they have the time to train a new employee to run a kitchen. And often times, they simply won't.
Some commis positions are paid training opportunities, which is nice. Many of the commis positions that you will receive do not pay you; especially if it a course requirement.
To find one that pays, you will simply have to speak to your course manager and see if there are any paid apprenticeships available in your community. Be prepared to hear a no.
Pastry Chef
A pastry chef needs to know how to create baked goods, confections and specialty items. Pastry chefs generally specialize in deserts.
This is a specialty that requires much creativity and a great sense of taste for deserts. If you chose to work in a hotel environment, you will likely have to report to an executive pastry chef.
To be a good pastry chef you need to be able to manage people. It is a must. You must also be able to coordinate staffing with production requirements.
You must be in charge of ordering your ingredients as well. It is a very specific specialization that requires a great sense of business sense. You will also have little room for error in this specialization as many of your dishes are lengthy to prepare.
Saucier
This is just as it appears. This chef specializes in making sauces, and sometimes meats that are cooked in sauces.
This type of specialty is actually quite prestigious among the chefs out there. Since sauces are often the basis of French haute cuisine, the saucier chef is considered a very necessary person in the kitchen.
The best trained saucier's know that the five basis of all sauces rest behind the five mother sauces first.
These sauces are:
Espagnole (brown sauce): This is made of dark roux of cooked flour and butter as well as brown stock made from roasted bones and vegetables.
Veloute: (white sauce) is made of a pale roux and a light stock.
Bechamel: a basic white sauce that is made of milk, butter and flour. Sometimes cheese is also added to it.
Vinaigrette: simple oil and vinegar mix. Sometimes other ingredients are added, such as garlic, shallots and herbs.
Hollandaise: a mixture of egg, oil or butter, and mayonnaise.
Of course, this is just the basics of the training that a saucier has to know. You must have a great sense of taste to be a successful saucier, and it helps to be creative in your mixes. Knowing what sauces would taste best with what foods in essential in being a good saucier.
The saucier is the most important person in the room for many gourmet dishes. A meal can be prepared to perfection, but if the sauce is bad, there goes the meal.
Sous Chef
The sous chef is the second in command after the executive chef. The word ÒsousÓ means Òunder.Ó That is exactly what you are in the kitchen.
You are just under the executive chef; basically, a sous chef is the most important person in the kitchen. The sous chef is the person that keeps the kitchen running. The executive chef often gets the credit, but it is the sous chef that deserves it.
The sous chef must be in charge of the specialty chefs, the chefs, cooks, and other kitchen staff as well.
Sous chefs must also be the person that demonstrates the new equipment, and cooking techniques to the rest of the kitchen. They order kitchen supplies, plan menus, prepare the food and specialty items as well.
In essence, with apologies to the females in the profession, the sous chef is Òthe manÓ.
Executive chef
An executive is the person that is in charge of the sous chef. They are the head of the kitchen and supervise the goings on in the kitchen.
The executive chef plans the menus, ensures that the food quality meets the establishment's standards, estimates the food requirements, and may be involved in estimating the food and labor costs. The executive chef is also in charge of hiring kitchen staff.
The executive chef also cooks food daily. In this position you can be very hands on, meaning that you are there cooking with the sous chef every day and making sure that all plates are made and garnished to perfection, or you can make your rounds and focus on other aspects of being a chef.
In the beginning you are required to be hands on. As you have established yourself in the field, you can let the sous chef handle the day to day cooking while you do other things.
Garde Manger
The garde Manger chef is a specialized cook that is responsible for cold food presentations. The cold foods included in this specialization are salads, pates, canapes, and hors d'ouevres.
You will also be responsible for all of the cold sauces like vinaigrettes, dressings, pickles, aspics, chutneys, and relishes. You are also responsible for buffet table settings for large gatherings such as corporate events i.e., ice sculptures etc.
Personal Chef
A personal chef is a chef that prefers to work in a family setting. This type of chef generally works in the employer's home and prepares meals for the family.
In this position, you are basically responsible for all aspects of the meal including the ordering of the food. It is a relatively rare specialty that is reserved for those that really enjoy bringing families together for meal time.
For this type of work, you will have to check about allergies, personal likes and expectations of your employers. In a sense you get to interview them for the job. You have a lot of freedom in this type of work and in some cases, less hours. A personal chef gets to work in a home environment. It is like cooking for your own family and can be very rewarding.
Gourmet Chef
The gourmet chef specializes in specialty cuisine, often foreign dishes. This type of chef is generally very skilled in foreign delicacies and what is often seen as Òfancy foodsÓ.
A gourmet chef generally works in upper class establishments or for those that can afford the expensive dishes that prepared. As a gourmet chef, you will need to know even the often ignored things such as wines so as to better complement your cuisine.
Gourmet chefs are often schooled overseas locations, but not exclusively to. It is an asset as a gourmet chef to understand the basics of culture, biological sciences, and art. It is a very prestigious field to begin study in, and can be quite lucrative as well.
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