How To Become a Professional Chef in 5 Steps (With FAQs)

In this article, we explain how to become a chef and answer some frequently asked questions about this profession.

What does a chef do?

A chef monitors all kitchen activities during their shift. Most chefs start at an entry-level role, commonly known as a commis chef, and can advance their careers to a head chef position. While a head chef participates sparingly in food preparation, they often make sure the food prepared by other chefs is up to their standards by tasting, adding extra seasoning and reviewing presentations.

Other tasks for a chef might include:

• Overseeing the operations of a kitchen

• Managing food inventory and budget

• Hiring and training staff

• Managing vendor relationships

• Creating menus

• Maintaining quality control of food and cooking techniques

• Supervising the use of safety standards

• Surveying customers on service and quality

How to become a chef

The steps to becoming a chef can vary depending on your current education, skills and desire to learn. The following steps comprise the most common path to becoming a chef:

1. Start at an entry-level restaurant job

If you’re interested in becoming a chef, getting experience in an entry-level position can help you learn some of the required skills, and help you decide if this is the path for you. Entry-level positions in a restaurant can include dishwasher, server or food runner. You can also look for a job as a line cook in a casual restaurant without experience to develop more skills in food preparation.

2. Earn your high school diploma or GED

Most employers seek chefs who have a high school diploma or GED. This is because a high school education is often required to apply for culinary school. Some professional culinary organizations also offer apprenticeship programs that ask for candidates to have a school diploma or GED before entering.

3. Graduate from culinary school

For most chef positions in restaurants and similar food industry companies, a degree from a culinary school can offer an advantage over other candidates. At culinary school, you can learn specialized skills and knowledge to help you sharpen your cooking abilities.

There are typically several culinary degrees or diplomas to choose from, depending on the school you attend and whether you plan to specialize. Depending on the program, the culinary school can take one to four years to complete.

4. Get applicable work experience

During your culinary program, it can be helpful to complete an internship or work part time to develop your professional skills. Once you graduate from culinary school, you can apply to full-time jobs in kitchens. You can also complete an apprenticeship to gain practical experience while also getting paid.

5. Get your certification

Certification is typically optional for chefs, but it can help get you promoted or secure higher-level positions. This is because specialty culinary certification can enhance your expertise and allow you to develop more advanced culinary skills. Currently, the American Culinary Federation offers 16 certifications that can benefit chefs.

Some of the most common include:

• Certified Fundamentals Cook (CFC): This is a basic certification for someone who does not have experience in commercial food services.

• Certified Culinarian (CC): This is a basic certification for someone who has experience with commercial food services.

• Certified Sous Chef (CSC): This certification is for someone interested in becoming an assistant to a head chef. Sous-chefs help to supervise the kitchen under the head chef.

• Certified Executive Chef (CEC): This is a certification for someone who shows management and leadership skills in a kitchen.

Average salary and job outlook for a chef

The average salary for a chef is $62,328 per year. The salary for chefs depends on several factors, such as their experience and education levels. The size, type and location of the business where the chef works can also affect wages.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of professionals working as chefs and head cooks could increase by 15% from 2021 to 2031. The BLS says this increase may result from a growing demand for top-quality restaurants and dining experiences from the general public.