Career Overview

Chefs and head cooks plan, prepare, and oversee food production in restaurants, hotels, resorts, catering operations, and other food-service settings. They may create menus, manage kitchen teams, control food costs and inventory, maintain food-safety standards, and help shape the overall dining experience. Career titles can include chef, head chef, executive chef, sous chef, and kitchen manager. **Career Growth: With experience and additional training, Cooks can move into roles such as Chef, Head Chef, or Executive Chef, where earning potential can be significantly higher. Modern kitchens also use digital ordering systems, inventory software, automated equipment, spreadsheets, restaurant-management systems and other technology to manage food, costs, and operations.

Education

To become a chef, you can complete a culinary arts or culinary management program, pursue a Cook apprenticeship, or build professional kitchen experience and advance into increasingly senior culinary roles. Programs can range from about one year to two or more years, depending on the credential and career goal. Additional professional chef certifications are also available. *High school → culinary program and/or Cook apprenticeship → kitchen experience → Chef/Head Cook

Work Environment

Chefs and head cooks work in restaurants, hotels, resorts, catering companies, hospitals, schools, clubs and other food-service operations. Kitchens can be fast-paced and physically demanding, and schedules may include early mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays

Future Outlook

Hospitality continues to create opportunities for experienced chefs and kitchen leaders as restaurants, hotels, resorts, catering businesses and other food-service operations evolve. Chefs who combine culinary creativity with leadership, business skills and technology can adapt to changing customer preferences and new ways of operating kitchens.

Recommended High School Courses

• Math
• Business
• English
• Cultural diversity
• Computer Studies
• Food & Nutrition
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Culinary Arts