Food Preparation & Professional Cooking
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Food preparation professionals, known as food service professionals, chefs, or cooks, prepare food in the food service industry to be served to patrons of a particular establishment. As a professional chef, they are also responsible for helping prepare and determine meals to put on a menu. Plus, in addition to cooking food professionally, many food preparation personnel and professional cooks are also responsible for overseeing the daily operations of a kitchen at a restaurant or other food service provider.
Food preparation professionals tend to work in the kitchen or as a server in a restaurant with a set menu. These workers may use basic chef skills in the preparation of simple meals such as sandwiches. However, by and large, food preparation work involves little cooking and more the preparing of preset meals based on ingredients that were bought in bulk. Food preparation workers may also do food stocking, thorough cleaning, and take customer orders or complaints.
Similarly to food preparation workers, professional cooks will work in the kitchen of food service establishments; however, unlike food preparation staff, professional cooks are responsible for filling orders for complex meals. They may work off of a prescribed menu, or they may prepare a menu from scratch for a particular event or party. On the whole, professional cooks are trained to provide the best quality food based on the combining of ingredients necessary for the completion of a recipe. These types of workers generally work in restaurants as staff members, but may also work at catering companies or in large cafeterias.
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Career Specializations
- Food Preparation and Serving Supervisors: Food preparation and serving supervise are educated professionals in the field of food preparation that supervise others. They are in charge of overseeing daily operations of both kitchen and non-kitchen staff in food service establishments.
- Executive Chef: Executive chefs, also known as head cooks, are in charge of overseeing the daily operations of the kitchen staff. Executive chefs are the highest level employee in a kitchen and are ultimately responsible for the quality of the food that comes through their kitchen.
- Personal Chef: Personal chefs work for private employers to prepare regular meals and catering services for small events. Unlike most other professional cooks, personal chefs tend to work by themselves to prepare meals for private employers as requested, often in their own home.
- Pastry Chef: Much as the name suggests, pastry chefs specialize in the baking and creation of various pastries. Pastry chefs will work on simple desserts to complex layered cakes like those used for weddings.
Degree Levels
- Certification: 6 months to 1 year to complete
- Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
Most professional cooks and other food preparation workers will go to vocational or technical culinary arts school which can take from 2-4 years to complete. These programs will result in credentials as a chef and will often provide the students with placement services and connections to help them gain employment upon graduation.
Although most chefs, and particularly those seeking advancement to high-level positions or seeking employment in an upscale restaurant, have some level of advanced education, it is possible to work in the field with no additional education beyond high school. In the industry, work experience and personal proficiency in the culinary arts is often more highly valued than the level of education that a prospective employee can show. Those who don't have any advanced education may be able to receive training on the job, which can give them a personal perspective into the environment of a fast-paced restaurant kitchen that a technical culinary school education wouldn't provide.
The American Culinary Federation certifies pastry chefs, personal chefs, and culinary educators. Any professional cook interested in these fields will have to complete the necessary certification requirements, which generally involve some level of education and the successful completion of an exam. The certification is primarily focused on the food safety, ensuring that professionals in the industry understand proper food handling, so as not to endanger their patrons.
Salary Information
The average earnings of professional cooks and food preparation professionals will vary greatly based on the employer. The average salary as of May 2008 for those in the industry was $38,770 a year. However, the average salary for those who worked in lower-end restaurants was under $30,000 a year, while chefs employed by high-scale restaurants earned on average over $45,000 a year. Average salary is is also variable based on the number of hours that a chef works and the level of responsibility he or she has. The level of education does not have a long-term effect on the level of income that a professional cook earns, except that it makes a chef more likely to be promoted to executive chef, and therefore, earn a higher salary. (BLS)
Job Outlook
Job outlook for professional cooks and food production professionals is expected to remain good despite a decrease in the total number of jobs available. Job growth for the industry is estimated at just six percent, which is well below the national average across all industries. However, despite this unfavorable job growth, job prospects remain good, particularly for those who have advanced education and/or certification since turnover in the industry is very high, making new job opportunities regularly come up on the market. (BLS)
Related Careers
- Professional Catering: Professional caterers are responsible for all the food and beverage preparations for an event. They will often provide professional cooking services alongside professional food service, bartending, and complete set up and take down of event tables. Professional caterers will work in a wide variety of settings, from small, more less formal events, to large crowd events.
- Culinary Arts: Culinary artists are trained to treat food not just as a means of sustenance, but as a professional art form. They are taught how to create elaborate dishes based on ingredients. Culinary artists will often specialize in the preparation of culinary dishes from a particular region, such as Chinese, Mediterranean, or French cuisine.
- Baking and Pastry Arts: Baking and pastry artists are responsible for the creation and design of baked goods. Baking and pastry artists will often work on creating elaborate cakes or other pastry displays to be used in specialized settings like a birthday or a wedding.
