What’s the Role of a Chef/cook in a Hotel
- Cooks’ guests’ orders.
- Employs food safety best practices.
- Acts with appropriate caution in a dangerous environment where there are knives and high-temperature surfaces
- Selects choice ingredients that will give dishes the best flavor.
- Experiments to come up with new specialties that will draw diners into the restaurant/hotels
- Coaches the sous chef and other members of the kitchen staff, so they perform at their best
- Determines how much food to order and maintains an appropriate supply at the restaurant
- Keeps up with trends in cooking and the restaurant business to ensure that guests have a positive experience
- Works quickly and accurately during busy periods, such as weekends and evenings
- Occasionally takes on extra duties, such as cleaning, when the kitchen is short-staffed or the restaurant is particularly busy
- Takes direction and works with the restaurant’s administrative team
10 Skills Needed to Become a Chef:
- Willingness to Learn
Becoming a chef can be a hands-on learning experience, and like they say, practice does make perfect. You must master flavors and techniques of different dishes which can take time and a lot of energy. In order to become a great chef, you will need to be open to constant learning. Practical in a training institution and attachments are must.
- Genuine Passion
The life of a chef is demanding as the busiest working days are often those when other people are out celebrating – Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Mothering Sunday to name a few. Therefore, you must have a real desire to be the person who makes other people’s dining experiences special. Protecting and encouraging your passion for all things culinary will keep your artistic flair alive, and help you enjoy your work.
- Organization
We know that kitchens can be a very busy environment to work it, and so it is essential that you have the ability to always work clean and tidy. Take the time to tidy up as you go, so that you don’t get overwhelmed in your section, wipe your surfaces down and put everything back where it belongs. Stay organized to stay in control. As you progress in your career, having excellent organizational skills will ensure that, you manage staff effectively and help you to control every aspect of the kitchen, from the flow of work to the plating of dishes.
- Ability to Skillfully Multitask
There can be many elements of food on one plate to make up a complete dish. Now think that plate belongs on a table with three other mains, plus sides. If that table had starters as well, that’s possibly four other previous dishes that need factoring in to how and when this one dish comes together. Being able to think about everything at once, and to understand and know what each section of the kitchen is working on, is a skill that is very hard to master. A Head Chef will be able to do this very well, they will also understand and know what the customers are experiencing, and what the front of house team are doing at any point during service.
- Creativity
Becoming a chef involves more than just following a recipe. A chef will be creative in terms of putting a menu together, how the dish looks on the plate, and how it tastes to the customers. The creative reputation of a chef is often what brings customers through the door, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your creativity!
- Time Management
Time management is the process of planning and controlling how much time to spend on specific activities. A top skilled chef knows how to manage their time thus they are able to produce quality meals within the shortest time possible. This leads to more career success.
7.Teamwork
The professional kitchen can be a melting pot of people, with many people fromerent backgrounds coming together through a shared love of cooking. Being able to both work and get on well with your team is an essential skill for a smooth culinary career. Being a chef in a kitchen is like being a cog in a machine, every person has a role to play for the success of the service. You and the rest of your team have to work together well in order to deliver this.
8.Leadership Skills
As well as being a team player, experienced chefs should know how to lead the team, and get the best out of them. The Head Chef has the responsibility for the kitchen, and so they have to be able to give direction and have it followed immediately. At the same time, they need to maintain an upbeat atmosphere in the kitchen. They may also need to mentor and coach junior staff members during service, whilst ensuring everything runs smoothly.
9.Resilience
Chefs will frequently receive feedback from other chefs, colleagues and customers on the food they produce, and not all of the feedback will be positive. You need to be able to handle criticism, look at it honestly and decide whether or not it is valid.
10.Stamina
This skill might surprise you but chefs need to have an excellent level of physical and mental fitness. Working in a kitchen can be very physically demanding – working long shifts on your feet in hot temperatures and without many breaks – is tough. On top of that, the mental energy required to cope with the pressure and be on top of your game, your section and your kitchen, can be huge.
Where do Chefs Work?
Restaurants-Fast Casual & Fine Dining, Members Clubs
Hotels-Lodges, resorts and City Hotels,
Institutions-Hospitals, Schools, Military Bases
Restaurant Owner/Restaurateur
Food Blogger
Private Chefs
Celebrity Chef
Which is the right course for a Chef?
Diploma in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts.