Chef Job Description Sample

Chefs, also known as Chief Cook, are at the helm of food preparation related operations at kitchens and restaurants. Apart from creating new recipes, cooking delicious food, hiring and coordinating kitchen staff, Chefs also play a key role in ensuring efficient and stringent adherence to hygiene requirements and food safety standards.

What are the primary responsibilities of a Chef?

• Advise waiters on upcoming daily and weekly specials
• Make sure the food presentation is attractive
• Watch over the work of junior cooks and Sous Chefs and offer any guidance required
• Tailor the recipes to meet customers’ liking when needed
• Plan and organize kitchen items such as cookware, utensils, knives etc.
• Procure fresh and high-grade ingredients as per the needs of the recipe
• Ensure timely delivery of food
• Delegate tasks to other staff in the kitchen
• Keep track of groceries and purchasing inventory as required
• Check and get rid of food items that have crossed the expiry date
• Experiment with new ingredients to cater to the taste of various customers
• Guarantee compliance with all rules and regulations covering the safety of kitchen staff and quality of food prepared.

What are the education and entry requirements for Chef?

Most chefs start out as line cooks and make their way up the career ladder with experience. However, there are some who complete non-degree certificate programs, Bachelor’s degrees or formal training and apprenticeships offered by culinary institutes. Chef aspirants will need a high school diploma to become eligible for entry into culinary school. Often, those who hold a culinary degree find it easier to take on greater responsibilities, compared to the ones who have minimal or no formal education.

What are the skills and qualities required to become a successful Chef?

• Strong interpersonal skills for interacting with fellow employees in the kitchen
• Adaptability
• Well-groomed appearance
• Flexibility
• Strong decision-making skills
• Excellent coordination skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Capacity to follow and implement safety guidelines
• Patience to deal with bad-tempered and demanding customers
• Ability to improvise when needed
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong customer focus
• Physical dexterity (to handle cooking equipment)
• Sociability
• Ability to handle stress
• Attention to detail
• Dependability

What are the pros of being a Chef?

• Plenty of career options
• For Chefs on cruise ships, there is the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world and meet people from diverse cultures
• Experienced Chefs can find a job almost anywhere in the world
• Highly skilled Chefs can look forward to a lucrative career
• There are many options for becoming an entrepreneur, like starting a new restaurant, food delivery business etc.
• It is a creative job through which one can sow the seed of career success

What are the cons of being a Chef?

• There is a constant need to cope with job stress
• You have to work long hours
• There isn’t much time for family and social life
• It's a tiring job. You have to stand on your feet most of the time.

How much can a Chef earn?

According to the BLS, the median annual salary for Chefs was $38,770 as of May 2008. Payscale says the average salary was in the range of $30,795 - $49,537 as of 2010.

Work environment and career outlook

Chefs often work long hours in heavily congested and hot work conditions, while facing the constant pressure to meet set deadlines and quality expected by customers. It is not uncommon to see Chefs putting in extra work hours during holidays and weekends. Apart from managing regular kitchen activities, Senior Chefs are also expected to plan the menu and make sure professional delivery of food. Job opening for chefs is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most job opportunities for chefs will come from the need to replace employees who leave the job.