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Sous Chef Job



The Sous Chef may also need to effectively discipline underperforming staff members, as well as provide incentives for staff members to go above and beyond the expectations of their particular chef roles.




sous chef job



Chefs and head cooks work in restaurants, hotels, and other food service establishments. They often work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. The work can be hectic and fast-paced. Most chefs and head cooks work full time.


About 24,300 openings for chefs and head cooks are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.


Chefs and head cooks use a variety of kitchen and cooking equipment, including step-in coolers, high-quality knives, meat slicers, and grinders. They also have access to large quantities of meats, spices, and produce. Some chefs use scheduling and purchasing software to help them in their administrative tasks.


Chefs who run their own restaurant or catering business are often busy with kitchen and office work. Some chefs use social media to promote their business by advertising new menu items or addressing patrons' reviews.


Executive chefs, head cooks, and chefs de cuisine are responsible primarily for overseeing the operation of a kitchen. They coordinate the work of sous chefs and other cooks, who prepare most of the meals. Executive chefs also have many duties beyond the kitchen. They design the menu, review food and beverage purchases, and often train cooks and other food preparation workers. Some executive chefs primarily handle administrative tasks and may spend less time in the kitchen.


Some self-employed chefs run their own restaurants or catering businesses, and their work may be more stressful. For example, outside the kitchen, they often spend many hours managing all aspects of the business to ensure that bills and salaries are paid and that the business is profitable.


To enter the occupation, chefs and head cooks typically need a high school diploma plus experience. Some attend a culinary program at a community college, technical school, culinary arts school, or 4-year college. Others learn through apprenticeship programs or in the Armed Forces.


Chefs and head cooks often start by working in other positions, such as line cooks, learning cooking skills from the chefs they work for. Many spend years working in kitchens before gaining enough experience to be promoted to chef or head cook positions.


Some chefs and head cooks train on the job, where they learn the same skills as in a formal education program. Some train in mentorship programs, where they work under the direction of an experienced chef. Executive chefs, head cooks, and sous chefs who work in upscale restaurants often have many years of training and experience.


Although not required, other types of certification may lead to advancement and higher pay. The American Culinary Federation certifies various levels of chefs, such as certified sous chefs and certified executive chefs. Certification standards are based primarily on work experience and formal training.


The median annual wage for chefs and head cooks was $50,160 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,910, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $84,570.


The level of pay for chefs and head cooks varies by region and employer. Pay is usually highest in upscale restaurants and hotels, where many executive chefs work, as well as in major metropolitan and resort areas.


Consumers are continuing to demand healthier meals made from scratch in restaurants, cafeterias, grocery stores, and other places that sell food. To ensure high-quality dishes, these establishments hire experienced chefs to oversee food preparation.


Sous chefs help prepare and cook simple foods for the head chef in restaurants and other eating establishments. While they work directly under the head chef, sous chefs also oversee the cooks that work in the facility and keep the head chef abreast of their activities. Sous chefs must be dexterous with kitchen tools and utensils, be able to think creatively about recipes and ingredients and have strong business, communication and leadership skills.


The highest ranked chef in a restaurant is an executive or head chef. The sous (a French word meaning 'under') chef is the second in the chain of command. As a sous chef, your duties may include preparing ingredients for the head cook or chef. You might cut up fruits and vegetables, mix spices, prepare meats and other tasks. You could also prepare simple dishes for patrons. Additionally, the sous may be responsible for keeping the kitchen properly stocked with food and utensils and cleaning up each day.


According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment is expected to be faster than average, about eleven percent. This growth is credited to consumers having more income and desire to eat meals out rather than at home. Chefs will have more choices for work with more restaurants expected to open over the next decade. Chefs typically have high turnover rates due to the amount of time and energy required for the job; sous chefs that have worked for at least a few years will have the best job outlook.


You have a few options when selecting a training program, although most sous chefs learn through on-the-job training, internships and apprenticeships. Prior work experience is often the major contributing factor toward full-time employment, and you'll want to choose an option that helps you acquire experience. A typical culinary arts apprenticeship program involves hands-on experience where you'll cook and prepare food under an expert chef. This work experience may be paid in some programs.


Certification may prove beneficial if you're a sous chef interested in working for more upscale restaurants. The American Culinary Federation offers one certification often preferred by employers. This certificate allows chefs, regardless of specialty, to showcase their cooking, nutrition, sanitary and food preparation skills against the industry benchmarks.


There are several careers related to that of sous chefs that don't require any formal training or degrees. Cooks work under sous chefs and help prepare and make food. Bakers are similar to cooks, though they focus their skills on baked goods, such as breads and pastries. Food servers may help prepare some foods in a restaurant, but their jobs mainly revolve around the customer service aspect of the restaurant industry. Food service managers are in charge of the day-to-day running of a food service business and will need a high school diploma.


If you really like to cook and want to make money doing it, this might be a great job for you. Sous chefs are second-in-command in restaurant kitchens. They report to the head chef and oversee food preparation and cooking. They also manage the kitchen staff to ensure food is made fast and delicious and they enforce food safety standards. Basically, sous chefs make sure that the kitchen runs like a well-oiled machine. And when the head chef is away, the sous chef is in charge.


The median annual wage for a sous chef was $48,460 in May 2018. Pay for chefs and head cooks varies greatly by employer and area of the country. Pay is usually higher in upscale restaurants and hotels, as well as in major metropolitan areas and resorts.


Experience is key. Most sous chefs start their kitchen jobs as a dishwasher or line cook. They learn the skills they need on the job to move up. However, some chefs will get experience through training at a community college or trade school. Sous chefs looking for more advanced training can get apprenticeships through culinary schools or other organizations. Apprenticeships typically last two years.


Job opportunities will be better for chefs and head cooks with several years of kitchen experience. The fast pace, demands and high energy level these jobs require can lead to a high rate of turnover, making opportunities more available.


Because a sous chef is required to perform a wide variety of duties, an ideal candidate is capable of both staying organized and multitasking. Your sous chef job description might mention that management experience is a plus. 2ff7e9595c


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