Being a chef is an extremely rewarding career and the foodie shows that are being aired these days has made it even more fashionable and chic. Therefore, it is not surprising that more and more people want to join the food industry, but you have to understand that it is not everyone’s cup of tea. If you are an aspiring cook, then you need to know that there are some prerequisites to fulfill. You have to have a good education for refining your palate, learn the business aspect of becoming a chef and take your passion for food to the next level.
Apart from that, there are also some important skills that you need to have in order to become a great chef. Anyone who doesn’t have these skills cannot make a great chef. What are they? Let’s take a look:
- A passion for the culinary arts
Being a chef is no easy task. You will often be working during parties and holidays while everyone else is busy having fun. It is your passion for food and cooking that will drive you to put up with it and help you make your way in the industry. There is a lot of math and science involved in cooking, but recipe development and presentation is not very different from painting and music. You have to bring passion into your work in order to be a good chef.
- A desire to learn
Even great names in the industry like Ido Fishman Chef didn’t stop their learning despite reaching the peak of their career. You have to understand that you need to constantly hone your craft and continue the learning process if you want to be the best. The food industry is constantly changing and you have to keep up with the new techniques and trends to be good at what you do. You may be an instructor for some and have to be a student yourself.
- Lots of stamina
A professional kitchen involves long hours as it is constantly busy. You will be spending most of the time on your feet, working hard to prepare food for the patrons. A hot kitchen, particularly during the summer, is certainly not a place for the faint hearted. It takes muscles to lift heavy boxes of produce. You need to consider the physicality of the work before you opt for it.
- Willingness to practice
Being a chef means that you have to do things right even under pressure and for this, you have to practice your craft. It is possible that you might fail a couple of times when you are combining sides, sauces, seasoning and proteins for creating a great meal. However, these failures can teach you some valuable lessons, more than what you learn from perfection. Practice can transform a mediocre chef into an incredible one.
- Business savvy
Best chefs like Ido Fishman Chef understand that running a kitchen is not just about the food. You also need to know how to maintain inventory, balance your bank account and how to advertise your business. In order to earn profits, you need to know how to budget everything in order to set prices for every item in your menu. While it is possible to hire other people for doing this, you still need to have a sense of how it is done. If you don’t pay attention to your bottom line, you will not be able to achieve success.
- Good communication skills
Whether you are just starting out as a chef or are at the pinnacle of your career, you will be part of a team. The best chefs understand that they can only be good at what they do when their team helps them in getting the food to the people. You should be able to communicate effectively with your team as it can have a big impact on the tone of your business and kitchen.
- Ability to accept criticism
It is simply not possible to please everyone’s palate. Some people may like your food while others may criticize it. You need to be ready to accept criticism, even if it is not constructive, and do it calmly.
