The most recommended approach to be successful, is to first get a formal education. You can do that by enrolling at Steyns Culinary School.
Our Professional Chef’s Course will not only improve your cooking skills but is designed to help prepare and train aspiring chefs other skills required in the Culinary Arts industry. Some of these skills are, menu planning, purchasing, health, safety, and food hygiene, working methods a code of conduct in so, prepare them for their chosen career.
It is said that to be the best, you must learn from the best, and yes, education and experience are essential factors, but what does it take to be a culinary genius? it takes an incredible amount of hard work and determination to be a chef, so what else does one need to make it to the top.
Here are seven habits you can adapt to set yourself on track for an extraordinary career as a chef:
Have a passion for food
The best motivation to be successful is passion. Having a passion for food is the greatest quality of a successful chef. As the popular saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.
Always have a plan
Great chefs are also great planners. They think ahead and organise everything they are going to do. This is an essential skill, and the best chefs know exactly what and how much ingredients they need, where all their utensils are located and how to pace themselves during crunch time. You will learn more about mice and place as you go through your training (this French culinary phrase means ‘putting in place’ or ‘gather’ and refers to the setup required before cooking).
Be in control of your time
Time management is crucial in the kitchen - food that is ordered must be scheduled and be prepared within minutes. This means prioritise the items on your list, paying close attention to what must be done, and to how you spend your time, down to the last second after an order has been received. Proper planning helps reduce pressure in the kitchen and keeps the kitchen crew happy.
Focus on the task at hand
Even the smallest distraction can cause a mayor disaster in the kitchen, so you cannot afford any slipups. A good chef always focuses on the task at hand. This skill needs nurturing as it is essential in running a successful kitchen. To stay focussed takes a good amount of discipline and is a good skill to acquire early on in your career.
Keep your kitchen organised
The best chefs know exactly how many minutes each dish takes to be prepared, how to direct servers in and out of the kitchen and where every utensil and ingredient is located. To achieve great things, it is crucial that your kitchen is organised and, that you are in charge of everything happening in the kitchen.
Never stop learning
Even the sharpest knife needs to be honed to maintain its condition. Honing your skills means that you stay ahead of the game and, know what foods will be popular even before a trend starts. A good chef is constantly learning and studying new cooking methods and, cuisines of different cultures. A lot of time will be spent experimenting with different dishes and dong so discover new skills and recipes. Remember, practice makes perfect.
Keep it Simple
Great chefs spend hours refining their skills and perfecting their dishes. As the saying goes, “quality over quantity”, so rather focus on a few top-notch dishes, rather than creating a huge variety that is of mediocre standards.
A career in the culinary profession is a stressful endeavour, it requires long hours of both physical and mental tasks. Patience and perseverance is a must to cultivate the required skills to strive for excellence.
If you are serious about your future as a culinary expert take the time to find out more about our Professional Chef’s Course by visit our website, or send us an email or WhatsApp us at info@steynsculinaryschool.co.za or 072 645 5167 respectively.