What are the Typical Job Duties of a Chef?

<h3 id="section---CareerOverview">Career Overview</h3> <p>Chefs are in charge of planning menus and creating meals in restaurants and a variety of other settings. The typical job duties of chefs also depend on the specific kitchen and what kind of support team a chef has to work with. According to the College Board (<i>www.collegeboard.com</i>), sous, pastry, and cuisine chefs do the cooking, while executive chefs primarily plan menus and supervise the kitchen staff. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutChefs">Important Facts About Chefs</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>On-the-Job Training</td><td>Internships and apprenticeships offered</td></tr> <tr><td>Work Environment</td><td>Work settings other than restaurants include cafeterias, hotels, and private households</td></tr> <tr><td>Certification</td><td>Not required, but can increase pay</td></tr> <tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Baker, food service manager, food preparation worker</td></tr> <tr><td>Median Salary (2021)</td><td> $50,160 (chefs and head cooks)*</td></tr> <tr><td>Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td> 15% (chefs and head cooks)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---DutiesAndResponsibilities">Duties and Responsibilities</h3> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, <i>www.bls.gov</i>), chefs are in charge of measuring, mixing, and cooking ingredients according to recipes. A chef must know how to operate and use various equipment, including pans, pots, cutlery, ovens, grills, slicers, boilers, grinders, and blenders. While chefs are expected to have extensive knowledge in the culinary arts, many take on a managerial role in the kitchen. Chefs can oversee kitchen workers, order food supplies, estimate food requirements, and maintain quality assurance on various dishes. Chefs have the following additional duties: </p> <ul><li>Creating recipes and preparing meals </li><li>Hiring staff </li><li>Balancing a restaurant's books </li><li>Doing public relations </li><li>Planning menus </li><li>Filling orders </li><li>Catering to customers </li></ul><h3 id="section---JobRequirements">Job Requirements</h3> <p>Chefs don't typically work in a '9-to-5' environment. Chefs often work late nights, holidays, and weekends. To keep up with the fast pace and intensity of working in a kitchen, chefs must have stamina and be able to think quickly on their feet. Plus, a chef must be aware of changing culinary trends. Creativity is also a plus, especially for chefs who create new recipes and innovative ways to prepare food. While a college degree isn't required in order to become a chef, the BLS reports that many individuals opt to attend cooking schools. Several prospective chefs are participating in culinary arts degree programs that take two or four years to complete, according to the BLS. </p> <h3 id="section---EmploymentAndSalary">Employment and Salary</h3> <p>Job opportunities afforded to chefs and head cooks are expected to grow by 15 percent between 2021 and 2031, according to the BLS. The BLS additionally published the median annual salary earned by head cooks and chefs as $50,160 in May 2021. Chefs working in New Jersey, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maryland earned the most money in 2021. Those working in the first three locations in that list made an average of over $75,100 annually, per the BLS.</p>