According to recent studies, demand for chefs has more than doubled over the past few years as more and more restaurants and hotels benefit from the ever growing ‘dining out’ culture which sees diners spend valuable time together over a great meal.
Even if the road to becoming a chef requires countless hours of hard work, total commitment and endless sacrifices, if you are talented and willing to go the extra mile, a chef career path will turn to be extremely rewarding and will provide you with the opportunity to work in fast-paced and stimulating environments. If you are a passionate and dedicated individual, here are the reasons why you should consider a career as a chef in the hospitality industry.
Satisfaction and creativity
As a chef, creativity will be part of your daily routine as you will be called to create new dishes from scratch, put your own ideas to give traditional dishes a modern twist and experiment with taste, texture and shape. Even if you will need to be extremely flexible and ready to embrace changes on a daily basis (such as the ability to change your dishes depending on the diners’ dietary requirements and preferences and the capability to adapt to last minute changes in the number of guests), if you are talented and dedicated you will soon realise how gratifying a chef career path can be. Working as a chef means you get to work with food every day and prepare delicious and creative meals. But there is more to than just cooking every day. Being a chef requires first and foremost discipline and dedication.
Career growth opportunities
If you are passionate and skilled, becoming a chef can offer amazing career progression opportunities from commis chef, chef de partie, sous chef to head chef. When it comes to career growth, the hospitality industry is extremely fast paced and allows talented chefs to progress rapidly and grow their skills. Additionally, as the hospitality sector is steadily expanding year on year with more and more restaurants opening, you can rest assured there will always be new roles on offer for the right individuals.
Global career
A career as a chef is highly portable, providing you with vital and transferable skills you can utilise in a variety of roles around the world. For instance, you will be able to travel and enhance some additional perks that this job can offer. That’s the main reason why, once you have gained considerable experience and training under your belt, you will begin building a name for yourself and will be in demand with top-class restaurants around the world.
Other benefits of the chef career path
Other than the benefits listed above, there are many other rewards for you when you become a professional chef. For instance, there are endless career possibilities, including the opportunity to specialise in the long term if you discover a passion for certain types of cooking and catering – there are plenty of options available to you! As soon as you become an experienced chef, you will be able to cook any world cuisine required by your employer and be extremely versatile in regards with their requirements. Finally, as a chef, you can get paid to pursue your passion and translate that love of cooking into an actual job whilst earning a great living as you climb the career ladder.
You need to love your job and be totally committed
Despite the several benefits of being a chef mentioned, it is important to remember that choosing a chef career path can feel quite daunting, especially when you are looking at a role where you need years of investment to progress successfully. It is also worth highlighting that being a chef requires years of experience and hard work in order to get far due to the fact that the hospitality industry is very competitive.
Finally, taking a culinary career path means a lot of hours at work and working on your feet. It is a job you need to love doing as you are required to be extremely dedicated in order for you to be successful and able to progress. Before you commit to a chef job or start applying to culinary schools, it is worthwhile to try getting work experience in a restaurant kitchen to see if this is the right career move for you.
Conclusion
Each job has their own highs and lows but if working as a chef is your dream job, you will find this career path incredibly gratifying and you will be able to exceed your employer’s expectation. If you are a talented, flexible and versatile individual with a passion for cooking you will soon realise that chefs’ rewards are immense and the career possibilities are virtually limitless.
Sounds appealing? We specialise in hospitality roles and we are experienced in matching highly talented chefs to the specific needs of hospitality companies. Please drop us a line to discuss your career opportunities with one of our recruitment professionals.