If you’re a dedicated chef and you’re looking to progress your career but don’t know where to start then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. Whether you’ve been a chef for years or you’ve discovered your passion over the past few months, moving up the career ladder is usually the goal for most people in the industry. While it may be overwhelming at first, there are lots of skills that you can pick up to ensure you’re the best you can possibly be. From cooking skills (obviously) to the ability to manage your own time, there may be a number of things you don’t instantly think of when it comes to being a chef. With that in mind, here are some skills every chef should have:
The Ability To Cook, Of Course!
It’s best to start with the most obvious because as a chef, you need to ensure you have the ability to cook. Although each and every chef is at a different level, having basic skills is the absolute bare minimum for someone in the industry. The more successful you want to be, the more skills you should have.
Time Management Skills
Although it may not seem like it, time management is an essential part of being a chef. YOu need to be able to time exactly when certain aspects of a recipe are going to be ready and when you should start everything in order fo rit to be served at the same time. While it may be easy at home, in a busy kitchen, it may be much harder. If you’re a chef who also runs their own restaurant, time management skills are also helpful or running your business. For tips and tricks on how to run a restaurant, you can visit this site here.
Accounting Skills
Again, this may not seem obvious, but you also need to have strong accounting skills. From knowing how much profit you make from each meal to calculating the waste from stock at the end of each night, accounting plays a huge part in being a successful and profitable chef.
The Ability To React To Changes Quickly
If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that we really need to know how to react to situations that we may not be expecting. Although no one could have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic, those that reacted quickly in the hospitality industry were able to keep their business running even when lockdowns were in place. From home deliveries to meal kits and online recipes, there were lots of incredible ways in which chefs were able to continue the thing they are most passionate about even when things were tough. While we may not face another pandemic when this one is over, there are definitely situations where you’re going to need to react quickly (and calmly).
From the way in which you work in a pandemic to easy to use restaurant scheduling software that can be used if you need to change the way in which you manage things, you need to know exactly how you’re going to react to certain situations if they arise.
Confidence In Yourself And Your Recipes
Although it may be difficult at times, you also need to ensure you have confidence in yourself. Being a chef requires you to believe in your abilities to cook as well as your ability to create a menu filled with delicious dishes that other people will love and if you doubt that for a second, you may find that you’re not putting your best work out there. For a guide to creating a menu as a chef, you can visit this site here.
A Lot Of Patience And Resilience
Finally, being a chef isn’t an easy feat and if you don’t have the patience and resilience it takes, you’re going to find it incredibly difficult. From intense kitchens to quiet nights of self-doubt, there are so many emotions that you will feel throughout the course of one shift, let alone a lifetime working as a chef. While it’s okay to have ups and downs, you need to be sure it’s going to be something that you can handle.
With lots of skills to start working towards on your career journey, you can be sure you’re getting to where you want as soon as possible. What else do you need to do? Did we miss anything off of the list? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.
