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Hiring the Right Chef. Subtitle. What do You Bring to the Table?.
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Hiring the Right Chef Subtitle
What do You Bring to the Table? Not every restaurant needs a chef. In fast-casual and quick-service establishments, the chef is sometimes called the kitchen manager. Since fast-casual establishments do not usually have a complex menu, a culinary degree is not always required.
Upscale or fine dining establishments have complex menus and meal presentations and will require a skilled culinary professional to manage the quality of the menu.
The Chef is responsible for training kitchen staff, overseeing all of the preparation processes and help develop menu and marketing
The chef, or executive chef, is in charge of all of the kitchen operations. They train kitchen staff, oversee all of the cooking processes and help develop menu and marketing initiatives
What Owners Look for in a Chef • In Foodservice, having the right person for the right job is the key to success. • An employer will seek out the best candidate for a Chef position. That person in turn will hire cooks who can create the best food for the employer.
What Owners Look for in a Chef • Restaurateurs seek to have trained staffs who are both creative and follow directions • Some of the best restaurants are chef owned and operated
What Owners Look for in a Chef • And since the reputation of the restaurant and its ability to attract and retain guests is at stake, it’s pretty important to have the best chef at the helm in a kitchen. • The best chefs aren’t just great with a knife, but also have a keen interest in all of the factors that drive a restaurant success.
Chicken Saltimbocca Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise
Eggs Benedict French Baguette and Country Boule
A chef needs to fit to the employer • A chef, or executive chef, should have experience in running a kitchen, and often has a background not only in cooking, but in restaurant management. • A chef will have a combination of experience in the kitchen, good instincts, references, and a culinary education
Here are a few of the talents a chef must have if they are to be successful in the Hospitality Industry. As a young cook, always measure yourself against these:
Menu Writing 1. A Chef has to be able to write a menu which is easily executable and reproducible. 2. The menu should reflect the identity of the restaurant and entice the desires of the customer base.
French Laundry Yountville, CA 01/20/16
Ingredient Selection A good chef should have a broad familiarity with ingredients and styles of cooking. A Chef has to be versatile and capable of creating dishes which can change with trends and the needs of the owners.
Staffing Chefs need to choose the people they want supporting their operation. A chef will particularly need sous chefs and possibly, a pastry chef. Networking and working with cooks from various backgrounds help young chefs to understand the variety of skills needed to be successful.
Variety of Cooking SkillsIt goes without saying that a chef should be able to cook. The questions is: • Can the chef cook many different types of foods in a variety of styles? • A chef should be familiar with present trends and still be able to create classic dishes
Consistency of Effort • A Chef must demonstrate his or her ability in creating food in a consistent and standard manner. • Consistency in effort is the hallmark of the Culinary Profession. • Maintaining a Standard is an Expectation of Employer/Owners and Customers
Experienced • Most Chefs prefer a strong experience background for their cooks in conjunction with a degree. • In the Hospitality Industry, the more experience a cook has, the more valuable they are.
Experienced 3. When planning a career in Hospitality, expect to work for several different Chefs in order to gain a wide variety of experience and exposure to different styles 4.A Chef or young Cook should be able to showcase their skillset and versatility
Cost-Minded Maintaining cost controls and being budget minded is a skill which ensures success for any establishment. A Chef has to have Professional Standards in order to ensure Profitability and Increase the Customer Base
Cost-Minded • This is done by: • Establishing Purchasing Standards • Having Preparation Standards • Controlling Waste and Deterring Theft
Leadership A Chef should work on management skills as he or she rises through the kitchen hierarchy. A Chef who understands how to lead and train other cooks creates a successful staff.
Computer Skills • New chefs must have good computer skills. Proficiency in Excel spreadsheets allows for costing recipes and estimate menu profits. • Word Processing skills and an understanding of Electronic documents in order to create new menu layouts quickly and efficiently.
Computer Skills • Also, knowing how to use social media would enable them to become a valuable part of the marketing process for the operation
Willingness to Grow The Hospitality Industry is not static. Overall, the industry changes and re-invents itself every dozen or so years. • A Chef should continuously educated himself or herself. • Changing with the Industry is key to success. • A successful career based on change and self-reinvention has a long-term trajectory as opposed to being stuck in place.
