Published 27 Aug 2018

What Do I Need to Know About A Culinary Arts Career

by CoursesOnline Contributors

Food, glorious food! A career in the culinary arts

When we sit down in a restaurant, we have a few things on our mind: Will there be free bread? How much free bread will there be? And is my food going to be Instagram-worthy?

There is of course, also the question of taste, but surely that’s secondary to those sweet likes on Insta?

We know how much time and effort goes into preparing delicious, gorgeous-looking food and the importance of both substance and appearance.

If you also love creating culinary delights, a career in cooking might be something to get your teeth into.

What careers will I Realistically Be Looking At?

The most common career within the culinary arts sector is the chef.

This job title does vary depending on whether someone prefers to be called a cook, caterer, or chef, and the level of their experience and expertise. Naturally, the location, food-type, and size of the kitchen will vary, as well as the quality of ingredients and the freedom to explore ideas.

The restaurant industry is worth over

£0 Billion

What type of person suits this role?

While this role might appeal to those who enjoy working in the hospitality industry, are creative, as well as hardworking individuals, what other qualities are beneficial to a position within the culinary arts sector?

Physically Fit
Kitchens can be hot, demanding places. Working to the best of your ability, on your feet for many hours, in high temperatures means that any candidate must be able to perform at their peak under intense physical excursion.
Thick Skinned
If you’re entering the culinary arts world without too much experience or qualification, it’s likely to be a steep learning curve. You might be told more than a few times that you’ve done something wrong. But don’t panic, it won’t be as bad as Gordon Ramsey in Hell’s Kitchen.
Team Player
Everyone in the kitchen has their role to play. None is more important than any other, and that’s an important point to recognise.
Adaptable
Every day will be different. In the culinary arts sector, that’s a given. While the administration sector is arguably a little more repetitive, in the world of gastronomy, menus will change, recipes will evolve, and some things might suddenly run out. Smart substitutes and quick thinking are both essential.
Culinary Interest
It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that to work all day with food; you should have some interest in cooking. Even if it’s just the knowledge of what tastes good.

According to Statista.com, in 2016,

£0 Billion

people were restaurant employees.

This number was up from

£0 Billion

in 2006.

Entry Requirements

You might have read the above personality traits and thought, “you know what, that’s me, I love food and have a strong personality. Both physically and mentally.”

That’s great. But what qualifications are necessary to start out in the world of culinary arts?

According to the National Careers Service, to enter the industry as a chef:

“There are no set requirements, but GCSEs in English and maths may help.”

There are also two other possible methods of gaining employment within the culinary arts sector:

Gaining on-the-job experience as a kitchen assistant (someone responsible for kitchen cleanliness, maintenance, and carrying out jobs such as peeling and chopping vegetables) or trainee chef.
Apprenticeship – This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience while also building towards a qualification. Both elements will make you a strong candidate for any culinary position.

We at CoursesOnline know that there is no set path to any career. Recruiters will want to see passion and ability. Whether you can display those two things through experience or formal qualification, the road to a culinary arts career is entirely up to you.

What do my promotion options look like?

According to the National Careers Service, there are three progression positions:

Trainee Chef
This is someone learning the ropes.
Chef
A person in this role has enough experience or knowledge to be considered trained.
Section Chef
A position that specialises in a specific culinary area, e.g. desserts or vegetables.
Sous Chef
This role requires the running of the kitchen when the head chef is otherwise engaged.
Head Chef
Overseeing the whole of the culinary side of any restaurant or eatery.

These five Culinary Arts positions have an average salary of:

£0,000

Trainee Chef

£0,000

Trained Chef

£0,000

Section Chef

£0,000

Sous Chef

£0,000

Head Chef

It’s a career that values hard work and recognises both skills and experience. People will always want to eat out. It’s a social phenomenon that won’t be going away anytime soon, or maybe you’re more interested in baking, we also have baking courses to explore!

If you’d like to explore the educational opportunities to open these career-guided doors, why not take a browse of the options on offer here:

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