How hard is it to become a Chef?

For a professional chef, it takes formal education to study the charcteristics of food ingredients, vegetables and so on.

My boyfriend wanted to be a chef. From what I know about it, it’s not too hard to get through the culinary arts course. The hardship lies in whether or not you make it when you look for a job. It’s rather hard to find a good job as a chef as there are many experienced chefs and each restaurant are only in need for a few. As well, it would seem that a lot of people coming out of the culinary arts programs come out only finding small jobs.

Yeah, i agree with her. big chef business is very competitive however, if it is something u like to do u can always master in a specific type of food ie greek, Indian, continental etc. and open ur own restaurant. Oh! and restaurant kitchen work is not for everyone. the rest i work at had a very good chef but always got blisters cause his skin couldn’t handle heat he now works in a gas station. Also look out for mean chefs who think there food is the best when workin as an assistant or a food preparer chefs can be a bit*h sometimes.

You’d be surprised at how many people think it’s an easy course … it’s not. When I went through culinary training, I had to do two years of training for both my “chef” and “pastry chef” certificates. There is far more to it than simply “learning how to cook”. There is food theory - understanding the origins of food and how ingredients react to each other, etc., you have to learn kitchen management (lots of math there), you have to learn meat theory, which is every possible cut of meat from every food animal, and how it should be cooked … the list goes on. After you finish your schooling, you then need to apply for an apprenticeship, which lasts about 3 years, then you need to write an exam (here, it’s the Red Seal) … more then 75% of aspiring chefs fail that exam the first time. Becoming a chef is hard work, and then actually “being” a chef is where you are truly tested, because it’s a stressful, gruelling job that can only be done by someone who is passionate about their career. I’d still be in the kitchens if my doctor hadn’t ordered me to quit.

I’m so sorry u had to quit, I’m very sure u didn’t want to. I always wanted to b a chef, always tryin new combos with food and such. Doesn’t snd like a long program if u really want to become one. I will look further into the schools around here, and thx for the reply :-)