Maggie's Farm

It's a tough but interesting career. I've learned all about it from a Chef friend (now an Executive Chef).

First, you attend, if you can, one of the top US (or French) culinary trade schools - Johnson & Wales, The New England Culinary Inst. (in NH), the CIA (Hyde Park, NY), the Cornell Hotel School, or the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas. Cordon Bleu in Paris if you can swing that.

When you graduate, having learned all the culinary basics, plus the economics, costing, buying, staffing, etc. you get to get a job as a lowly line cook. You are not a Chef - you are just a cook and not even an accomplished line cook yet.

Then the apprenticeship begins. A few successful years as a line cook (mastering all stations) and you could become a Sous-Chef. And then a fully-fledged Chef of the kitchen. That's a big deal, because you have to be a master of everything: Pastry, sauces, soups, meats, produce, salads - and presentation skills. You know the Chef from his or her Toque.

Some ambitious Chefs seek to become Executive Chefs. More money. They get to make the menus, manage and hire staff, do the buying, train staff, and run the business profitably. A high-hassle, high-complexity job. So-called "front of the house" and "back of the house."

My Chef friend gets so tired of fancy healthy food that he just likes a Big Mac, fries, and a couple of beers to escape it all.