How to Be Successful in the Culinary Arts

A career in the culinary arts can mean a number of things.  It no longer only means that you work in a professional kitchen.  A career in the culinary arts can mean owning your own catering service, running a bakery, running your own dinner club or having your own food truck. 

A career in the culinary arts is one that often starts slowly and requires a LOT of hours in the kitchen with very few breaks. The pay is not much to start, but the experience can be invaluable.  Regardless of what area of the culinary arts you choose to pursue, there are personality traits that every successful chef possesses.

Passion

Having a passion for what you do is something that every successful person has regardless of the industry.  Having a passion for your career means that you love what you do and that you are always striving to better yourself and hone your skills.  If you are looking at a career in the culinary arts having a passion for food is one of the most important traits you can possess.

Creativity

In a time when technical careers are becoming more and more prevalent, the culinary arts is a career field that still relies heavily on the creativity of the individual.  You use your palate and your imagination to create edible works of art.  Besides having a passion for food, possessing the creativity and originality with food is paramount.

Perseverance

Working in the culinary industry, particularly starting out from the bottom can be a grueling and thankless task.  Typically, you will start out on the bottom rung doing minor prep work and a lot of dishes.  You will chop more onions and will rinse more plates than you ever thought existed.  It takes a strong determination to keep going when the work is that difficult and the thanks so little.  A successful chef knows that every job in the kitchen is working toward an ultimate goal.

Organization

Working in a professional kitchen can be chaotic and hectic.  Keeping your thoughts organized under pressure and knowing how to keep your kitchen space clean and in order is another important skill set for any successful chef.  Maintaining cleanliness in your kitchen is required by federal health codes.  It can be a difficult task if you are working in a busy kitchen and attempting to meet the needs of multiple customers at once. Being able to develop organizational skills is important for culinary success.

Flexibility

While it is incredibly important to maintain your organization, it is equally important to remember to be flexible. One of the most exciting aspects of a career in the culinary industry is that there is something new every day.  Whether it is a new recipe or a change in your dinner service staff, working in a kitchen is never tedious.  It is important, therefore, to be able to adapt to different circumstances.  A lot of chefs have their specialties in the kitchen, but all of them are able to work any aspect of a kitchen because training is diverse.

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