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How to become an Executive Chef?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered December 20 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
Executive Chefs’ levels of stamina should be prepared to cope with the physical demands of their job. They must follow and adapt to the culinary world’s latest trends and innovative techniques. The expectation is that they create new recipes and cooking techniques, so creativity and invention are top sought-after qualities.  
  
There is no standard of education required for Executive Chefs, which doesn’t mean that the profession fails to value experience and training. A sturdy background and a base education are always assets in the eyes of an employer. Many aspiring chefs will undergo specialized culinary school training or attend other recognized institutions. Modern culinary schools cover all the fundamental aspects of a kitchen, including meal planning, different cooking techniques, supply administration, and sanitary standards. Some programs even include learning a second language, which is usually French. Remember, some of the most prestigious restaurants are based in France. 
 
Experience is the highest valued aspect held to Executive or Head Chefs. They usually achieve this rank by working their way up the professional ladder, starting as prep cooks, with a career success system that, in this business, is based on hard work and merit. Only then can chefs expect to ascend into more prominent positions. 

What can help you become an Executive Chef
  • Passion for food and creativity:  
This industry is not for the faint of heart. The hours can be long and grueling, and the conditions hot and high tempered. Not to mention how long it may take to get to a level of success and salary levels that some chefs seek, where time and dedication are crucial to achieving this ranking if that’s what they’re determined to do. Passion is also the secret ingredient that makes tough times and hard work worthwhile.  Without passion in the kitchen, the food will fail to impress restaurant patrons more often than not.   
  
  • Organizational and time management skills:   
When Executive Chefs enter this industry, they should come prepared with strong multitasking skills. For starters, they will need to work under pressure in this dynamic, fast-paced environment, being highly responsible, committed, and driven. Working as a chef requires a great deal of independence, completing tasks with minimal supervision, and relying on strengths that keep them organized, detail-oriented, and structured. 
 
  • Interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills:   
Executive Chefs must learn how to communicate their wants and needs without becoming the tyrant chefs we tend to see in the movies. Communication is vital in any industry, but these chefs will find it increasingly difficult to connect with their staff without a firm basis here. The kitchen is a boisterous and potentially hazardous environment. As such, Executive Chefs need to give clear instructions and directions without risking their instructions going unheeded. When it comes to leadership, chefs should be mindful of how they approach leading their team, using calm, polite, tactful, discreet, and practical methods. 
Easteregg!