Do you think you have what it takes to become a chef? You’re prepared to work in hot conditions, handle flaming skillets, and get down with the grease? If the answer is yes to each of these, then it’s important you understand being a chef will still take dedication, hard work, an intense love for food, and on occasion, a solid loud voice to speak up when things get hectic.
Ready? Let’s start your day!
Inventory And Prep
Prepping ingredients and checking amounts will happen first thing in the morning, and these are the two most important things you’ll do all day. Picture it—you’re in the middle of preparing a delicate soup recipe for a baby shower coming in at two. The party wanted a customized menu and made a few last minute changes prior to the event.
The shipment of food and beverages for the week just came in. Time to stop everything you’re doing to take care of the order, make sure it’s all there, and put the items in their proper places. Then, back to prep.
One of your employees is late; now what? It’s your responsibility to make sure that person is arriving to work—late or not, you need them today. Otherwise, you must compensate for being short staffed and make sure the team knows what slack it must pick up. Remember, you’re the one in charge of the entire kitchen staff.
Cook For Lunch
The lunch rush is here. You all have been preparing all morning for this, and the time has finally come. Time for you and your staff to do what you do best—cook delicious food and communicate effectively.
You make it through lunch and the baby shower with ease. Now it is time for your own lunch break.
Finish With Dinner
The long day is almost over. To recap, you made it through your chaotic prep time and directed your staff, who compensated well considering you were short staffed. The lunch rush was a breeze. Now the only obstacle left to tackle is the dinner crowd.
Your staff is now making sauces, chopping vegetables, and cooking meats that take longer than usual. You make sure things are done efficiently, and you start to prepare some of the complicated dishes.
The clock strikes 6:00 p.m. The dinner rush is here. While you do your best to make sure there aren’t issues, sometimes a patron still sends a dish back. Deal with any concerns, and walk around to see how guests like their food as you have time.
Get Ready For What’s Next
The end of the night obligations are now at hand. So while your staff cleans up the aftermath of the day, you must revise and review your menu for tomorrow and place your orders for the following day.
Guess what? You’re done. Lock up the kitchen and go home. You get to come back to do it all over again in the morning!
