Professional Chef Schools in the U.S.

What Can I Expect as a Professional Chef?

There are many aspects to being a professional chef; it is not just about following a recipe and putting good food on a plate. Although preparing food is a key component of being a professional chef, you need to use your inspiration to create recipes, plan menus, and be sure the right food and supplies are available when desired. Above all, you must provide leadership and direction to those around you to ensure your kitchen doesn't flop like a bad soufflé.

Knowledge Is Key Ingredient When Becoming a Professional Chef

Deciding to become a professional chef is only the beginning. The next step is deciding how you will acquire the knowledge and skills needed. Culinary arts schools offer certificate and degree programs. Depending on the level of training you wish to purse, some programs are completed in less than a year, while getting an associate's or bachelor's degree can take from two to four years, respectively.

While culinary education may give you a head start, some schools can cost up to $27,000 for 9 months of instruction. You may be able to offset these costs with scholarships and financial aid. Culinary school is an investment in your future career, but you should consider what you can afford. Attending school part-time is one way to balance the costs.

Another path many professional chefs take is on-the-job training. Starting as a food preparation worker or a line cook can teach you many valuable skills. Having a post-secondary education is not the only way to be promoted up through the ranks of the kitchen. School or no school, hard work and determination are the common ingredients to attaining prestigious jobs like head chef or professional pastry chef.

Professional chefs need to be able to handle a variety of tasks, and culinary school may be the best way to learn the management and business aspects of the role. But professional chefs also need to know how the kitchen functions from the bottom up--and for that, there's no substitute for work experience.

Will I Find Work as a Professional Chef?

Competition for jobs among professional chefs can be quite fierce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, chefs and head cooks made up 12 percent of the nearly 950,000 employed in the chefs, head cooks, food preparation, and serving supervisors industry. Of those 114,000, many work for restaurants, hotels, or catering business. Yet others choose to be a private/personal chef or self-employed. No matter what you choose you can be at ease knowing that the industry is expected to see an increase in employment growth through 2018.

Professional Chef Salary and Employment Statistics

Getting paid to do what you love is the icing on the cake. In May 2008, the median annual professional chef salary was $38,770. Salaries for professional chefs vary widely depending on your experience, your place of employment, and the region in which you work. Chefs often work long hours, including nights and weekends, but for many, the fast-paced environment of the professional kitchen is just like home.