Skills required of food production personnel vary
not only with the job level but also with the establishment and the kind of
food prepared. The director of a hospital kitchen and the head chef in a luxury
restaurant need different skills. The skills needed by a short-order cook in a
coffee shop are not exactly the same as those needed by a production worker in
a school cafeteria. Nevertheless, we can group skills into three general
categories:
1. Supervisory
The head of a food service kitchen, whether called
executive chef, head chef, working chef, or dietary director, must have
management and supervisory skills as well as a thorough knowledge of food
production. Leadership positions require an individual who understands
organizing and motivating people, planning menus and production procedures,
controlling costs and managing budgets, and purchasing food supplies and
equipment. Even if he or she does no cooking at all, the chef must be an
experienced cook in order to schedule production, instruct workers, and control
quality. Above all, the chef must be able to work well with people, even under
extreme pressure.
2. Skilled and technical
While the chef is the head of an establishment, the
cooks are the backbone. These workers carry out the actual food production. Thus,
they must have knowledge of and experience in cooking techniques, at least for
the dishes made in their own department. In addition, they must be able to
function well with their fellow workers and to coordinate with other
departments. Food production is a team activity.
3. Entry level
Entry-level jobs in food service usually require no
particular skills or experience. Workers in these jobs are assigned such work
as washing vegetables and preparing salad greens. As their knowledge and experience
increase, they may be given more complex tasks and eventually become skilled
cooks. Many executive chefs began their careers as pot washers who got a chance
to peel potatoes when the pot sink was empty.
Beginning in an entry-level position and working one’s way up with
experience is the traditional method of advancing in a food service career. Today,
however, many cooks are graduates of culinary schools and programs. But even
with such an education, many new graduates begin at entry-level positions. This
is as it should be and certainly should not be seen as discouragement. Schools
teach general cooking knowledge, while every food service establishment
requires specific skills, according to its own menu and its own procedures.
Experience as well as theoretical knowledge is
needed to be able to adapt to real-life working situations. However, students
who have studied and learned well should be able to work their way up more
rapidly than the beginners with no knowledge at all.
[source: professional cooking sixth edition]
