Sous Chef? What is a Sous Chef?
A sous chef is a culinary professional who assists the chef de cuisine or the executive chef in supervising food production for all events and locations. Basic duties of a sous chef include but are definitely not limited to the following: food preparation, food production, supervising personnel, and ensuring quality and cost standards are consistently attained. They also assist the executive chef with inventory, supplies, pricing, menu planning, safety, and sanitation issues that arise in the restaurant business.
School - is culinary education necessary?
Aspiring culinary professionals are advised to earn a degree from a culinary arts school and work up to becoming a sous chef. This gives a culinary professional more knowledge, better preparation, and a little more clout with potential employers. It is also an incredible way to make some contacts in the business and possibly work under them as an assistant (which is priceless in the experiences a budding sous chef will receive).
Some skills that are needed for the cooking industry in general include: knowledge of food preparation and the overall structure and work flow of a kitchen,
knowledge of culinary facilities and safety guidelines, knowledge of soups and sauces to be prepared, knowledge of supplies and equipment, the ability to follow instructions and very specific procedures, and the ability to lead and train others.
A day in the life of a sous chef
Life in the kitchen is hectic, and not just sometimes. Hectic all the time. It's hot and crowded in the kitchen, and there are things going on at all times. The dinner rush begins before the people even arrive due to preparation of some basics like soups and sauces and other things that can be prepped ahead of time. A sous chef must be flexible and able to think on his or her feet. Creativity is something that can make or break a chef in this business. The more creative the food solutions and presentation, the better off the sous chef will be and the more impressed the customers will be.
Odds and ends of the job
Working in a kitchen involves exposure to some unusual elements such as extreme temperatures, fumes, dirt, smoke, loud noise, and unpleasant odors. There is moderate physical activity required. A sous chef should be able to lift 25 pounds and be fit enough to stand and/or walk for most of the work day.
Click on any of the school links below to learn about how you can earn a culinary arts degree. Follow your dreams and become a sous chef!
Featured Culinary Schools:
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California Culinary Academy - San Francisco, CA
If you’re passionate about pastries, the California Culinary Academy, located in San Francisco, can prepare you for success. Students receive the challenging, hands-on, real world experience needed for a career in culinary arts or hospitality in one of the world’s culinary capitals. Associate degrees are available in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts or Hospitality & Restaurant Management. Certificates are available in Baking and Pastry Arts. Perfect the talent you already possess and gain the experience you need to land that job at fine restaurants, top hotels, posh resorts, luxury cruise ships, pastry shops, and more.
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Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago - Chicago, IL
The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago was founded in May of 1983 by Linda Calafiore, a passionate cook who wanted to share her love of great food. The food service community responded with enthusiasm. As soon as the first students graduated, they were employed at major hotels and restaurants. To date, The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago has graduated thousands of professional cooks, bakers, and aspiring chefs who are now staffing some of the most prestigious restaurants in Chicago and the nation.
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Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College - Las Vegas, NV
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas's Associate of Occupational Science Degree is a culinary arts degree designed to provide you with the theoretical foundation and technical skills necessary for you to succeed in the food service industry. We developed this curriculum in response to student interest and industry demands. This culinary arts program is aimed to give you the culinary education you'll need to enter the food service industry in entry to mid-level positions, and to advance through a variety of related positions.
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California School of the Culinary Arts - Pasadena, CA
The California School of Culinary Arts, located in Pasadena, CA, can train you with some of the best chefs in the business, and enhance your passion for food along you’re your skills, in only fifteen months. CSCA is one of the most well-known and respected culinary schools in the country. While studying at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Program you will work with industry trained Chef Instructors and have the opportunity to take advantage of extensive job placement assistance.
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Scottsdale Culinary Institute - Scottsdale, AZ
Le Cordon Bleu Programs at Scottsdale Culinary Institute are designed to ensure that you are exposed to a diversified education in culinary arts with a unique combination of general education classes to broaden your knowledge, attitudes, and values to be successful. Students can experience real world conditions with L'Ecole and L'Academie Restaurants as their classrooms. L'Ecole has received Mobile's 3 Star student rating. Become a chef in only 15 months. Other graduates, who began their careers just like you, are working in leading restaurants, hotels and cruise ships around the world.
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Pennsylvania Culinary Institute - Pittsburgh, PA
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute was founded in 1986 as a Branch Campus of the Sawyer School. PCI was well-known in the Pittsburgh area and beyond for providing a quality hands-on education and attracted students from across the United States. In the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Program you can acquire knowledge and practical skills needed for careers like Caterer, Private Chef, or even Restaurant Owner. As a graduate, your Le Cordon Bleu credentials can give you an edge in starting a career with hotels, fine restaurants, private placement, country clubs, resorts and catering companies' world wide.
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Texas Culinary Academy - Austin, TX
Enhance your career and ensure your future with the Texas Culinary Academy, located in Austin, TX. The Academy has partnered with Le Cordon Bleu to offer students an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts. By combining classical French techniques with cutting-edge American technology, the program serves to educate aspiring chefs in the art of cooking. You will learn the culinary techniques of more than 25 foreign cuisines and earn your degree in only 15 months.
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Orlando Culinary Academy - Orlando, FL
The Orlando Culinary Academy, a Le Cordon Bleu school, provides educational programs that prepare culinary school students for professional opportunities and career success in the international hospitality industry by providing an individualized, hands-on education in the classic and modern culinary arts. Through the guidance of the faculty, theoretical concepts as well as practical and creative applications are addressed in the curricula and reinforced by interaction with professionals in the industry.
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Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts - Atlanta, GA
Located in Tucker, Georgia, the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts College offers students the unparalleled combination of renowned training and a city that's one of the world's top meeting, convention and tradeshow destinations. That means opportunity, excitement and fun while you learn. The College's association with Le Cordon Bleu represents a union of one of the finest in European and North American culinary arts training programs available today.
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Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program at Brown College - Minneapolis, MN
Le Cordon Bleu Minneapolis / St. Paul offers the exciting Le Cordon Bleu Associate of Applied Science Degree programs that can get you prepared! Le Cordon Bleu Minneapolis / St. Paul is dedicated to providing quality culinary programs that are taught by staff of knowledgeable chefs and serve those seeking a solid foundation for their future. Le Cordon Bleu Minneapolis / St. Paul offers dynamic culinary programs to meet the needs of the industry and aspiring culinary students.
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Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Miami
Are you looking for culinary schools with an International Reputation? Start your career with a degree from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Miami. The Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Degree Program was designed to combine demonstration classes and hands-on, practical courses in professionally equipped, contemporary kitchens. As part of this innovative program, students explore and learn classical cooking methods and the qualitative aspects of food preparation, including nutrition and sanitation. Students who choose to step up and take on the challenge of going through the meticulous training are encouraged to explore their own style and creativity. As an added bonus, this program includes a liberal arts component that provides a solid academic foundation for your personal and professional growth.
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