Career Profile: Chef	Home	Español	Activity
		Informal perspective of what an occupation might be like.

What I Do: I'm a busy chef at a fine restaurant in town. Some people confuse chefs with cooks, but our roles are different. Cooks prepare food as instructed, while chefs create new dishes or enhance old favorites. For example, instead of offering plain old boiled potatoes, I develop new ways of serving them with flair and flavor. In fact, a potato soufflé that I created for our customers is one of the most requested items on our menu. A pinch of nutmeg and a generous topping of Gruyere cheese make this dish irresistible!

Best and Hardest Parts of My Job: I've always been fascinated with food. I love experimenting with different ingredients and learning new techniques. Our restaurant consistently gets rave reviews in newspapers and magazines, and I'm proud that my efforts contribute to our reputation. But being a chef is hard work. In addition to creating new dishes, I also supervise the cooks in our kitchen and spend long hours on my feet. Like most people in the restaurant business, I frequently work on weekends and holidays.

How I Got Started: I started out as a dishwasher in my family's restaurant when I was in high school. I soon became a cook and spent most of my time grilling burgers. When I finished high school, I helped my dad manage the restaurant. I wanted to learn more about food preparation, so I enrolled in a professional culinary institute (that's a fancy name for a cooking school). I completed a two-year program to become a certified chef. Some day I want to open my own restaurant. Then I will have come full circle: from dishwasher to chef to owner!