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Every young chef out there aspires to become a head chef someday, whether it be in a renowned restaurant or a restaurant that they’ve built themselves. Achieving this is no cake walk. Aside from holding a culinary arts certificate from a well-known culinary school, aspiring head chefs must also develop a variety of personnel and management skills.
If you are interested in becoming a notable head chef after you’ve completed culinary courses for professionals, you may want to try and hone your management and communication skills on top of the culinary skills you’ve picked up. Here are a few ways to help you do just that:
Work on Your Self-Discipline
Head chefs have a responsibility to run a tight ship in the kitchen. Unfortunately, it’s hard to expect your team to work efficiently if you yourself lack self-discipline. As a young chef, you can build your self-discipline by following the directions of your current head chef or kitchen manager. Go beyond this, though, and try to understand the reasoning behind why the head chef/kitchen manager has implemented certain policies. This way, you can stay on top of things and complete tasks without being told, allowing you to show off that you’ve got what it takes to be a leader in the kitchen in the future.
Encourage Open Communication
Clear and open communication is the key to success in many fields, including the kitchen. Some of the best kitchens to work in are the ones that allow all members of the team to talk to one another openly. This is the kind of working environment you definitely want to help build. Encourage others to share their input with you and others. Ask them for their opinions when it comes to recipes. Ask for help from others and offer help when it’s needed.
Be Open to Acknowledging Others
Who doesn’t enjoy a pat on the back every now and then. There’s no denying that working in the kitchen can be difficult. It requires a lot of time, concentration, and dedication. Given this, it’s a good idea to regularly acknowledge people who do particularly well. Even greeting your teammates with a simple “Good job today. Thanks for your hard work.” can significantly boost your fellow chef’s confidence and boost the morale of the entire kitchen. If you have a bigger say in the goings-on in the kitchen, try suggesting a “Kitchen Employee of the Month” award to your head chef.
Take Kitchen Safety Seriously
Kitchen efficiency and morale aren’t the only aspects that you should pay attention to as a potential head chef. Kitchen safety is another important facet a good head chef must take into consideration. After all, no one wants to work in an unsafe environment. Lead by example and clean up after yourself at all times. If you spot a puddle on the floor, wipe it up. These small things show that you care about the safety of your coworkers and encourages them to do the same, creating a safer work environment for everyone.
Interested in learning more about kitchen management? There are several 8-month culinary certificate courses in Manila, such as Enderun Extension’s Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts and Kitchen Management program, that help aspiring head chefs cultivate the skills and mindset necessary to become a successful head chef. It may be beneficial to sign up for one of these courses to help you get one step closer to your dream.