Choosing a career as a chef is something you can do at any time in your life. The beauty of the culinary industry is that formal education isn’t a priority. Apprenticeship can be your gateway to starting this journey, but some of the highest-paid chefs have a proper educational background. Food or culinary knowledge is good, but you require particular skills to succeed in the industry. As a chef, you can work in various environments. You can be a hospital chef, care home chef, restaurant chef, school chef, etc. So, we look at the skills required by a school chef to succeed below.
What skills does a school chef need?
Being a chef, in general, is no easy task. It’s challenging and requires hard work but rewarding in the end. As a school chef, having the experience of working in kitchens is essential. Also, you must know how to prepare food for the vast student population. However, being a chef is more than cooking or plating food. There are vital skills you need to develop and master before and during your career.
Time management
Schools have strict timings that every individual needs to follow. Besides the students, you as the chef needs to note the time slots created for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if applicable. You must accurately plan so that you and your team arrive on time and have adequate time to prepare good meals. Proper time management ensures no food delays and no feuds between you and the school management.
Leadership skills
Ideally, chefs with senior roles like the executive or head chef lead the team. In a school, things are different as the school chef may not be the most senior or experienced chef. But, they are in charge of leading all other kitchen staff and getting the best out of them. These skills are vital as they measure your capability to lead, give directions and have them followed.
Good organization
Most schools have many kids, so the kitchen can get really busy. As earlier mentioned, cooking isn’t enough. Some school chefs are excellent cooks, but their organization levels are low. Preparing large amounts of food needs lots of ingredients and utensils. When you lack proper organization skills, the kitchen situation can be overwhelming, causing you to lose focus. Always take time to tidy up and clear the mess in your section or the entire kitchen. Having excellent organization skills ensures you control all aspects of the kitchen and manage your staff effectively.
Good hygiene standards
Proper kitchen hygiene is a must-have for all chefs. Children tend to have low immunity levels than adults, and you must consider this as the school chef. The kitchen space and the various foods should be adequately cleaned to eliminate germs that cause infections. This takes us back to the need for organizational skills. It helps you spot dirty areas or food that need proper storing or cleaning. It’s difficult to maintain acceptable hygiene standards in a messy kitchen. As the school chef, the staff should follow your lead, and food handling is a delicate process and may be a cause of poisoning if done wrongly.
Creativity
Schools have more uncomplicated meal recipes, unlike restaurants. However, they don’t have to be boring or monotonous. Some institutions offer a variety of food throughout the week which is easy to work with. But, be creative even if the school provides limited food choices. A creative chef ensures the food tastes and looks good despite the monotony.
Bottom line
Any chef’s job is quite delicate since they deal with food, and being a school chef is no different. The skills above are some of the main ones, but plenty of others play a massive role in a chef’s career. Knowing these skills is a significant step to being a successful school chef. Skilled school chefs are in high demand, and if your CV is light on relevant formal qualifications, the skills above plus experience can make up for it.
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