Thesis on "Career Opportunities for Chefs"
Thesis 8 pages (2675 words) Sources: 6 Style: MLA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Career Opportunities for Chefs in the United StatesLetter of Transmittal
Today, interest in becoming a chef has never been greater due in large part to more consumers dining in finer restaurants as well as an increasing number of popular television series featuring charismatic and talented young chefs as their stars. While it is clear that not all chefs enjoy this type of working environment, there are a wide range of career opportunities available for those who enjoy food service and management, but there are some important considerations that should be followed preparatory for entering this career field that should be taken into account. To this end, this paper provides an overview of current career opportunities for chefs in the United States, including relevant educational and special skills requirements, employment prospects and advancement opportunities. An analysis of current and future trends is followed by a review of the salary ranges that chefs can expect to encounter in this career field, as well as gender considerations that may affect an individual's career path within this field. Finally, a summary of the research and salient findings are presented in the paper's conclusion.
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Educational requirements
Special skills requirements
Employment prospects and advance opportunities
Trends
Salary ranges
Specific duties/responsibilities
Gender considerations
Conclusion
List of Tables and
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Table 1. Breakdown of chefs, cooks and food preparation workers in the United States (as of 2006)
Figure 1. Breakdown of chefs, cooks and food preparation workers in the United States (as of 2006)
Figure 2. Representative workplace setting for chefs
Figure 3. Representative workplace setting for chefs
Current Career Opportunities for Chefs in the United States
One of the more interesting - but demanding - career fields available to aspiring food service professionals today is that of professional chef. Indeed, there is an enormous amount of interest in this career field at present as the result of more American consumers eating their meals outside the home as well as a growing number of highly popular television series that feature charismatic and talented young chefs as their stars. Although not all chefs will have this type of work experience, these television shows do provide some indication of the very hectic nature of the general work environment that can be expected by those aspiring to this career field. To help those young people considering a career as a chef, this paper provides an overview of current career opportunities for chefs in the United States, including relevant educational and special skills requirements, employment prospects and advancement opportunities. An analysis of current and future trends is followed by a review of the salary ranges that chefs can expect to encounter in this career field, as well as gender considerations that may affect an individual's career path within this field. Finally, a summary of the research and salient findings are presented in the paper's conclusion.
Review and Discussion
Educational requirements
While educational requirements for various chef positions will vary according to the level of responsibility and size, some general guidelines include the need for a bachelor's degree and a working knowledge of computer-based applications. According to Turner (1993), "A bachelor's degree in hotel and restaurant management and a good grasp of computers are recommended" (p. 88). In some parts of the country, on-the-job training opportunities are available that supplement culinary students' classroom studies. For instance, Von Der Heydt (1997) reports the results of a chef training program in New York where a cooperative effort between restaurants and colleges has provided valuable learning experiences for up-and-coming chefs. According to Von Der Heydt, "Students of culinary arts are given 200 hours of sophisticated instruction. Then they are ready to apprentice in a real restaurant. Restaurateurs are each asked to contribute $1,000 toward a scholarship for a student; in return, they receive that student's services for a semester. In this way the student learns on-site from a professional chef" (p. 16). This learn-by-doing approach has resulted in a win-win outcome for the employers and students alike: "Many are offered a permanent position with their sponsor after graduation. All of the students who have graduated from the culinary-arts program are now gainfully employed" (Von Der Hedyt, p. 17). There is also a matter of "paying ones dues" and "learning the ropes" involved in becoming a chef regardless of one's educational achievements. In this regard, one industry analyst emphasizes that, "Despite all the pluses of being a chef, one must certainly be prepared to work long hours for low wages in the first few years. To get the path to the top ranks right, it helps to start out in the line you would like to pursue and that includes getting specializations (through training courses) or working with similar organizations" (Chef salary, 2007, p. 3). While a solid educational foundation and work-related training can therefore help any aspiring chef, there may also be some special skills requirements for various types of chef positions involved, and these issues are discussed further below.
Special skills requirements
The job description for chefs and head cooks provided by Career Planner (2008) states that these professionals, "Direct the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts. May participate in cooking" (Job description for chefs and head cooks, p. 2). These authorities add that the chefs must be "skilled at both hand and machine work and must have some knowledge of processes and techniques that are involved in handling and preparing food" (Food processing occupations jobs and job outlook, 2008, p. 2). Beyond the foregoing general requirements, the experts at Career Planner include the following special skill requirements for chefs:
Determine how food should be presented, and create decorative food displays;
Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services;
Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients;
Inspect supplies, equipment, and work areas to ensure conformance to established standards;
Instruct cooks and other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food;
Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations;
Order or requisition food and other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation;
Recruit and hire staff, including cooks and other kitchen workers;
Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs;
Arrange for equipment purchases and repairs;
Meet with customers to discuss menus for special occasions such as weddings, parties, and banquets;
Meet with sales representatives in order to negotiate prices and order supplies;
Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions;
Supervise and coordinate activities of cooks and workers engaged in food preparation;
Collaborate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes and menus, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability of ingredients and the likely number of customers;
Check the quality of raw and cooked food products to ensure that standards are met;
Check the quantity and quality of received products;
Demonstrate new cooking techniques and equipment to staff;
Record production and operational data on specified forms;
Coordinate planning, budgeting, and purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains; and,
Plan, direct, and supervise the food preparation and cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel (Job description for chefs and head cooks, pp. 3-4).
Taken together, the foregoing special skill requirements suggest that top-flight chefs certainly earn their money, but all signs indicate that employment prospects for this career field are healthy and advancement opportunities available, and these issues are discussed further below.
Employment prospects and advancement opportunities
Chefs are at the top of the professional food service hierarchy and enjoy healthy employment prospects for the coming decade. In fact, of the 3.1 million jobs occupied by food preparation staff in 2006, just 115,000 (or 3.7%) were chefs. The respective distribution of positions between various types of chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers in 2006 is provided in Table 1 and Figure 1 below.
Table 1.
Breakdown of chefs, cooks and food preparation workers in the United States (as of 2006).
Category
No. Of Employees
Food preparation workers
Cooks, restaurant
Cooks, fast food
Cooks, institution and cafeteria
Cooks, short order
Chefs and head cooks
Cooks, private household
Cooks, all other
Source: Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers jobs and job outlook, 2008, p. 3.
Figure 1. Breakdown of chefs, cooks and food preparation workers in the United States (as of 2006).
Source: Based on tabular data in Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers jobs and job outlook, 2008 at p. 3.
About 66% of all chefs are employed in restaurants and other food services and drinking establishments and approximately 15% work in institutions such as schools, universities, hospitals, and nursing care facilities with the remainder being employed in hotels and other settings (Chefs, cooks, and food preparation… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Career Opportunities for Chefs" Assignment:
It must be a 'Formal Report' for my Technical Communication class, the following information has all specifications:
You are to write a report on the job opportunities in your vocational field. Your report is to be both informative and analytical. A formal report is a discussion of an issue, question, problem, or phenomenon you seek to investigate.
The audience will consist of people who will use your information for a specific purpose. It may be high school students who are trying to decide on a career, a visiting professor from a different country, or people who are changing careers. You must, however, make clear in your report exactly who the primary audience is and why the information will be useful.
The report will cover such aspects of the chosen career field as:
*****¢ Educational requirements
*****¢ Special skills requirements
*****¢ Employment prospects
*****¢ Advancement opportunities
*****¢ Trends
*****¢ Salary ranges
*****¢ Specific duties/responsibilities
*****¢ Gender considerations
You will need to include at least two graphics in your report. You must use a minimum of six sources, one of which must be a personal interview.
Report Format
Be sure to follow the formatting/content guidelines discussed in class. The Formal Report Checklist, attached to this assignment, should aid your formatting decisions. Please include each of the following in your Final Report:
1. Cover (report must be bound using either comb or spiral binding.)
2. Letter of transmittal
3. Title page
4. Abstract
5. Table of contents
6. List of tables and figures
7. Body of report, including no less than three levels of heading and at least two appropriate graphics
8. Works Cited page (MLA or APA)
9. Research notes--primary and secondary (photocopies, computer printouts, correspondence
notes from interviews. Papers without these will not be graded and will receive a *****0.)
10. Parenthetical documentation*****”you must follow MLA or APA format.
11. Completed formatting checklist (attached). Papers without a complete formatting checklist will have one full graded deducted.
You may also include (although these are not required):
12. Glossary of terms
13. Index
Report Length:
The body of the report (including visuals) must be a minimum of eight typed, double-spaced pages. This total does not include supplemental front and back material. Papers that do not meet the minimum length requirement will receive an *****F*****. Use an appropriate font for the report. The body type should be at least 12 point, but headings and captions may vary.
Visuals: Each report must have at least two visuals, properly formatted with descriptive titles, appropriate table/figure designations, accurate labels, and action captions. If you use visuals created by someone else, you must give credit properly.
Research: Each report must have a minimum of six independent sources. You should use both primary and secondary sources. Try to be as broad as possible, using a balance of books, journals, interviews, and Internet. Dependence on one type of source will result in a lower grade. If you have difficulty locating sources, consult me for guidance.
Works Cited: You must use the MLA or APA documentation system accurately and carefully. Works Cited pages that are incomplete, inaccurate, or incorrectly organized will have one full grade deducted. Reports submitted without a Works Cited page will receive an *****F*****. Incorrect in-text citations will have two grades deducted.
How to Reference "Career Opportunities for Chefs" Thesis in a Bibliography
“Career Opportunities for Chefs.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2008, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/career-opportunities-chefs/7697048. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
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