Is a Chef's Life a Good Life?

Is a Chef's Life a Good Life? Salaries, Hours and the Future of Chefs in America Chef Salaries * The median annual wage of chefs and * The median wage is the wage at which half * The lowest 10% earned less than the workers in an occupation earned more than that head cooks $23,260 and the top 10% earned more than $70,96o. was $40,630 in May 2010. amount & half earned less. Chefs and Head Cooks Median Annual wages, May 2010 Chefs & Head Cooks $40,630 Total, all Occupations $33,840 Supervisors of Food Preparation & Serving Worlers $30,370 Chef Hours Most chefs and head cooks work full time, and they often work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. Many executive chefs regularly work 12-hour days because they oversee the delivery of food products early in the day and use the afternoon to plan the menu and prepare any special items for dishes. The fast pace, long hours, and high energy levels required for these jobs often lead to a high rate of turnover. Chefs and Head Cooks Percent Change in Employyment, projected 2010-20 Total, All Occupations 14% Supervisors of Food Preparation & Serving Worlers 9% -1% Chefs and Head Cooks Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections Program Employment projections data for chefs and head cooks, 2010-20 Change 2010-2020 Occupational Title soc Code Employment, 2010 Projected Employment, 2020 Percent Numeric Chefs and Head Cooks 35-1011 100,600 99,800 -800 SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program /Is a Chef's Life a Great Life? Despite the challenges, over 100,600 chefs were working hard to create delicious fare for the U.S. public. The high-energy, high creativity environment allow chefs to utlilize the following skills: Executive chefs must understand the business of restaurant work. They should be skilled at administrative tasks, such as accounting and personnel management, & be able to manage a restaurant efficiently and profitably. Business 1. • Expertise. 2. Creativity. Chefs and head cooks need creativity to develop and prepare interesting and innovative recipes. They must be able to use different ingredients and create appealing dishes for their customers. All chefs and head cooks must have Sense of 3. Taste & Smell. a keen sense of taste and smell in order to inspect food and design meals that will be to customers' liking. All chefs and head cooks need 4. Manual excellent manual dexterity, including proper knife techniques for cutting, chopping, and dicing. Dexterity. S Leadership Skills. Because the pace in the kitchen can be hectic during peak dining hours, chefs must be able to communicate their orders clearly & effectively, thereby developing a constructive and cooperative working relationship with the kitchen staff. Chefs & head cooks need to be able to efficiently manage their time & the time of kitchen staff. They must have menus ready when kitchen staff start preparing meals. And when customers are waiting for food, they keep the kitchen running efficiently. Time- 6. Management Skills. Works Cited: United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. < http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Food-Preparation- and-Serving/Chefs-and-head-cooks.htm> TIGERGhe www.TigerChef.com