and non-traditional experiences. Visit to start your college or degree program search.

Steps to Start a Rewarding Chef Career,Matt Flynn Jersey
Tom Colicchio taught himself to cook by studying the cooking manuals of Jacques Pepin. Mario Batali worked as a dishwasher at a New Jersey pizza parlor. Emeril Lagasse learned the art of pastry at a local Portuguese bakery.Everyone has to start somewhere.If you're thinking about starting a culinary career, but aren't quite sure how to make it to the ranks of Top Chef, look no further. We've broken down the culinary ladder into three basic rungs that, with the right training, you'll be able to climb. Check it out:Step #1: Enroll in Culinary SchoolIt takes a lot to be a chef. Chefs have to know how to sear a piece of tuna, sauté fresh asparagus, and reduce a sauce down to perfection-sometimes all at once. In addition, they must know how to oversee an entire kitchen staff, handle knives without losing any fingers, and keep the refrigerator at the right temperature so the meat doesn't spoil and the desserts don't freeze.To learn all of this (and a few other tricks that come in handy), most chefs start their career by going to culinary school. There, you'll get the hands-on experience you need to make your way around the kitchen.Step #2: Get Some Experience Under Your BeltDespite what the reality shows say, no one graduates from culinary school and becomes the next Gordon Ramsay. First, you have to prove that you can hold your own in front of a char grill on a busy Friday night.When you graduate culinary school, use the connections you made their to find a position as a chef de partie, also known as a station chef or line cook. Yes, it will be grueling and consist of long hours, but it's a great way to get the experience you need. Many restaurants rotate their line employees through different stations, which allow you to perfect your skills and handle any complicated order that comes your way.Step #3: Work Your Way UpOnce you feel confident in your culinary skills, what's next? There's a variety of positions underneath the executive chef that will allow you to climb the culinary ladder.Expediters work to coordinate all the different entrees and ensure that they come out on time. (They're sort of like an orchestra conductor, but of the kitchen.) Head cooks oversee and supervise the other workers on the line. And Sous chefs are second-in-command to the executive chef, ordering inventory, helping with menu creation, and running the kitchen in the chef's absence.Any of these positions will give you the leadership and management experience you need to eventually become an executive chef yourself.Ready to get started?Find out more about culinary schools and programs on this page.
Noel Rozny writes the bi-weekly career blog mypathfinder for the myFootpath website. myFootpath is a resource to help you in your search for a college, degree program, career, graduate school, and non-traditional experiences. Visit to start your college or degree program search.