Chefs not only add flavor to the food they cook, but also mix the required quantity of professionalism into the food culture. In a professional kitchen setting, the term ‘chef’ denotes the executive chef or master chef who spreads the magic taste of kitchen to the outside world. Guy Ramsay Ferry or Guy Fieri as is he popularly known is one such chef who has been able to devise an altogether different recipe of food culture.

Guy Fieri never limited himself to just cooking and he is lot more than this. He is a TV personality and an author of many recipe books. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1990, Fieri could develop his own innovative world of food science coupled with creativity. No wonder, his Chef personality is well acknowledged in US and abroad through his cookery shows alone!

Since awards and recognitions have always been on his favor, he could shape his own good will and reputation among the masses. Through his shows, Guy Fieri has been able to successfully broadcast his style of cooking. ‘Guy’s Big Bite’, ‘Diners, Drive ins and Dives’, ‘Ultimate Recipe Showdown’ which he co-hosted with Mark Summers are some of his popular TV shows. His way of presentation, bleached bond spiky hair have added much color to a Chef’s physique and in this way, he has proved that Chef’s personal zeal is equally important as his cooking excellence.

With restaurants being the very stage of food experiments, Guy has been able to advertise his very concept of restaurants. Guy’s restaurants are located in Santa Rosa, Windsor and Sacramento. His restaurant service mix is so broad a concept where customers can buy many fun products from T-shirts, squeeze bottles and aprons to hats and more. This depicts the uniqueness and style of his restaurants as well as his efficiency and experience in Restaurant Management. Chefs are those who would make others follow them at least in diet. A good chef has no problem in prescribing a balanced and nutritious diet to his ‘disciples’. Guy has been able to convince his admirers who watch his TV shows that his cooking shows are worth seeing and trying. His restaurant management has made him grow into a good recruiter and trainer for the growing chain too.

Apart from these, Guy has been able to lead many aspiring chefs and give them timely training. Guy Fieri has been a three-term President of the Restaurant Association of the Redwood Empire and serves on the Board of Directors for the Educational Foundation of the California Restaurant Association and most recently was he was Grand Marshall for NASCAR in Sonoma. Another milestone in his life occurred when he was flown by the American Navy all the way to Persian Gulf to entertain and cook for the troops.

Thus, Guy Fieri has been able to project himself as a celebrity-chef and a brand ambassador of food all around the world. His professional life a master chef is an inspiration to many who aspire to pursue a career in Hospitality Management.

An individual who has a degree in food service management is qualified for a career in the same. The students are trained with the technical, interpersonal and critical-thinking skills that are in way prerequisites for immediate employment even for entry-level supervisory positions. Those students who have an extensive food service background have an added advantage of finding job posts as managers even though it might not have been much time after completing graduation. A course in food service management would include training in health-care facilities, commercial catering services, private practicing, researching et cetera. The course can help a student build a career as a supervisor or manager in food production and service areas, planning and implementing regular and therapeutic menus, purchasing supplies and maintaining inventory.

It is indeed surprising to know that food service managers hold about 465000 jobs (as per the census on 2000). They are acknowledged with a good salary which increases with increase in experience and certificates. After graduation, one can work in various places like educational institutions, hospitals, restaurants and other civic, social and fraternal organizations.

Many restaurants and food service management organizations carry rigorous training programs so as to prepare the individuals for management positions. They pledge to offer a blend of classroom education and on-the-job training programs, which in the long run helps the students to gain experience and receive instructions in all the aspects of operations of an institutional food service facility or a restaurant. There are a number of colleges that provide a degree course in food service management. Some of these colleges include International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes, Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, Le Cordon Bleu International, University of Phoenix and The French Culinary Institute.

In the kitchen the chef is the boss. And before you get to be the boss, you have to work under him – working as the sous chef. So, what is being a sous chef all about?

In a typical restaurant kitchen, there is a hierarchy of the staff which cooks. The Main or Head Chef is the person who is in charge of all the things related to the kitchen. This includes creating menus, managing and scheduling, payroll management for the kitchen staff, placing orders for supplies and so forth. However, every Executive or Head Chef always has a trusted and reliable second-in-command. And that is the Sous Chef.

The word ‘sous’ means ‘under’ in French. So a Sous Chef is one who works under the Head Chef or the Chef de Cuisine. Typically, a Sous Chef is responsible for filling in whenever the Head Chef is off duty. He can also help the other chefs in the kitchen with their duties. A Sous Chef is that person who takes charge of all the things in the kitchen which come under the management of the Executive Chef. He is like the Head Chef in training.

If you want to be a Head Chef one day or if you want to own and run your own restaurant one day, then working as a Sous Chef is exactly what will prepare you for doing so. Mostly, it is a position which goes largely unnoticed because the Head Chef is the one getting all the glory. However, he Head Chef solely depends on you doing your part thoroughly for him to get to that glory. Meanwhile, you also have to be in charge of the staff under you. You are the one who they come to when they are under any kind of stress and trouble. In case any of the other Chefs don’t show up, or something goes wrong, you are the one standing in for them. You are also in charge of training staff for working in the kitchen. In short, the position of the Sous Chef is pretty much Middle Management.

In your position as the Sous Chef, you are in charge of ensuring that everything in the restaurant kitchen runs efficiently and smoothly. You are the one who is creating the behind-the-scenes magic which ensures that the restaurant runs like a well oiled machine. As a Sous Chef, you will be the first to come in and the last one to leave the job. A good Sous Chef is someone who is graceful, efficient and supportive. A good Sous Chef is clean and knowledgeable about the cuisine. An excellent Sous Chef is a good communicator and an effective organizer – and is someone who thrives on meeting deadlines. In short, a perfect Sous Chef is that juggler who enables all the culinary magic in the kitchen.

To become a Sous Chef, you will have to start with a degree in culinary arts by attending one of the man culinary schools worldwide. Then you have to start working in a restaurant. Typically, you will work your way up the corporate ladder – based on your talents and skills. Most of the skill sets of a Sous Chef are pretty much learnt on-the-job. So you will have to prove your mettle and learn the different aspects of the job in order to become a Sous Chef. While you work your way up, you can also work towards becoming a Certified Sous Chef – when you complete at least 5 years working at the entry level.

If you think that you are up for the challenge, and if you think that one day with your talents you can see yourself moving up from the post of the Sous Chef to the Chef de Cuisine, then this is just the right career option for you!

Are you working in a restaurant and aim for a higher position? Do you see yourself working long-term in the restaurant industry – more so, do you want to run the show in the culinary business? Do you want to own and run a restaurant some day? If the answer to these questions is a yes, then a restaurant management degree program is just what you are looking for!

Restaurant managers are those people who run the show, behind the scenes, in all the restaurants. They are the ones who take care of all the nitty-gritty details that go into managing a restaurant efficiently. Restaurant managers manage the daily operations of a restaurant including supervising the kitchens, maintaining customer relations, coming up with a variety of menu options, managing the ordering of supplies and equipment and also the maintenance of the restaurant.

Most of the restaurant managers have worked their way up the ladder – starting out as waiters or waitresses. However, for the post of the restaurant manager, the preference is always given to those who have a degree in restaurant management.

There are several culinary programs that offer degrees in restaurant management. However, there are many factors to consider before you decide to join any of these different culinary programs to get your restaurant management degree.

To make sure that the culinary college you plan to enroll in fits in the category you are looking for, make sure that it is accredited by the American Culinary Federation. Then, you have to make sure that the college offers the degree that places emphasis on (or offers a major in) restaurant management. Once you are sure of that, you need to know the specifics like the class size and the faculty and their real-world experience. The facilities must be neat and clean – equipped with the latest tools. A student-run restaurant on the campus is a definite plus. Also, you need to know where you will serve your internship and whether the college will help you to find a job after you graduate.

You also need to make sure that your chosen culinary program in restaurant management offers specific knowledge in the different areas of expertise that a restaurant manager needs to have. Here is a list of different subjects that are usually covered by most restaurant management degree programs:

1. Hospitality and Food Services best practices
2. Maintenance of the Facility
3. Food and Beverage Management
4. Planning for Conventions and Banquets
5. Purchase Management
6. Cost Management and Accounting Practices
7. How to Serve Different kinds of Wine
8. Nutrition
9. Sanitation
10. Staff Management

Most schools offer a 2 year degree course in restaurant management, and some culinary schools run specialized certificate courses that focus on a specific area within restaurant management. Even after you graduate, you can also keep taking further short courses, so that you can remain up-to-date with the latest trends and practices in restaurant management.

Armed with a degree from a culinary program specializing in restaurant management, you are well on your way to charting your own success in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Do you have people literally eating out of your hands? If making desserts, pastries and breads is your thing, then you are just perfect to become a Pastry Chef!

If you have a flair for baking up pastries and desserts, then you might want to consider becoming a Pastry Chef. In any restaurant, bistro, large hotel or bakery, the Pastry Chefs are responsible for handling the pastry kitchen.

Depending on the size of the eating establishment, a restaurant may have several chefs handling the different aspects and parts of the kitchen. As a Pastry Chef you will be responsible for the creation of desserts, pastries and such delectable goods. You will also be responsible for interacting with the other chefs while planning out different menus. Your job will also entail testing and evaluating new recipes.

In larger restaurants, Pastry Chefs are also involved with ordering for supplies, preparing and managing the budget of the Pastry Kitchen. In bigger eating establishments, you may also find a main Pastry Chef having several assistants.

As a Pastry Chef you can see yourself being employed with restaurants, bistros, large hotels, and bakeries.

Typically, Pastry Chefs have to be up early in the morning to start baking before the bakery section of the restaurant opens up for business. So you can see yourself waking up as early as 3 in the morning, and getting started! Breads, croissants, pastries, cakes, bagels, donuts, danishes, cookies – these are staples for many! So every morning, just before the ‘work day’ begins, you may see yourself dishing out bagels, donuts, croissants along with coffee to go for the morning breakfast session.

Afternoons may see much of the lunch business. And evenings start looking up with the desserts business – where you will spend your time with creating fresh desserts like cheesecakes, pies, cakes, caramels, fudges and candies – and even some desserts with exotic sounding names like flans, Blanc Manges, sherbets (or sorbets).

Many successful Pastry Chefs say that their work is the most rewarding aspect of their lives. Many have started out at smaller establishments, and moved on to working with larger hotels and restaurants. Some have even started their own specialty shops and bakeries.

So how do you go about becoming a Pastry Chef and cooking up these delectable goodies? Its really simple.

Join up for a Bachelor of Science degree course in Hotel Management, Restaurant Management or Culinary Management. There are also Masters Degree programs offered in Food Service Management. Some schools even offer Certificate Programs, Diploma Programs and Associate Degree Programs in these Culinary Arts. Many of these programs begin with teaching you the basics, and then you may choose a specialization that trains you to be a Pastry Chef.

Turn your delectable mouthwatering pastries and cakes into profit and fun!