What is a Sous Chef: Culinary Careers

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!