Related professions of a cook. Pros of being a chef

Cooking methods began to take shape in primitive society. When a person learned to make fire, the thermal method of processing food was increasingly used. Since then, the technology of cooking has evolved and become more complex, depending on the geographical, climatic, economic and religious characteristics of society.

Cooking art from ancient times to the present day has developed unevenly. Food was either lifted up to heaven, considering it one of the best pleasures, or treated with almost contempt.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries - the beginning of the XIX century, the profession of a cook in most European countries was associated with a high social position. The whole country knew the names of the best chefs. They received titles and state awards. Their skill was elevated to the rank of art.

In Soviet society, the profession of a cook was not considered prestigious. A meager assortment of products, low wages, and difficult working conditions made this profession unattractive.

Today the situation is changing. The restaurant business is flourishing in the service market, the number of cafes and fast-food establishments is growing, and the competition for the client is getting tougher. Along with the increase in demand for professionals, their wages are also growing, and working conditions are improving.

What personal qualities should a chef have?

• The cook must be highly sensitive to nuances of smell and taste.


• The cook must have a certain physical endurance. After all, he has to perform many technological processes manually, in conditions of sharp fluctuations in temperature.


• The cook needs: a good visual figurative memory (for colors, shapes, sizes of food products and dishes), a subtle sense of time.


• The cook must have a reproducing imagination (the ability to look at the recipe, imagine the appearance and taste of the dish).


• The cook must have creative imagination and good taste.


• A cook simply needs such qualities as patience, endurance, observation and goodwill.

Responsibilities of a cook.

• Reception of raw materials and their processing;


• Food storage;


• Preparation of cold appetizers, hot dishes, flour baking;


• Preparing food for distribution.

Professional training requirements.

The cook must know the rules for storing products, their processing modes, the norms, ratios and sequence of laying products, recipes, equipment operation rules, sanitary and hygienic requirements for the cooking process, nutritional physiology, the basics of medical and dietary cooking. Must be able to process various products, prepare dishes according to recipes, use special equipment.

To date, the profession of a confectioner is popular and is considered quite in demand. Confectioners specialize in the craftsmanship of sweets. Thanks to their work, consumers can delight themselves with waffles, cookies, cakes, muffins, chocolate, jelly, ice cream, jams, as well as other types of desserts and pastries.

The preparation of various types of dough, fillings and creams, as well as semi-finished products for subsequent baking, are the duties that the pastry chef implies. A description of the profession, qualities, skills and responsibilities will be given below.

What is the peculiarity of working as a confectioner

The specifics of the profession can be called the fact that a confectioner has to do a significant part of the work with his hands. Often this applies to the manufacture of decorative elements of dishes and decoration of products (cakes, pastries).

Unlike the Pastry Chef, the Sweets Specialist is a craftsman with more versatile skills. The program includes training in cooking soups, appetizers and other culinary delights.

Qualification and ranks

To determine the skill level of confectioners, a division of specialists into six categories was introduced. With an increase in the level, the master acquires additional skills that testify to his professionalism and help him perform more complex tasks.

The characterization of the discharges is as follows:

1. First. At the very beginning of his career, the confectioner is engaged in cutting ready-made biscuits, delivering semi-finished products to workplaces, loading fillings and creams into machines, as well as monitoring the operation of equipment. Increasingly complex tasks can be performed by such a novice only in the presence of masters with extensive experience.
2. Second. The confectioner, who is at this stage of mastering the specialty, is entrusted with the preparation of creams, whipping and coloring them, boiling syrups, cutting biscuits, lubricating them with filling. The preparation of some semi-finished products, placing the dough in the machine, starting and adjusting its operation is also performed by a novice pastry chef. This profession is not easy, so to get each next level, the masters have to pass exams.
3. Third. Having received this qualification, the master can make simple types of confectionery and bakery products, prepare some types of creams, fillings and dough. He is also entrusted with cutting semi-finished products, decorating sweets with fudge or icing.
4. Fourth. At this level, the program of the confectioner's profession involves training masters in the preparation of certain types of rolls, cookies, cakes from all types of raw materials. They can also choose creams in accordance with the dish and prepare individual elements that are part of complex decorations (cakes).
5. Fifth. After receiving this category, the confectioner is assigned additional duties. While still under the supervision of a senior master, he is responsible for the correct course of the process of preparing non-standard cakes ordered individually. Also, the confectioner, whose profession is always inextricably linked with sweets and desserts, gets the opportunity to control the work associated with the manufacture of sweets, can decorate cakes and pastries with complex finishes.
6. Sixth. A professional of this level can handle the production of complex figured highly artistic confectionery. He is able to select the necessary materials in accordance with the color and size, as well as independently prepare the most complex of them. In addition, a confectioner of the sixth category can develop a technology and a recipe for making sweets.

Confectioner (profession): advantages and disadvantages

When choosing a future profession, it is worth carefully weighing all the advantages and costs inherent in it. Chefs and confectioners will always be in demand, as the demand for their services remains consistently high. Improving his skill, the master can build an excellent career and get good money.

For a talented worker in this field, there are many opportunities for self-realization as an employee or as the owner of his own enterprise.

Speaking of such a specialty as a confectioner, whose profession is associated with many dangerous factors, it is worth highlighting the risk of injury and the occurrence of a number of diseases. Masters who spend most of their working day in a standing position are prone to damage to the joints of the legs and spine. The impact on the human body of high temperature and humidity is also unfavorable.

In order to reduce the number of injuries in contact with sharp and hot objects, all chefs and confectioners are instructed in safety precautions both during training and at the place of work.

What qualities should a good confectioner have?

When deciding to start learning the confectionery craft, one should take into account one's predisposition to this particular type of work activity, as well as the compliance of temperament, character and abilities with the requirements that this profession imposes on the master.

To fully master the intricacies of the confectionery craft, you should possess the following qualities:

• developed sense of smell and subtle taste sensations;
• excellent memory, which is useful for remembering ingredients and recipes;
• developed imagination;
• manual dexterity and the ability to quickly switch between different types of work (after all, many processes and operations are performed simultaneously);
• physical endurance.

What does it take to become a virtuoso pastry chef?

The traits listed above, combined with a decent education, will allow you to work successfully in the kitchen. However, in order to go beyond an ordinary confectioner and become a specialist of the highest rank, one cannot do without artistic taste, ingenuity and creativity.

In addition, in the course of his work, the confectioner interacts with members of the team and superiors, so he is expected to be patient, self-possessed, affable, benevolent and communicative. Sloppy, inattentive and negligent workers are not successful in this field of activity.

How to become a confectioner

Many educational institutions offer special programs and courses. Given the demand that the profession of a confectioner has, training quickly begins to bear fruit.

Elementary knowledge is taught in institutions of primary and secondary vocational education. To qualify as a confectionery technologist, you need to enter a higher educational institution. The program that guides teachers in public and private institutions must comply with legally fixed standards.

The Federal State Educational Standard of the confectioner profession regulates the content and process of providing information to students, and also determines the learning outcome in the form of specific skills and abilities of graduates.

Where can a confectioner apply his skills

Having received an education, the master can be accepted into the staff of a bakery, catering establishments (cafe, restaurant, canteen), health camps or sanatoriums. In addition, all educational institutions without exception contain confectioners on staff.

Being a master of confectionery production, you can get a job at a blank factory or a semi-finished products plant.

Steps of the career ladder

Career growth within a particular enterprise is possible for those confectioners who have managerial skills and ambitions. They become shift, shop or production leaders.

For those who want to try their hand at private business, there is the opportunity to open their own confectionery or bakery.

A cook is a person whose profession is cooking; now, as a rule, in catering establishments.

Most likely, the word "cook" comes from the East Slavic "var", meaning boiling water and heat. In the Navy, the position of a cook is called a cook.

A cook is an interesting and exciting profession for those people who like to cook food and experiment with ingredients. Cooking is not an easy profession, in many companies you have to work in shifts, 10-12 hours a day for a couple of days in a row. The cook can work in cafes, restaurants, bars, canteens.

Functional responsibilities

The main duty of the cook is the preparation of various dishes, their design, the development of new own recipes. The chef also makes a menu, forms orders for groceries and semi-finished products. One of the specializations of this profession is a pastry chef who is engaged in the preparation and decoration of confectionery.

Prepares soups, main dishes, other food. Knows how to properly store food, prepares various dishes according to recipes and knows how to arrange cooked food. Organizes the storage of products in accordance with sanitary and hygienic standards. Despite the fact that the cook at catering establishments uses established recipes, he can make changes to them depending on the quality of the raw materials and the contingent of consumers. Works indoors at elevated temperatures.

Personal qualities

The cook must be physically hardy, have a good long-term memory, a volumetric and linear eye, movable fingers, and the ability to concentrate. He needs a subtle sense of time, high sensitivity to shades of smell and taste, reproducing imagination (the ability to look at the recipe, imagine the appearance and taste of the dish), responsibility, honesty.

A cook must have an aesthetic taste, imagination, creative inclinations, otherwise he will not go further than sandwiches and scrambled eggs.

Qualifications

To become a chef, it is not necessary to have a higher education, it is enough to complete cooking courses or a culinary school, have the skill of a cook, good imagination, fantasy, aesthetic taste, physical endurance, accuracy, experience in cooking various dishes, know the cuisines of different peoples of the world, storage conditions products, recipes for cooking various dishes.

Medical contraindications

• respiratory organs;
• of cardio-vascular system;
• digestive organs;
• kidneys and urinary tract;
• musculoskeletal system;
• nervous system;
• skin diseases with localization on the hands;
• bacteriocarrier.

To work as a cook, a sanitary book is required.

Place of work

Students are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in cafes, restaurants, bars and canteens of the city. Many already during the practice find a future job.

The profession of a cook can be acquired in special colleges, secondary technical schools and vocational technical schools.

A chef's career can be started as a chef's assistant. An ordinary cook receives a low salary, much depends on the place, experience and quality of work. In addition, chefs are usually provided with free meals. Some companies have a system of additional bonuses for the best employees of the month. The profession of a cook has career prospects, first to the shift supervisor, then to the sous-chef - the main assistant, the right hand of the chef and, finally, directly to the chef.

In the well-known saying “We do not live to eat, but eat to live”, the main mission of the representatives of the chef's profession is very accurately noticed. Indeed, without food, which is the biological need of the body, a person will not live long. That is why each of us uses every day what chefs cook with great skill, regardless of whether we buy food in the store or enjoy delicacies in restaurants.

The well-known saying “We do not live in order to eat, but we eat in order to live”, the main mission of the representatives of chef profession. Indeed, without food, which is the biological need of the body, a person will not live long. That is why each of us uses every day what chefs cook with great skill, regardless of whether we buy food in the store or enjoy delicacies in restaurants. At the same time, we care about what, where and how to eat, so we give preference to high-quality and tasty food, which not only satisfies our hunger, but also gives pleasure.

Thus, we can safely say that it is necessary to choose this profession only for those people who feel called to cook and are ready not only to enjoy the advantages of working as a cook, but to put up with all its shortcomings, which we will talk about today. Also in this article we will try to reveal all the features of the profession of a cook, find out who a cook is, and where you can get this specialty.

Who is a cook?

- a qualified specialist involved in cooking in all its manifestations: first and second courses, salads, etc. At the same time, chefs take care of both the palatability of food and the visual appeal of dishes.

The name of the profession comes from the Proto-Slavic word "var" (heat). This allows us to suggest that at the dawn of the profession, cooks were those people who knew how to cook food through heat treatment (that is, fry, boil, bake, etc.). From this follows the conclusion that the first cooks appeared when mankind realized that food can be subjected to heat treatment. In Rus', cooking for a long time was exclusively a "family affair", and the eldest woman in the family performed the duties of a cook. First professional chef in Rus' it is customary to consider a certain Torchin, who, according to the Laurentian Chronicle, was the "elder cook" for Prince Gleb.

So what do chefs do in the workplace? So, the chef takes the ingredients and cooks the dish on the stove or in the oven. It would seem, and all? But no, mixing the ingredients and cooking them on the stove is too primitive a description of the process. The chef must not only know the recipe, but also “feel” the process, have his own cooking secrets, otherwise a miracle will not happen. Every good cook is a bit of an artist, and chefs of the highest category in the world are called chefs and there are only a few of them. The work of the chef, as well as the class of the hotel, for example, is rated with stars.

Within the profession, there is a specialization that is associated with a certain range of dishes that the chef is best at. For example, responsible for desserts and sweet pastries pastry chef. Chef technologists monitor the quality of raw materials, calculate the amount of products for each recipe and monitor compliance with the rules in the cooking process. The highest caste of chefs are chefs who work in the best restaurants in the world and are known almost as well as movie or sports stars. The chef develops the menu, organizes and controls the entire process of cooking.

In addition to the main job responsibilities, which include cooking and decorating dishes, as well as planning and compiling menus, chefs must study the demand and requirements of consumers, instruct waiters and waiters, monitor the sanitary and hygienic condition of the kitchen premises and the quality of products.

What personal qualities should a chef have?

Cook's job involves direct contact with food products, on the quality and which human health largely depends, therefore, a specialist must, first of all, be neat, accurate and responsible. In addition, since the profession of a cook opens up great opportunities for the manifestation of not only culinary talent, but also creative inclinations, a professional in this field cannot be imagined without such personal qualities as:

In addition to personal qualities, a cook must have a range of knowledge. In particular, a specialist must thoroughly know the various cooking technologies, the properties and compatibility of different products, the features of the national cuisines of the world, the subtleties of decorating ready-made dishes and table setting. Well, and most importantly, the chef needs not only skill or knowledge, but also intuition, without which even the most primitive dish, cooked according to all the rules, can turn into an inedible set of ingredients.

Benefits of being a chef

As mentioned above, food is a biological need of the human body that must be regularly satisfied. Therefore, the main the advantage of being a chef, without any doubt, is the demand. This can be confirmed by the fact that even the global crisis has not reduced the number of catering establishments that exist in our country. Moreover, there are more and more restaurants, cafes, bars and canteens in Russia. This means that more and more cooks are needed.

The salary of cooks deserves a special discussion. Despite the fact that novice cooks receive a relatively small salary (according to statistics, the average monthly salary of cooks in Russia is about 30 thousand rubles), representatives of this profession have great opportunities to achieve financial well-being. Strengthened work on themselves and their own level of skill allows talented chefs to quickly achieve career growth and get a job in a prestigious restaurant as a chef. And chefs in such establishments sometimes receive a salary, the amount of which can be compared with the fee of movie stars or eminent athletes.

Do not forget that the ability to cook tasty and healthy food helps professionals in their personal lives: no one will go hungry in the cook's house. At the same time, family members and guests of the chef can enjoy not only insanely tasty and mouth-watering, but also varied and balanced dishes.

Disadvantages of being a chef

Speaking of disadvantages of being a chef, first of all, it is necessary to note the great physical activity, which is an integral part of work in any kitchen. And it's not just that the chef spends almost all his working time "on his feet". A large flow of orders, especially in large restaurants, makes you move quickly, since the quality of service and attendance of the restaurant directly depends on the speed of cooking. Moreover, the chef has to constantly monitor the preparation of several dishes at once (that is, react quickly and be extremely attentive), which further exacerbates the already accumulated fatigue.

In addition, this profession has such disadvantages as:

• unfavorable working conditions for health - work in the kitchen is always accompanied by noise, fuss, high temperature and high humidity, which have a negative effect on the body of a specialist;
• high risk of occupational injuries - the main tool of the cook's work is a knife, which can cause cuts, and an oven, careless handling of which leads to burns.

And one more disadvantage, which, however, may well be a virtue. Good cooks don't smoke or drink alcohol, as cigarette smoke distorts the perception of tastes, and alcohol (even a sip of beer) can completely change the taste of the dish.

Where can you get a job as a chef?

Become a cook today it is quite easy, since in every city of Russia there is a large selection of specialized technical schools and colleges. Also, to start a career, you can consider the possibility of studying in special courses that operate at restaurants or cafes, and on the basis of various training centers. But you need to understand that neither a diploma of secondary special education, nor the "crusts" received in the courses will help you achieve career growth. The maximum that you can count on is the position of a cook, for example, in a factory canteen or a roadside cafe.

To achieve professional success and recognition is possible only if you graduate from a university that trains food industry specialists. It will not be superfluous to attend master classes of leading chefs who have achieved world fame.

If we talk about the best universities in Russia whose diploma makes it possible to successfully find a job immediately after graduation, then first of all it should be noted:

• Kemerovo Technological University of Food Industry;
• Moscow State University of Food Production;
• Institute of Food and Processing Industry of the Kuban State Technological University;
• Moscow Technological University;
• Moscow State University of Technology and Management K.G. Razumovsky.

Details

The advantages of the profession of a cook are not to be occupied. But there are downsides too. And when choosing a specialty, you need to know exactly all the advantages and disadvantages of a particular profession. That is why we will understand the pros and cons of the profession of a cook today.

The profession of a cook is one of the most ancient. In principle, most people on the planet will be able to cook something edible for themselves and friends, however, in order to be called a chef, this is not enough. A professional chef is one whose culinary skills are brought to perfection. The advantages of the profession of a cook in the modern world are even more numerous than, say, in the Middle Ages.

This profession has been formed almost from primitive communal times, at all times there have been people who knew how to cook food better than all other tribesmen. And there have always been those who felt the need for such services. Therefore, the profession of a cook has always been in demand. Despite all the pros and cons of the profession of a cook, a person’s desire to eat delicious food has always been at the heart of cooking. And a person who mastered this skill could make history in tsarist times and eliminate any enemies through their stomach. Kulina was a cook for the ancient Greek gods of medicine and health Asclepius and his daughter Hygiea (who gave the name to the science of hygiene). In honor of Kulina, the art of cooking was called cooking.

What are the pros and cons of being a chef?

As with anything else, there are pros and cons to being a chef. First of all, you should know that in order to work as a cook, you need such personal qualities as good and sensitive taste perception and just good taste in every sense, good sense of smell, tactile sensitivity. The cook just really, really needs a good imagination and creative inclinations, a good eye, a dynamic mind, the ability to multitask, the ability to improvise. A sense of time is necessary to notice the time of cooking. The cook must be able to quickly and accurately estimate the required amount of liquid or bulk products by eye, must determine deviations from the desired technological process during production, must be able to recognize the freshness of products, and know the technology of cooking. A good cook controls his time, distributes it correctly, he is hardy and energetic. The cook has good fine motor skills, excellent coordination, he is a responsible, punctual and prudent person.

The advantage of the profession of a cook for a man is that it is easier for him to find a job in a good job. It is believed that the best chefs are men. But many women do not agree with this and try to refute this stereotype with their professionalism and talent. This profession is highly respected and appreciated in society, because nutrition is one of the fundamental needs of the human body and lies at the base of the pyramid of needs.

Despite the fact that time does not stand still, the pros and cons of the profession of a cook remain unchanged for many centuries.

Pros of being a chef

The advantages include, first of all, the fact that this is one of the most creative and necessary professions for people. Therefore, she always not only brought joy, but also paid well. In modern Moscow, for example, the salary of a good cook in a trendy restaurant is measured by a sum with many zeros. In this case, there is always a place for a flight of fancy and manifestations of sharpness. Chefs are in high demand, especially if the chef specializes in some rare culinary direction. Employers poach good chefs and hold on to such cadres. In addition, professional skills will be very useful for everyday family life in order to pamper your family with interesting dishes.

One of the advantages of the profession of a cook is the fact that in catering establishments a talented cook can easily make a career up to a chef. Profession gurus are in demand all over the world, they are invited with master classes and consultations in different countries of the world. Cooking brings people together.

Disadvantages of being a chef

The disadvantages of the profession include the fact that this work is very responsible and requires physical endurance. After all, you have to stand all day on your feet at the hot stove, not everyone can stand it. With all this, you will have to constantly keep your attention sharpened so as not to forget or miss anything. During the working day, there is almost no opportunity to somehow relax. And the chef also has to monitor the actions of the entire team and direct the work of this production mechanism. Also, there is a risk of injury in the process of work, cooks work with sharp and hot objects and can cut themselves or get burned.

Comparing the pros and cons of the profession of a cook, it is necessary, first of all, to understand what you want to achieve in your professional development, what you expect from your work. For someone who goes into this field by vocation, the advantages of being a chef clearly outweigh the disadvantages.