A restaurant chef is one who assists the head chef in the everyday activity of the hotel. The restaurant chef has to make up and take charge in the head chef's absence. He has to keep records of the necessary materials and stock of food needed for the kitchen and the quality and quantity of food required. The chef is answerable to the head chef for any problem or improper functioning of the kitchen.
The restaurant chef has to see to it that all the kitchen staff are treated fairly and are commonly accepted with courtesy. The chef has to maintain the hygiene standards in the kitchen area very strictly. He also has to see that the attendance of the kitchen staff is kept on check on a daily basis and an attendance register is maintained. These timetables have to be followed strictly.
If any problem arises about maintenance, it has to be timely reported to the head and a solution has to be found as soon as possible and has to be followed up until everything is normal. The restaurant chef has to see to it that all the communications between the kitchen and the other sections of the restaurants are running smoothly. After getting food orders, he has to keep a check that all the cooks receive correct orders and food is made accordingly and that the food reaches the correct tables.
The quality of the food is a very important aspect the chef has to maintain and keep a check on. If the quality of food does not maintain its standards, the restaurant chef is answerable to it. Hence, the quality of food in every dish leaving the kitchen has to be checked. It also has to be seen the food is served in well presented manner and is not too hot or too cold. On the job training is also carried out regularly so that the staff performs their duties on time and correctly.
The restaurant chef has to attend seminars and training courses whenever required or directed by the head.
Restaurant chefs are required to have a good and well-developed sense of taste as well as smell of food. It helps in identifying the quality and standard of food.
More over, they have to be highly experimental with different foods and flavors and have to be creative with their ideas of serving and presentation.
Individuals applying for restaurant chef jobs should be qualified enough and should have good experience of about 2 years as a chef.
They should have an academic background. That is, he must have attained a degree in hotel management or some related certificate.
Many culinary, cooking, chef, and catering schools train their students as per the requirements needed in a restaurant chef. A candidate applying for this job should have had training so that he has the skills required for his job. According to different types of chefs, different trainings have to be gained in the individual's interest areas. He should have the qualities of a supervisor to maintain discipline in his area as per the rules of the restaurant. He should be aware of every part of the kitchen and areas under his control and of the functioning of the things under his department. The restaurant chef should be able to handle any area of the kitchen whenever required and should maintain its smooth functioning.
As the number of hotels is increasing the job opportunity for restaurant chefs is definitely high. The standards of hotels coming up now is higher than it were some years ago. Thus, more people are required for jobs, but also their qualifications are taken into consideration while appointing them.
With the developing world more hotels of higher standards are coming up, which will boost the number of people working in this industry. A lot of attention is being achieved by this hotel industry lately and which is leading more people to look out for jobs in this field. Having a great job opportunity and high salaries involved, this field of the restaurant industry is coming up in the market with great pace.
