Tag: chef

  • Career Profile: Baker

    Career Profile: Baker

    For some people, baking is a favourite weekend activity. When they have a few free hours, they go to the kitchen and produce cookies, bread, and buns to last for the next week or two for themselves, their families, and possibly guests. For others, however, baking is a job that gives them the chance to earn a living whilst supplying people with fresh food. If you enjoy baking bread, cakes, and cookies now, why not consider becoming a baker?

    If you bake at home, you might have an idea of what the job is like. It involves measuring and mixing ingredients like flour, sugar, baking soda, and cocoa to make all kinds of breads, cookies, and other foods. Some of them require very exact measurements, but others are more flexible. Bakers learn to work with these different ingredients to find the best recipes. This involves the ability to follow directions but also to be creative. Many bakers develop special recipes that they become known for making, but they also have to be able to adapt to what people want.

    Many people in this trade work in established bakeries, but they might also set up stores on their own. Depending on where they work and how much experience they have, bakers earn between about ten and twenty dollars per hour, but having special skills with particular foods can help. Besides being able to cook, bakers should also know a lot about the equipment that they use and be able to fix small problems if necessary.

    The size of the bakery and other factors can affect what kind of training bakers need. Some bakers might be able to learn all they need to know just by working at a job. An apprenticeship is a good way for many people to learn from experienced bakers while they develop their own skills. Getting a diploma or certificate from a training school can also help prepare bakers for whatever they might need to do, but it is not always necessary.

    If you want to work in a small bakery, you might not need a lot of formal education, but you need to know about many different kinds of baking. In a larger business, you might be able to specialize in a particular type, such as pastry or bread. However, having a wide knowledge is good for whatever you intend to do. There is also baking for a large manufacturer- this might be a place to get your feet wet.

    One of the most difficult parts of being a baker is the hours. Most stores have fresh baking on the shelves every morning, which means that bakers have to be up very early to prepare the food. They might start their days in the middle of the night so that the bread, pies, and cookies are ready by the time customers come in on their way to work.

    Do you like baking? Why not choose this trade for your future?

    Bibliography:

    Indeed.com. “Lead Cook/Baker.” http://ca.indeed.com/cmp/South-Stables-Coffee-House/jobs/Lead-Cook-Baker-07b1061182e39069?sjdu=vQIlM60yK_PwYat7ToXhk6FiWTC_cw5Paj_ZYTy0G5svhJbw6soMSZtKOcrBnV_bPDNZ_3nyNz7P68uFraGVWA.

    Living in Canada. “Baker Salary: Canada.” http://www.livingin-canada.com/salaries-for-bakers-canada.html.

    Monster.ca. “Baker.” http://my.monster.ca/job-profiles/Baker.aspx.

    Payscle.com. “Baker Salary (Canada).” http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Baker/Hourly_Rate

  • Dream Jobs: Chef

    Dream Jobs: Chef

    We all eat, usually several times a day. In your home, who does most of the cooking? Do you ever help out, at least with easy meals? Some meals are very quick to make and require little or no knowledge about spices, cooking times and mixing flavours. Others are more complicated and need a skilled cook to prepare them properly. When people want a meal like that, they usually have to understand the basics of food preparations that cooks and chefs know. Professional cooks and chefs work in all kinds of restaurants and cafeterias, preparing many different types of meals for the people who come to eat.

    Do you know the difference between a cook and a chef? Usually, the difference is where they work. In expensive restaurants, the cooks are chefs who have experience and training in cooking steak, lobster, and other fancy types of food. Cooks might work in cafeterias or other restaurants serving everyday food like hamburgers and pizza. Some cooks prepare entire meals, but others prepare only certain parts, such as salads or soups. Others might work on an even smaller part of the meal, such as cooking hamburgers on a grill. Many young restaurant workers begin with this kind of work, and about 20% of food preparation workers are between sixteen and nineteen years old.

    As young workers gain experience and knowledge in restaurant work, they can move up to more complicated levels of cooking. Some people become short-order cooks in fast food restaurants, making food for people who want quick meals. Whether they work in fast food or in regular restaurants, however, cooks and chefs need to know many of the same things. They have to be able to follow recipes and to be able to use pots, pans, knives, mixers, and other equipment. They have to be able to cook several different meals at once and to make both main meals and desserts. Knowledge of safety, hygiene, meal planning, and ordering supplies is often part of a cook’s or chef’s job. An apprenticeship and a certificate in food preparation are required for many people working in high levels of food preparation.

    Do you love to cook? If you enjoy work with preparing all kinds of food, the job of cook or chef might be a good choice. You can start learning new skills right away.

  • Bake Your Cake and Eat it Too

    Bake Your Cake and Eat it Too

    We’ve all been unsure about where we want to go in life, and some of us don’t figure it out for years. The trick is that you can’t sit around, and expect it to come to you. You have to get out there and give things a try, explore all of your options. Let me help you, and introduce you to the world of culinary arts, where you can really Bake Your Cake and Eat it Too.

    The culinary industry is really something different, designed for special individuals with various talents. If you’re saying to yourself “Oh, I know how to cook, I can do this,” that’s simply not enough. However, on the other side of this you don’t have to know how to cook, or bake to be successful. I find that the real keys to be successful in the culinary arts are to have passion, and creativity. The industry is always growing and taking in new restaurant and bakery owners, but there is a trick to becoming successful at it.

    I find that the culinary industry is taking a turn in a new direction. Sure you can run a successful restaurant serving the same old basic dishes that another restaurant has up the street from you, but why not try to achieve something different? If you’re into science, let that combine with the culinary arts- you’ll be whipping up dishes that will be the talk of the town. Or if you’re more into baking, science is already a key role in making successful recipes.

    Most of you have seen movies like Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, and I’m sure some of you have dreamed of having your own chocolate wonderland. Well guess what, if you put forth passion, dedication, and outstanding creativity- you can! The culinary industry leads to extraordinary career paths and dreams. You can take a simple concept of a cake, and create a whole new culinary business that will have people travelling for miles, just for your creations.

    No one wants a job that they don’t enjoy. Working is soon going to be one of the most important aspects of your life. Why not do something you’re going to love, and get paid for it! Let the joy of creativity flow with the feel of accomplishment and pride when you serve customers your delightful creations. The look of amazement on people’s faces when they check out your products is something that will keep you motivated, positive, and ready for more.

    The culinary arts have such a rewarding career path- you can do anything you dream of. Become a food scientist, a food taster, or a famous TV Chef. Design your own bakery or restaurant that becomes internationally famous. Or let’s live the dream here, and create a candy workshop or chocolate wonderland where you get paid to design, make, experiment with and eat candy! Let your ultimate dreams guide you to be wherever you want, and become whatever you want. With a step into the career path of culinary arts, there are no limitations- just your imagination.