An Average Day in The Life of a Chef
Posted: June 8, 2015 at 1:27 pm
You may have suddenly arrived at the end of a long relationship, or perhaps just climbed out of the wrong side of your bed, it really doesn’t matter. Once you’re in the kitchen, you are going to be relied on to perform and so there really are no excuses for letting the rest of your team down just because your mind’s not quite with it.
Occasionally it can be like being in a battle, but with more health and 
safety regulations, sweeter smells, more burns and fewer fatalities. Often it can be like being in an operation theatre, but with messier overalls and customers who are more eager to complain should anything not be to their total delight. Whatever your role you’ll need to remain intensely focused on your job at hand while also maintaining awareness of those around you. Expect to often find yourself either drained mentally or physically, but the good news is that you won’t be simultaneously. And you’ll also have fun, honest. Indeed, you might even have the time of your life.
Working in a kitchen can be remarkably rewarding, especially when everyone is as harmonious as dancers gliding across a ballroom. It can be even more rewarding when that ballroom turns out to be on a cruise ship that’s passed through an epic storm, yet despite the turbulence of unforeseen circumstance everybody maintained their composure or at least those about to trip were assisted by those who managed to remain upright. It’s about teamwork and facing an ever-changing situation together, about great communication, and above all else – a common love of creating the finest food imaginable.
Of course, ideally a kitchen should and mostly will be a well-oiled and smoothly-running working environment at all times where everything always goes according to plan and plates are flying out the door during the peak period having been beautifully furnished with fabulous fare. When that happens it can feel like being in a meditative trance where there’s no time to think, just time to act, and occasionally engage in friendly banter. Training and experience take over, customers are content, and orders are being received and dealt efficiently and with a high level of care and attention.
The hours can be long, and time can pass quickly. You may have gone to work on a sweet summer’s day, but you’ll leave for home in the dead of night. You might even only discover that the seasons have changed because there’s a new menu. But with the right attitude and a team that’s comprised of the right blend of personalities, the right skills and eagerness to adapt and evolve, working in a kitchen can be truly glorious.
Are you a chef who is eager to work in some great establishments, or perhaps are an establishment looking for a great chef? Then contact Chefhelp to find out how we can get the right people in the right kitchens.
