Some possible jobs within this career area are:
Your career goal will determine the type of certification you need. In fields related to the culinary arts, you could earn a:
- Certificate
- Associate’s Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree
- PhD
Many careers in the culinary arts stem from entrepreneurship. In short, a lot of people who are successful in these careers start their own business. If you want to own a restaurant or be a chef, you’ll need to be a self-starter who can devote the time to grow a business. Beyond self-owned businesses, the culinary arts are related to luxury, or dispensable income items. People tend to eat in restaurants more when they have more money on hand, which means restaurant and food careers are more plentiful when the economy is good. The same is true for hospitality management and catering careers.
The time it takes to complete your degree or course of study depends on your career goal. You could get your Associate’s Degree and become a certified chef in two years, or you could continue school and get a four-year degree in business.
How to Become a Prep Cook
Many aspiring chefs become a prep cook as the first step of their career, yet many prep cooks enjoy the versatility that a prep cook career allows. Prep cooks are the bottom rung of a kitchen staff and typically are charged with the chopping, slicing, storage, and cleaning aspects of cooking. Although many prep cooks are trained on-the-job, many others first take formal training at a vocational or community college or a culinary school in order to boost their chances of employment and advancement.
Often a prep cook career begins with on-the-job training at a restaurant or other establishment, where you will learn the schedule of the kitchen as well as the basic chores of the position. Many culinary and vocational schools offer classes in basic food preparation, an often those who wish to advance their prep cook career will combine work with formal education in order to obtain an associates or bachelor’s degree in some aspect of the culinary arts.
Classes you might take in a certificate or degree program will introduce you to food sanitation, food preparation, and hospitality management. For those content with a prep cook career a one year certificate program may be all that you require to become a prep cook; if you look as the position as a stepping-stone into a higher position such as head cook, chef, or other supervisory position you should consider earning an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts, hospitality management, or food and beverage management.
Prep Cook Salaries
Because a prep cook is considered an entry level job, prep cook salaries reflect the minimal training required in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) prep cook salaries range between $17,000 and $20,000 per year. The best path to higher salaries in a prep cook career is advancement to a higher position within the kitchen such as a sous or head chef or within the business in a food service management position. (Salary data retrieved 5/24/11)
To get the training you need to become a prep cook, find a program now!