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On-Site Training
On-site training is basically when an employer trains you to be a chef in their establishment. The best thing about this type of training is that you generally get paid to do it.
The down side to this is that you are only trained to work for them and you are not accredited. This means that you are not a certified chef. You will not be recognized in the field as a chef either.
Another bad point to this type of training is that if you lose your job, you are back where you started.
Training on-site doesn’t make you a chef, it makes you a cook. Without your chef certification, you are not eligible for a chef’s wages either. As a cook, you will earn a cook’s salary.
A benefit to this type of training is that you will already have a job waiting for you that could elevate you to the pay of a head chef eventually, without having to do all of the studying for it.
Just know that trying to change locations will not be a good idea unless you already have a position lined up.
Training on-site can give you plenty of hours in the culinary field if you happen to live in a state that requires a certain number of hours of experience before starting the certification process.
Online Training
These days, just about every profession on the market has courses that you can take online. Some of the courses claim to make you accredited, but be very careful and research it thoroughly before parting with any money.
Some of these courses can be as cheap as $19.99, which is an obvious bargain.
Of course you must consider that the courses can’t really be of any use. You simply can’t use an online course manual to learn how to be a chef. You don’t get the obvious benefits of hands on learning, and there is no one available to help you if you have any problems.
You don’t really have a way to know if you’re even preparing meals properly, or I they’ve turned out right. You might have better luck just reading a cookbook for your qualifications.
Online courses just don’t cut the mustard insofar as teaching you to become a real chef. Without a real teacher there to help you along the way, you will not learn anything that you can really use in the work force.
All an online course can do is to give you the basics. It can’t really help you get your credentials and certainly not the kind of credentials that will be nationally accredited.
All in all, this is a case where you will get exactly what you pay for so let the buyer beware.
What Equipment do I need?
As in every area of life, you need to have the right equipment when you are trying to become a chef. Most schools require that you purchase your own tools and equipment.
Have you ever heard the old saying “A movie star is only as good as his next movie”? The same is true if you are a chef.
A chef is only as good as his next dish. The best way to start you on the road to making great cuisine is by using the right tools and always having them handy.
You tools will be different depending on what type of chef you are planning to be. There are of course, the regular tools of the trade, but some chefs prefer to use specialty items as well.
Here are some of the tools you will need to get started.
Full set of good and sharp knives, including butcher knife, paring knife, and de-boning knife.
Comfortable pair of shoes. You will be on your feet most of the day
Smock or apron
Hair net or hat
Pots and pans (This is not necessary. It is more of a specialty item. Many cooks prefer to use their own pots etc as it makes cooking more dependable)
Knife sharpener
Reliable books that can help you in a pinch such as cookbooks etc.
Spot towels
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