CULTNARY FIELD 1

Abstract

A professional chef has many duties when working in a commercial kitchen. They are highly

skilled and must be leaders who are able to problem solve when under high pressure. A cook is a

skilled technician who prepares and makes food. Like a chef, a cook can have many different

responsibilities and titles. There are prep cooks, line cooks, fry cooks and grill cooks. A prep

cook chops vegetables, prepare sauces or dressings, and cuts meat into serving sizes. A line cook

is responsible for cooking, plating, and completing the food for service. A fry cook runs the fryer

for french fries and other crispy snacks. A grill cook is in charge of burgers, steaks, chicken, and

some vegetable sides. Usually chefs start out working as a cook and earn their titles as a

professional chefs. Most cooks and chefs start their careers by attending culinary school and

earning a diploma or an associate degree. A chef's salary can be between $30,380 to $90,790 and

a cook's salary can be between $27,659 to $44,348. Currently Minnesota employs around 1,270

cooks and chefs with a median wage of $50,160. There are around 210 annual openings and a

projected job growth of 21 percent. Cooks and chefs will continue to be in demand as time goes

on. Not all cooks will be professional chefs’ some cooks simply prefer lower stress levels.

Keywords: Cooks, chefs, & professional.