Chef
Chefs and cooks prepare food in restaurants and other dining establishments. They supervise other culinary workers and oversee the running of a kitchen and, often, an entire dining establishment.
Larger restaurants may have an executive chef responsible for the management of the kitchen. As the title implies, it’s an executive position and does not involve a lot of hands-on work in a kitchen. Head chefs typically run the kitchen, and in operations without an executive chef, they are the top-ranking person in the kitchen. Sous chefs are next in line and generally serve as a head chef’s top assistant. Most of the hands-on work in the kitchen is overseen by the sous chef. After that, there can be multiple cooks, line cooks, prep cooks, and more, all responsible for different aspects of food preparation.
Responsibilities will vary depending on the specific position. Head chefs and sous chefs spend a lot of time involved in managing employees and making sure the operation is running smoothly on a day-to-day basis. The head chef may focus on more creative work, such as creating menus and dishes and helping to plan menus or presentations for special events. Sous chefs will focus on the actual day-to-day food preparation and overseeing the rest of the kitchen staff.
In addition to creating many meals efficiently, chefs and cooks also need to be cognizant of food safety regulations and making sure the kitchen remains compliant with how food is prepared and stored.