Laser Technition

Water Purification Chemist

What educational background is needed?

"Culinary Art School Career Fact: In a recent survey of professional chefs, 25% said they changed careers to become a chef, 63% said they began their culinary career as an apprentice, and 58% said they attended a culinary art school."

To become a professional chef most people start their careers by spending four years at an accredited culinary art school. The best culinary schools are those that include the Le Cordon Bleu as a part of their training. Next they will spend the next five years working under a head chef. Usually working at different resturants to gain experience under different master chefs. Being a head chef means s/he will direct an entire kitchen staff or even start a restaurant of thier own. On average this could take up to ten years.

"Culinary Art Industry Growth: According to Newsweek (July 7, 1997) the professional cooking industry is expected to add 3.2 Million new chef and culinary positions by 2005."

Including nights and week ends most chefs will work about fifty hours a week.

A person involved in the culinary arts is usualy a chef. In recent years the career path for those trained in the culinary arts has become less clear-cut. To move up one moved from preparation chef to assistant chef to head chef. The number of training programs available has greatly increases and has caused the field to become more competitive and only those with exceptional skills have the chance to become a head chef. Specialization is also important for those who want to move up and will help them along their way.

This is a picture of a man mixing ingredients.

What are the working conditions?

Professional chefs endure specialized training, long hours, high stress level and the potential for career burnout. But they also gain high prestige and creativite freedom. To become a chef a person must be organized, opportunistic and creative.

What is the job and how is it related to chemisry?

Most people don't think about cooking a mean as preforming a series of chemical experiments. As you mix ingredients and add heat, a series of reaction has been made. The preform the tasks are done in can be critical and non-reversible. For example,1\4 cup of corn starch and one cup of cold water can be mixed together and they will diperse evenly. You can heat the mixture and it will stay dispersed.If you try to dissolve the cornstarch into a cup of boiling water it will immediately form a thick lumpy paste and be impossible to disperse. Just as you would follow the steps to preforming an experiment in a lad you must follo steps to cooking to produce the perfect meal. The steps you are following are your recipe.

What is the salary?

The average starting salary in the culinary field is between $18,000 and $26,000. Opportunities exist at hotels, restaurant chains, airlines, colleges, hospitals and corporations.