To the uninitiated, a professional cook and a chef may look similar. They both wear chef’s coats, work in a kitchen, and prepare food. But the day-to-day responsibilities of these two roles are vastly different. One is a skilled tradesperson, while the other is a leader—and often a visionary.

Discover the important distinctions between these two kitchen roles and the skills necessary for success in each. Keep reading to explore the main differences between a professional cook and chef!

A Professional cooks are skilled technicians who prepare and make food. Most of their work is hands-on, transforming ingredients from their whole states into finished dishes. There are many different types of cooks, each with varying responsibilities. A prep cook, for example, does supporting work like chopping vegetables, pre-portioning cuts of protein, and concocting sauces or dressings. Line cooks, on the other hand, are responsible for the cooking, plating, and completing dishes for service.

Professional cooks are also sometimes defined by their work stations. A fry cook runs the fryer for a steady supply of hot, fresh french fries and other crispy snacks. A grill cook is in charge of grilled items like burgers, chicken, steaks, and some vegetables.

A professional chef is a trained, experienced culinarian who has worked in a professional kitchen setting and usually occupies a more managerial role, either running a single-person department or leading a team of cooks. Chefs have a higher degree of responsibility than cooks and must be leaders as well as culinary experts. This means that they also must possess a high skill level of problem solving while under high pressure — being able to assess situations and create solutions quickly is imperative.

A chef often spends a great deal of their time supervising and managing the rest of the crew, rather than cooking. They must be able to jump into any position when needed and mentor other team members. But they may also get to create their own recipes and menus, influencing the restaurant’s reputation and helping shape its concepts. Therefore, while they have greater responsibility than cooks, they also receive more credit when a kitchen performs well.

The ultimate difference between a cook and a chef is their level of responsibility. A cook completes the tasks assigned to them in order to deliver a chef’s recipe. To do so, they should have the basic skills needed to execute the menu. This can include simple tasks like chopping or mixing, but it can also require more advanced technical skills necessary for complex, multipart recipes.

A chef, on the other hand, is a manager, ultimately responsible for the food that comes out of the kitchen. This title includes the executive chef, who is the top leader of the kitchen and has control over the menu and overall direction of the restaurant’s culinary program.

It can also include additional chef roles. Some kitchens have a chef de cuisine who manages the day-to-day operations. Most have a sous chef who serves as the executive chef or chef de cuisine’s “right hand.” There could also be a pastry chef who creates the desserts and may run a small team of pastry cooks.

Professional chefs usually start out as cooks and earn the title of chef later in their careers. They are often the people in the kitchen with the most culinary education and experience. Chefs may have attended a formal culinary school, or they may have worked in the industry for many years to grasp the necessary skill set. There is no degree or certification that automatically moves a cook into the realm of the chef. Instead, it’s a multi-faceted combination of education, experience, and leadership abilities.

A professional cook’s skill level can vary quite a bit, from entry-level to the most expert cooks at high-end restaurants. Cooks should know the basic cooking functions, like baking, roasting, steaming, broiling, and poaching, and when each is appropriate. They should also know the different kinds of cuts, so that when the chef asks them to chiffonade some basil or julienne a carrot, they’ll know what is being asked of them. Professional cooks should know additional foundational skills, like how to make an emulsion, which knives are appropriate for which tasks, and the basics of seasoning.

Additional skills can vary based on the cook’s position. A line cook must know how to identify “done-ness” in a cut of meat, for example. And a prep cook should be skilled at rapid chopping and pay close attention to labeling and dating their work.

When cooks attend culinary school at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, they can graduate with many of these skills in their toolbox. During their hands-on industry externship, which is required in order to graduate, students can work in a professional kitchen where they can practice their skills in a high-speed commercial environment. With this type of preparation, cooks can become ready for their first professional job, where they can then continue to build on their skills and discover new techniques.“A student who graduates from Escoffier can be able to participate in much better culinary conversations and understand a lot more about not just cooking, but how a business is run.”*
Escoffier Chef Instructor Jesper Jonsson

A professional chef must have extensive proficiency to earn this title. They should have expertise in every skill that they expect their cooks to employ, so that they can provide precise instruction and guidance. They may also be specialists in a single type of cuisine (like French or Japanese) or a certain cooking style (like barbecue or plant-based cooking).

The responsibilities of a chef go far beyond the food. They should also be skilled in menu planning, since they could be responsible for the final restaurant menu–from appetizers to desserts. They may also be required to create dishes that are both delicious and profitable, keeping labor and food costs in check. They need to be strong leaders, inspiring their employees and keeping them motivated to put out excellent food, day after day.

Some chefs are also independent business owners. For example, private chefs and personal chefs often run their own small businesses. Some chefs are also owners of restaurants and catering companies, so they must manage the business as well as the food.How does a professional chef discover all of this? It can start with enrolling in culinary school. At Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, associate degree students can begin their culinary education with cooking fundamentals and then move on to explore menus, leadership, communications, foodservice math and accounting, and entrepreneurship. While students do not graduate as chefs, they can start their culinary careers with a great breadth of knowledge to draw on as they progress through their careers.

A credential, like a degree or diploma, or a culinary certification from an industry association, can also help to prove to future employers that the recipient obtained a heightened level of proficiency. And this can demonstrate that the chef is passionate about growing in necessary competencies and in their career overall.

“Every time I was approached by a food blogger or press, I was referred to as chef. I didn’t feel right having that title without the credentials. I was a really good home cook, but I lacked the confidence in my skills in a professional setting. The culinary industry is such a respected field and I wanted to be on an equal playing ground with other chefs that I had an opportunity to work with.”*Nahika Hillery, Escoffier Austin Culinary Arts Graduate & Chef/Owner, Kréyol Korner Caribbean Cuisin

The short answer is no! While many cooks do have the goal of becoming the “boss” of the kitchen, others prefer the life of the cook. A cook must perform to a high standard on each shift, but they are not responsible for the overall success of the kitchen or food service establishment. Some find that this means a lower stress level and better work-life balance. Plus, cooks get to do more hands-on professional cooking. If your culinary dreams involve cooking all day, every day, then a career as a cook may be the right place for you.

Whether you want to be a professional cook or move up the ranks to executive chef, a culinary education can be a great place to start. Contact our Admissions Department to explore more about degrees and diplomas from Escoffier and how they can help you achieve your goals.

To discover more about a career as a chef or cook, try these articles next:

• How to Become a Chef: The Complete Guide
• What It Takes to be an Executive Chef
• The Highest Paid Culinary Jobs and Positions

Source: The Difference Between a Professional Cook and a Chef – Escoffier

Critics by Better Health

Eating a wide variety of healthy foods helps to keep you in good health and protects you against chronic disease. Eating a well-balanced diet means eating a variety of foods from each of the 5 food groups daily, in the recommended amounts. Find out more in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

Eating healthy food doesn’t mean giving up your favourite recipes. Some simple swaps and a little bit of planning can help you make life-long, healthy changes to your diet.

Some shopping tips to get you started:

• Make a shopping list before you shop and plan what meals you’re going to eat.
• Keep the pantry stocked with ingredients that are quick to prepare and easy to cook.
• Stock up on seasonal vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.
• Choose the lower fat versions of a food if possible – for example milk, cheese, yoghurt, salad dressings and gravies.
• Choose lean meat cuts and skinless chicken breasts.
• Limit fast foods, chips, crisps, processed meats, pastries and pies, which all contain large amounts of fat.
• Choose lean meats and reduced-fat dairy products and limit processed foods to minimise hidden fats. Nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado are all healthier options because they include the essential long-chain fatty acids and these fats are accompanied by other good nutrients.If you add fats when cooking, use healthier oils such as olive and canola oil. And try these tips to reduce the amount of fat needed in cooking:Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil.
• Use pesto, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces.
• Use reduced fat yoghurt and milks, evaporated skim milk or corn-starch instead of cream in sauces or soups.
• Use non-stick cookware to reduce the need for cooking oil.
• When browning vegetables, put them in a hot pan then spray with oil, rather than adding the oil first to the pan. This reduces the amount of oil that vegetables absorb during cooking.
• As an alternative to browning vegetables by pan-frying, it is good to cook them first in the microwave, then crisp them under the grill for a minute or 2.

Water-soluble vitamins are delicate and easily destroyed during preparation and cooking. To minimise nutrient losses:

• Scrub vegetables rather than peel them, as many nutrients are found close to the skin.
• Microwave or steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
• When boiling vegetables, use a small amount of water and do not overboil them.
• Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients).

Salt is hidden in many of our foods, but a high salt diet can contribute to a range of health problems including high blood pressure.

Suggestions to reduce salt include:

• Don’t automatically add salt to your food – taste it first.
• Add a splash of olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice close to the end of cooking time or to cooked vegetables – it can enhance flavours in the same way as salt.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables, since canned and pickled vegetables tend to be packaged with salt.
• Limit your consumption of salty processed meats such as salami, ham, corned beef, bacon, smoked salmon, frankfurters and chicken loaf.
• Iodised salt is best. A major dietary source of iodine is plant foods. Yet there is evidence that Australian soil may be low in iodine and so plants grown in it are also low in iodine. If you eat fish at least once a week, the need for iodised salt is reduced.
• Avoid processed foods such as flavoured instant pasta or noodles, canned or dehydrated soup mixes, salty crackers, chips and salted nuts.
• Reduce your use of soy sauce, tomato sauce and processed sauces, stock powders and condiments (for example mayonnaise and salad dressings) because they contain high levels of salt.

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