Becoming an excellent chef?

Question

How do i becom a upscale chef that would work in five star restaurants in new york or something like that? what education is needed and stuff. im really interested!

Answer 1

I would say the biggest thing you need is passion!!! I'm a chef and have been doing it for 18 years. It's a hard life and when you're starting out, you get the crappy jobs with the crappy pay and the crappy hours. Alot of kids that go to culinary school love it, until they do their first year internship at a hotel or restaurant and then some quit. I think having a big ego helps. The rewards when you put in your time are great. As for working in New York, it's the most competitive place to work in the US, but great exposure. Getting accolades from customers is a good boost to the ego and working a line when it's busy gives your body this adrenaline rush like jumping out of a plane..well, to me it does anyway.

I would say to you, if you dont' already, get a job at a restaurant and see how you like it. If you fall in love with it, go to school.

There are alot of good Culinary schools: the two best are:

Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island

CIA Culinary Institute of America (campuses in various states)

Best of luck!!!

Answer 2

http://www.frenchculinary.com/lecole.htm

this a great school a lot of $$$$ but the internships r great good luck n when u become famous dont forget me lol

Answer 3

schooling and practice, practice, practice.

Answer 4

There are 2 schools that are the best in the city.  There is the Culinary institute downtown New York which I've heard is supposed to be very good.

The one school that seems to turn out more top chefs, or really sous Chefs is the Culinary institute up near Pougheepse )sp)

If you do any checking you will find that a load of the top chefs came from there.  That is other then gong to France where you will really get a great an excelent background, and you mght want to think about learning French and going to France  to get some training.

One of the things you might want to try as a first step is to go to the class given at the London Hotel at the London Restaurant, owned by the British chef Gordon Ramsay.  

Lately he is every where on TV and is probably one of the better Chef's and has an unbelieveable amount of Michalin stars at all his restaurants.  Check out his site:

Gordonramsay.com, and there is a blurbon the site about this one day cooking class.

There are only 2 more episodes of his show,The F word, on BBC, think they are this Sunday and the followng.  He also has a show called h**l's Kitchen, which is sort a realty  show, and I HATE those, but this will show you a little about what can happen in a kitchen.

Good luck.  But, you won't become any kind of Chef if you don't go to school for it and work your way up.  you are going to have to work your way up and remember there aren't that many 4 star restaurants, and hardly any with Michalan stars, it doesn't come easy.  You are going to be giving up a lot of your life, remember that before you start your trek.  And mostly you are going to need a lot of money to start out.