How to Become a Sous Chef

About Sous Chef

A Sous Chef career is basically the  second-in-command person who assists the executive chef in a professional kitchen. The sous chef is held responsible for the culinary operations in a professional kitchen in the day to day life. The sous chef performs responsibilities like creation of menu, purchasing of food, and quality maintenance. A sous chef also is involved in the role of cost maintaining and controlling costing of food, stocking and supervising storage, and sanitation procedures. They also help in the management and training of new people in the team, preparing the schedule for staff work hours, and doing performance analysis.

Sous chefs generally start their career gaining a  degree in culinary arts, however there are several sous chefs who achieve positions via promotion after receiving training and experience in the culinary profession. Sous chefs can work in several types of hospitality establishments that include Restaurants, Hotels, Care Facilities, Catering Services, Cruise Ships, Special Trains, and much more.

A sous chef is a very interesting but also a challenging choice of career. The daily workload of a sous chef can be variable and he/she has to stay ready to work long hours especially during the time of holidays. A person assuming the role of a sous chef must be able to think outside the box and stay calm even during stressful and hectic situations. This is a field that requires a person to have a good presence of mind, cheerful and pleasant attitude as well as the ability to lead a team and give clear instructions.

Roles and Responsibilities for Sous Chef

• Sous Chef should be able to manage all activities in the kitchen, including food preparation and production, and management and training of kitchen staff
• They have to Monitor the working and also storage operations, safety and security, stocking and food rotation, and guarantee food service sanitation standards are met
• They must ensure efficient, cost-effective operation and profitability of food production
• To supervise and inspect all preparation and cooking equipment on a regular basis to ensure that they are kept clean, sanitary, and in perfect operating order
• They ensure the food products, presentation, and plating quality, and serving  in a timely and proper manner
• They have to take up the duty of Executive Chef if they are not available
• Maintenance of  food quality, preparation, recipes, and presentation of food

Eligibility to become Sous Chef

There is no particular eligibility criteria for becoming a sous chef in India. However, most of the hospitality establishments consider candidates who have completed a bachelor’s degree or a related or equivalent course in Hotel Management. Plus, this is a senior-level position in the kitchen and requires candidates to have a certain amount of work experience in the field.

Here are the minimum requirements that are recommended for becoming a sous chef in India.

Undergraduate Degree: Candidates must have completed a UG degree in hotel management. These may include:

• Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM)

• Bachelor of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (BHMCT)

• Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCTCA)

Work Experience: In order to become a Sous Chef in India, at least 10 - 12 years of work experience will be required. This number may vary depending on the hiring company.

Postgraduate Degree: Having a postgraduate degree can further increase a candidate’s chances at becoming a sous chef. While it is definitely not necessary to do so, completing a master’s education in a related discipline provides a boost to the growth and career prospects of a person interested in becoming a Sous Chef. The following postgraduate courses can help a person interested in taking up a sous chef position at leading hospitality establishments.

• Master of Hotel Management (MHM)

• Master of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (MHMCT)

• MBA in Hotel Management

• MBA in Hospitality Management etc.

How to Become a Sous Chef?

If anyone wants to choose a career as Sous Chef then they must be aware that a culinary career begins with a completed cooking apprenticeship. The career  starts in a hotel or restaurant and it takes almost  three years to become a sous chef.  People also need a few years of professional experience initially to become a sous chef.

During the training, there are many interesting interesting things that will be taught to the students like - 

• How to use a knife in a appropriate manner
• To plan a entire menu
•  Nutrition facts
• Culinary arts and baking

Types of Job Roles Sous Chef

A sous chef is a particular role in itself in most of the kitchens you will find in hospitality establishments. It is the 2nd most top position in a restaurant or hotel kitchen and is above many other positions such as Cooks, Line Chefs etc. A person eligible to become a sous chef can either look for job opportunities in the commercial hospitality sectors (such as hotels, resorts etc.) or go for a private business including catering services or even open their own businesses.

Some of the common job roles that come in the hierarchy along with the sous chef have been given below. These have been given in increasing order of hierarchy.

• Line Chef / Station Chef: These are chefs responsible for a particular line or station in a kitchen. Such as Pastry Chef, Grill Chef, Vegetable Chef, Fish Chef etc. Line chefs are responsible for the operation and execution of a single station and have to be coordinated by Sous Chefs.

• Sous Chef: The second-in-command of any kitchen, sous chefs take on a variety of roles ranging from management of the kitchen to coordinating line chefs, planning menus etc.

• Executive Sous Chef: Executive sous chef is not a very common position and can only be found in hospitality establishments having very large kitchen operations. Sous chefs with 2 - 3 years of experience are generally preferred for these roles but this may vary.

• Executive Chef / Head Chef: The topmost position in a kitchen is the head chef. He is majorly responsible for finalising the menu of a restaurant, the presentation and look of the dishes, coordinating the daily operations of a kitchen, coordinating with other departments in the hospitality establishment etc.

Employment Sector/Industry for Sous Chef

A career in the hospitality sector can be very rewarding especially when it is related to food. It comes with a ton of perks and benefits not to mention that it pays a good salary. Professionals in this sector can look for new and exciting career opportunities in India as well as abroad and get a chance to work with the leading hospitality chains all around the world. However, working in a kitchen can prove to be very hectic and it comes with its very own challenges. Things regularly go wrong and long working hours are pretty common in this job. Plus, the level of training and work experience required to make it big in this sector is quite high.

For a person who has an interest in food and a passion for food preparation, becoming a sous chef is an opportunity for personal growth and acquiring skills. Hands-on training and practical exposure is essential for this job and is considered to be more important than having a formal education in this field. Some of the key recruiting areas for sous chef include the following.

• Hotels

• Restaurants

• Cruise Liners

• Resorts

• Catering Companies

• Food Manufacturing Companies etc.

Top Recruiting Companies for Sous Chef

Given below are some of the top companies that hire for the position of sous chefs.

• Hotel Leela

• Hotel Ramada

• Taj Hotels

• Jaypee Group

• Le Meridien etc.

Pay Scale/Salary of Sous Chef

Skills Required to Become a Sous Chef

There are few qualities that need to be possessed in becoming a sous chef. The few important skills required to become a sous chef are mentioned below.

• Cooking - When anyone chooses a career as  sous chef, the most important skill that needs to be learnt is cooking.  Apart from the cooking qualities and a distinctive innovative and creative streak, the sous chef needs to be  well organized and structured.
• Persevering and Flexible -   When a person works in restaurants they basically are asked to work more during late evenings and also on the weekend, So they must  be willing to work in these hours. 
• Practical and Non Sentimental-  Person who works as a sous chef should not be emotional and sensitive and should not take things on heart too if anyones speak rudely, because in some kitchens they must experience a rough tone in stressful situations. 
• Pressure Handling Skill -  The ability to work under pressure and to be stress resistant is indispensable, because day-to-day business can be stressful and exhausting. A person needs to put all their efforts to work first and make sure the workflow is not disturbed and interrupted- in coordination with the kitchen’s staff.  You should be comfortable with stressful and hectic situations.

Books & Study Material to Become Sous Chef

Pros of becoming a Sous Chef

• The field offers creative freedom and excellent job opportunities.

• Talented professionals can make good money in this field.

• The skills acquired in this field can be used in opening up own business such as a restaurant.

Cons of becoming a Sous Chef

• Long working hours and a physically-demanding job.

• Initial years require a lot of patience and hard work. Many are unable to cope with the pressure.

• The field requires professionals to constantly stay updated with the latest techniques and trends.