Find restaurants near you that are looking for help and apply in person. You'll probably be bussing tables or cleaning at first, but you'll get a look into what working in this industry is like. 

Apply for a restaurant job.

Watch an episode of "Mind of a Chef"—it'll take you behind the scenes with famous chefs as they seek inspiration, create recipes, and find the right ingredients.

Enter the mind of a chef!

Would you rather work in an established kitchen or as a personal chef? Watch a day in the life of a restaurant line cook who also holds his own pop-up dinners. Compare the pros and cons of a restaurant environment vs. a more private environment. Which seems like a better fit for you?

Evaluate the type of structure you'd prefer as a chef.

Learn about food safety, sanitation, and more through a food handler certification course. Make sure to verify the certification requirements for your specific state!

Find out what it takes to get a food handler certification.

Cooks, Private Household

Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Third Interest High-Point

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

First Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Second Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Cooks

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Cooks and Food Preparation Workers

Plan menus according to employers' needs and diet restrictions.

Stock, organize, and clean kitchens and cooking utensils.

Cool, package, label, and freeze foods for later consumption and provide instructions for reheating.

Peel, wash, trim, and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries.

Keep records pertaining to menus, finances, and other business-related issues.

Prepare meals in private homes according to employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.

Shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment.

Specialize in preparing fancy dishes or food for special diets.

Direct the operation and organization of kitchens and all food-related activities, including the presentation and serving of food.

Serve meals and snacks to employing families and their guests.

Plan and prepare food for parties, holiday meals, luncheons, special functions, and other social events.

Travel with employers to vacation homes to provide meal preparation at those locations.

Bakers' knives

Basting brushes

Bench scrapers

Boning knives

Bread knives

Butchers' gloves

Carving forks

Colanders

Computer laser printers

Convection ovens

Corkscrews

Countertop microwaves

Cutting boards

Deep-fat thermometers

Digital kitchen timers

Digital scales

Dishwashers

Electric grills

Fat skimmers

Fish spatulas

Food processors

Frying thermometers

Garlic presses

Graters

Icing piping tips

Kitchen rulers

Kitchen shears

Kitchen skillets

Kitchen thermometers

Knife sharpening tools

Labelmakers

Ladles

Laptop computers

Locking tongs

Mandolines

Measuring cup sets

Measuring spoon sets

Meat cleavers

Meat forks

Melon ballers

Metal baking sheets

Mixing bowls

Muffin pans

Nonstick saute pans

Offset spatulas

Omelet spatulas

Oven thermometers

Paring knives

Pastry cutters

Perforated spoons

Potato mashers

Poultry basters

Refrigerator thermometers

Rolling pins

Saucepans

Saute pans

Scorers

Serrated knives

Serving spoons

Slotted turners

Stand mixers

Stockpots

Swivel peelers

Tablet computers

Thumb drives

Vegetable peelers

Wire whisks

Wooden spoons

APPCA Personal Chef Office

Cooking e-books

Cost tracking software

Email software

Food inventory software

Intuit QuickBooks

Web browser software

WordPress

Work scheduling software

YouTube

Cooks, Private Household

Overview

Career

What Cooks, Private Household Do

Other Job Titles Cooks, Private Household May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Cooks, Private Household

Overview

Career

What Cooks, Private Household Do

Other Job Titles Cooks, Private Household May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Cooks, Private Household

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders