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

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

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

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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.

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