Becoming A Vegan Chef - How Sous And Commis Chefs Reach The Highest Level Of Their Career
Becoming a vegan chef, or to be more particular, an executive chef in a vegan food service business, is not an easy task. Culinary arts is one of the most competitive professions in the world. Add the challenge of working for vegan clients and you might as well compare yourself to a mountain climber in the middle of a snowstorm without the proper equipment on hand. But even the most difficult of conditions never deter a dedicated climber. And it should be the same for those who have chosen a career in culinary arts. Vegan vs. vegetarian Before you reach the highest level in your vegan culinary arts career, there is still the simple way of differentiating between a vegan and a vegetarian. Vegan associations have defined the term as more of a lifestyle. Being a vegan not only entails doing without meat or any animal product in your diet, it also means not using items that are made from animals. The philosophy is rooted on the belief that animals should never be killed for food or clothing. Vegetarians, on the other hand, are those whose focus is more on the food they eat. Vegetarians might do without animal meat, but most do eat animal products like milk, cheese and other dairies. Steps in the ladder of becoming an executive chef The main challenge for a vegan cook is the limited ingredients available to him or her. Having to do without meat or animal products, chefs who work for vegans should be imaginative to come up with healthy, delicious and creative meals for clients. Despite the perceived limitation in ingredients, vegans have argued that vegan-focused cooking still has a lot going for it. There are vegetables, fruits, soy products and other ingredients that can be used by cooks to prepare a sumptuous meal without violating the vegan philosophy. All a chef needs is a bit of creativity and patience in identifying menu sources. When it comes to career ladder, a chef (vegan or traditional) usually starts as a commis or an entry-level or apprentice cook that could be tasked with so-called mundane tasks, like peeling potatoes and assisting kitchen chefs. If a commis is persevering enough and culinary arts is really his calling, then he might find himself rising to the level of a sous chef in no time at all. A sous chef is a managerial position and is second in command to the executive chef. The primary task of a sous chef is supervising the front line comprised of cooks and other kitchen workers. He could also be tasked with preparing menus, making recipes and choosing ingredients. This position is the best training ground to becoming an executive chef. Becoming a vegan chef requires perseverance, creativity and dedication. Perfecting the art of vegan cooking and becoming an adept manager will not hurt your chances either. |
