Executive Chefs In L.A. Are Educated And Paid Well
By 2022, an estimated 6,000 chefs and head cooks nationwide are projected to have already carved new vocational paths within the culinary industry, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This represents a moderate increase in the number of food connoisseurs in supervisory positions that were gainfully employed in 2012. Vocational opportunities are being heated by a marked increase in population and income growth, in addition to a greater demand for high-quality dishes at upscale restaurants.
Executive chefs in Los Angeles earn an average annual salary nearing $74,000, with top artisans whipping up yearly paychecks in excess of $108,000, according to current economic indicators. By the time these wizards of the kitchen reach six-figure wages, they have attained a bachelor's degree in an area of specialty and dedicated at least seven years' experience in the field.
The principal duties of a lead chef extend far beyond planning menus and ordering supplies. They are also responsible for monitoring sanitation practices, inspecting equipment, determining how food is presented to the public and overseeing the work of the employees they hire.
Although many learn their craft through on-the-job experience, apprenticeship programs or the armed forces, prospective head cooks with a strong desire to succeed receive comprehensive training at a four-year educational institution, culinary arts school or community college.
Some of the best culinary halls of ivy in America are located in greater L.A., including the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena and The Art Institute of California in Santa Monica.
Before enrolling in a school, advisers say students should make certain it has been accredited by such long-standing organizations as the American Culinary Federation, the largest professional chef's group in North America. A well-established program stands to increase an aspiring chef's chances of landing a good-paying job, because most instructors are accomplished executive and sous chefs that are in prime positions to place qualified job seekers.
An efficiently run curriculum provides constant hands-on experience. Such is the case at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, where endeavoring chefs serve nearly 1,000 diners from the school's commercial kitchens, restaurant and cafeteria on a daily basis.
Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.