Hello: My father asked me whether "chef" was a title that can be used by anyone cooking in a professional kitchen, or is a title, like "doctor" that indicated that someone had received a degree from an educational institution. My immediate answer was that, while many chefs may have graduated from culinary schools, and some have become certified (and some have even gone as far as completing the Master Chef program), probably as many people in my acquaintance who call themselves "chefs" have worked their way up through the ranks in a kitchen. This left me wondering, though, historically what were the requirements for being labeled a chef? Was there a certain point, following an apprenticeship, at which the title was bestowed? I'd appreciate hearing from anyone with information on the subject, or anyone who can suggest where I might look this up, either on the internet or in print. Thanks for your help and happy holidays!

[Chef David Simpson]

Welcome dbrothschild, in any profession like ours. We as chefs like to think of "chef" as a professional title. As they look to a doctor for care and wellbeing. They look to a chef for care and wellbeing.
Most cooks that come out of school as interns to climb the ladder to chef. A chef must know ever aspect of the kitchen and every station.
The word chef is means "chief".
I think one of the more experienced chefs can give a better understanding. cape chef can you help this person?

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited 12-21-2000).]

[cape chef]

As chef Simpson implied the word chef literally means "chief" You know this is a easy and hard question to answer. First you need to learn to cook.The word cuisine in french is a blend of the words cooking and the Kitchen.When you graduate Culinary school
you are not a Chef,Although lets hope you can cook and understand the rudimentary concepts of the kitchen and the front of the house.Yes you can become certified as a chef through different associations. When I started in the trade some 20 years ago I spent a lot of time in the acf,American Culinary Federation I become "certified" First as a certified cook,then a certified working chef and then a certified Executive chef. It was very rewarding and I was proud.I participated in many Culinary salons and worked with some very talented chefs. Then something happened, I realized what I had learned was great but really not applicable to the real kitchen....for the first 10/12 years I was always saying yes chef, no problem Chef, Thank you chef. Now I find people saying that to me....And let me tell you,It is something that I don't take lightly,and fills me with a great deal of pride.Some of the best"cooks" in the world do not concern themselves with the Title of Chef,They can probably cook circles around me and many others,And I love to work with these kind of people because they keep you honest.The word Chef Thanks to Chef Louis Symizky (I no I spelled that wrong)From Chicago lobbied in Wash,D.C. in the late 70s to elevate the status to Professional. So If you want to feel that we can be compared to the medical profession so be it.I feel that the most important thing that came from that is gaining respect for the men and women in our field who kind of hold the infrastructure of the world happy.....Ok Enough philosophy...Can you be certified ? yes
Is there a tangible way to measure when a cook becomes a chef?no...There are so many levels of being a "chef" But if you can run a kitchen,lead your associates,motivate your associates,Be the first to come in and the last to leave, Then maybe you have entered one level of being a chef,,,,,,rest assured the more you learn the more levels there are
cc

Thank you so much, Chef Simpson and "Cape Chef" for your enlightenment on the subject of when and how one officially becomes a chef. I appreciate your taking the time to answer and provide the helpful info. Have a very happy holiday!

[glutz]

Thanks drothschild for ythe question,
now I know I'm only a cook at home and faraway from being a Chef.

but must add that for my Mothers traditional birthdays, south of the equator,
use to have 9 course meals for 200-300
guests, with help form others,
some maybe I'm an uncertified pseuso-chef

Dear "glutz":
Thanks for your input on my question about attaining the rank of chef -- I guess a lot of us could be considered uncertified "pseudo-chefs."

I have for 30 years considered myself a professional. To be a professional means we have certain knowledge through training or special study which is not generally available to everyone. This is the same of course with lawyers, doctors and accountants. Years ago you could become a chef by working and learning with another experienced chef. Today it seems certificates and credentials are very important. Sometimes It seems these papers are more desirable than real experience. But this is the way of the world today. We do what we must to achieve our goal.

[CampChef]

The term "Chef" is definetly a term of utmost respect for a person's standing in the culinary world and theie knowlege and experience. I'm sorry to see folks not have a higher respect for the certifications from the ACF (American Culinary Federation). The requirements for certification were updated several years ago, and it is very difficult to become certified. The different certification levels are a direct reflection of one's knowlege and experience. You cannot become a Certified Executive Chef unless you have done that very job for many years. I am currently working toward a Ceritified Chef de Cuisine, and I need to have run a kitchen for a minimum of four years, worked in a kitchen for another three,be able to demonstrate knowlege of the kitchen, take courses in management, sanitation, and nutrition, and pass a certification exam. Then I can become certified. The current levels of certification aregoing from lowest level to highest: Certified Culinarian (CC), Certified Sous Chef (CSC), Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC), Certified Executive Chef or Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEC), and Certified Master Chef (CMC). There are only 54 CMC's in the world at this time. Thanks for letting me ramble, but the ACF is getting a bad rap lately, and they don't deserve it.

[Pastachef]

Wow, CampChef, that wasn't rambling. That was very interesting!

Thanks to everyone who's kept this lively discussion going on the subject of what qualifies one to be called a chef. I'm learning much from all of your input and look forward to seeing where the discussion goes from here . . .

[CampChef]

If you would like more info on the ACF, check them out at www.acfchefs.org
You can find out about your local chapter there, too. I'm on my way to my chapter's monthly educational meeting tonight!