Culinary arts is simply the art of cooking. Working in the field of culinary arts usually involves preparing meals which not only taste good, but look great too. This is important in high class restaurants. Even cheaper restaurants are now employing culinary artists to boost their image. Culinary arts graduates also become employed by food magazines where they design food platters for eye pleasing photography.

Culinary artists should have good knowledge of food science, diet and nutrition. The main field of work is restaurants, fast food franchises, hospitals, delicatessens, corporations and catering companies.

There are many careers related to culinary arts. All of these careers begin with the study of food sciences but progress into niche fields depending on your chosen path of study. These careers include:

- Chefs

- Food and beverage managers

- Salespeople

- Food stylists

- Food critics/writers

- Teachers

- Self employment

Chefs and cooks are the most common types of work for culinary artists. They can work any place food is repaired from 5 star restaurants down to fast food chains, depending on preference. There is also the option for corporate dining careers and event catering which can mean preparing food on a large scale.

Food and Beverage Managers

These people manage all aspects of food and beverages in hotels, restaurants, hospitals, large sporting/entertainment venues and other institutions with these facilities.

Salespeople

Some people who graduate from culinary arts choose to pursue a career in sales instead of cooking. This is where they promote and sell cooking related products, using their exceptional knowledge as a selling advantage.

Food Stylists

Food stylists and food photographer's work for magazines, newspapers and book publishers to cook, arrange and photograph eye pleasing food arrangements.

Food Critics/Writers

Food writers are employed by magazines, newspapers and even websites to write about recipes, health and other food related issues. Food critics can also review restaurants and cover food trends. Some famous food writers and critics are Julia Child and Craig Claiborne.

Teachers

Experienced culinary artists can choose to become a teacher to pass on their knowledge to students. It is ideal to have experience in the field so that you can share this with those willing to learn.

Self Employment

Many people choose to start their own business such as a restaurant, bakery or catering firm. This is a wonderful way to gain control over your entire life and food choices.

And these are just a few options for culinary arts graduates to pursue. As you can see, it is a highly versatile field with many options.

How to Become a Chef

A chef not only makes people exceptionally happy through creating good food, he or she also has unlimited opportunities to work anywhere in the world. In fact, top class chefs are in demand worldwide and can command 6 figure salaries in some of the best restaurants in the world. If that is not your cup of tea, then just working in the local cafe or restaurant also brings its rewards. Being a chef often affords you the opportunity of working close to home due to the fact that there are chef positions virtually anywhere.

Chefs are not limited in where they can work. Not only can you work in restaurants but also:

- Hospitals

- Corporate events

- Clubs and pubs

- Cafes

- Sporting and entertainment venues

- Universities and colleges

- Hotels and Resorts

- Cruise ships

The above are just a few of the locations that chefs regularly find work. Some, such as working on a cruise ship, allow you to experience travel and life whilst working and being paid.

Becoming a chef requires you to go to culinary school. Here you will learn everything you need to know like basic food handling and identification, recipe creation, food hygiene, allergies, diets, kitchen management, working with staff, menu creation, servings, food costs, waste reduction, food storage, food laws and much more. As you can see, there is more to being a chef than just cooking!

Once you have some experience as a chef you might choose to seek a promotion to sous chef, executive chef or other position. A sous chef is an assistant to the executive chef and he or she has to ensure the smooth running of the kitchen. Sous chefs do many other tasks besides cooking, such as organization, purchasing, budgeting, record keeping and other administrative tasks. Executive chefs are the boss of the kitchen and control personnel, menu creation, business planning and more, depending upon the place of work.

Most graduate chefs will begin as a kitchen hand once they gain employment. This can be boring work but you must look at the bigger picture - over time you will be promoted to a position with more responsibility.

Now that you know how to become a chef you can start embarking upon this rewarding career!