So You Are a Chef

Lisa M. Brefere, CEC, AAC, is a Certified Executive Chef with over thirty years of experience. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, she is a member of the American Culinary Federation and the American Academy of Chefs and has been awarded the ACF Presidential Medallion for outstanding dedication to the profession. She has coauthored several books including Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals. With her business partner, Brad Barnes, she cofounded GigaChef.com, an online tool for culinary professionals. Karen Eich Drummond, EdD, RD, FADA, LDN, FMP, is author and coauthor of numerous books, including Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals and The Restaurant Training Program, both published by Wiley. Brad Barnes, CMC, CCA, AAC, is one of fifty-nine Certified Master Chefs in the United States. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he is a member of the National Certification Commission for the American Culinary Federation and plays a pivotal role in revising culinary certification standards. A cofounder of GigaChef.com with Lisa M. Brefere, he has also coauthored the American Culinary Federation's Guide to Culinary Certification, published by Wiley.

Introduction v

How to Use So You Are a Chef vi

CD-ROM vi

Resources for Instructors vii

Acknowledgments vii

CHAPTER 1 Write Your Resume 1

Introduction 1 Types of Resumes 1

The Ingredients of a Great Resume 6

How to Write Your Resume 7

Edit and Proofread 30

Scannable Resumes 30

Everything You Need to Know about References 31

Exercises 33

Profile: LEE COCKERELL, Executive Vice President of Operations, Walt Disney World® Resort (recently retired) 34

CHAPTER 2 Put Together a Job Search Portfolio 47

Introduction 47

Do I Really Need a Portfolio? 48

Choose How to Organize 49

Collect the Contents 50

Get Supplies 53

Put the Portfolio Together 53

Evaluate Your Portfolio 56

Use a Portfolio in an Interview 57

Keep Your Portfolio Up to Date 58

Exercises 58

CHAPTER 3 Beyond the Want Ads: How to Locate and Contact Prospective Employers 59

Introduction 59

General Guidelines 59

Search the Hidden Job Market 61

Search the Public Market 65

The Internet 68

Following Up on Contacts 72

Filling Out Applications 72

Writing Cover Letters 72

Exercises 76

CHAPTER 4 Three-Step Interviewing 77

Introduction 77

Before the Interview 78

During the Interview 83

After the Interview 93

Follow-Up 97

Employment Testing 97

Tips for Special Situations 101

If You Get a Job Offer 103

Exercises 105

Profile: L. TIMOTHY RYAN, EdD, CMC, President, The Culinary Institute of America 107

CHAPTER 5 Advancing Your Career 117

Introduction 117

Succeeding in a Professional Kitchen 118

Setting Career Goals 118

When You Leave a Job 119

Mentors 121

Professional Organizations 122

Certifications 123

American Academy of Chefs 123

Lifelong Learning 126

Exercises 127

Appendix A Culinary Professional Organizations 129

Index 139