Eight things you can do now to make you a better chef or restauranteur later
The hospitality business is a competitive game. Do you want to get a head start on becoming the best chef, manager or restauranteur you can be? We’ve come up with eight tips that will help you find easy ways to prepare for career awesomeness!
1. Choose the right subjects at school
Choosing relevant school subjects is a wise foundation for your hospitality studies and future career. Start by thinking about which area of hospitality you’d like to get into. Will it be business? Food? Tourism? A selection of the following subjects will put you on the right track:
- Accounting
- Business studies
- Consumer studies
- Economics
- Hospitality studies
- Tourism
2. Engage in extramural activities
What kind of extra-mural activities does your school offer? Being involved in extramurals can teach you new skills and help you learn about your strengths and weaknesses. For example, debating will help boost your self-confidence; a cultural society will teach you how to deal with people from different backgrounds; and a cookery club will enhance your culinary skills. Try to get involved in activities that will help develop your talents.
3. Take the initiative
Take the initiative and use your spare time to prepare for a promising future. Do you want to be a chef or run a successful patisserie business? Get started early! Learn how to source ingredients, cook and bake. Cook dinner at least once a week in order to practice and expand your repertoire. Bake for fundraisers or family/community events, and if you can, go for cooking classes. You’ll learn chef skills and meet all sorts of fascinating people (some who may be useful contacts later on).
Keen to run a chain of hotels or manage a restaurant? You need to learn about management. Look for opportunities to become involved in a small business (schools often run programs for this) or why not start your own! Sell your baked goods; handmade crafts; or home-grown veggies. It will teach you valuable management lessons!
4. Get media savvy
Instant access to TV, magazines and the internet make it a breeze to easily find information and teach yourself new things. Be smart and use media to help you get ahead in your career area of interest.
Read magazines
Magazines are an excellent resource, especially if you’re interested in food as a career, whether you want to be a chef, restauranteur, caterer or specialist food provider. Here in SA we have some fabulous food magazines including Food and Home Entertaining, Woolies’ Taste Magazine and Pick n Pay’s outstanding Fresh Living. Food mags will show you how to cook, give you a glimpse of what the food industry is like, inform you of foodie events and inspire you to get busy in the kitchen with beautiful food photography.
The benefit of digital magazines
Buying magazines on a monthly basis can be an expensive exercise. One way to keep costs down is to buy them in a digital format. Zinio is an online newsstand of local and international magazines covering just about every topic imaginable. Digital magazines are often sold at good discounts (sometimes 30-50% off) and you can download them to read on your PC, tablet or smartphone.
Get free info on magazine websites
The cheapest (and a highly effective) way of keeping up with what’s happening on the local food scene is by regularly visiting magazine websites and subscribing to their newsletters. Websites also tend to have additional features that the magazines don’t, such as interviews, articles and even mobile or tablet apps.
Use the power of the internet
The internet is an incredibly powerful tool for research and learning. It’s a treasure trove of up-to-date information that you can find and use for free. Here are a few ways to use the web to your advantage:
- Surf relevant websites – What area of hospitality are you interested in? Search for websites about your area of interest. If it’s a foodie career you’re after, Eat Out and Fresh Living are two super-useful sites. If your interest is more general, visit Hotel & Restaurant. Websites like Getaway and Go! are useful for keeping up to date with what’s going on in travel, tourism and food.
- Find useful blogs – Blogs are a goldmine of information. Find a few great blogs and sign up for their RSS feeds to keep you updated with foodie/hospitality trends. Recommended food blogs: The Gorgeous Gourmet and Drizzle & Dip.
- Leverage social media – Use social media to find brands and people that are leaders in your area of interest. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to keep you “in the know” with regard to insider industry info.
Take advantage of TV
Usually TV is not considered an acceptable educator! However, DSTV may have relevant channels or air programs that will help you to learn more about your planned career. Look for programs about travel, tourism, hospitality and food.
5. Attend shows, festivals and exhibitions
Keep an eye out for hospitality, tourism and food related shows, festivals and exhibitions in your area. Attending events like these will help you to gain a better understanding of the industry and meet people who work in it. You know what they say: it’s all about who you know!
6. Visit local markets and producers
Take the time to find out about local markets and producers. Visit your fresh produce market and spend time at farms that offer tours. Learn about the importance of biodynamic fruit and veg, fair trade principles and seasonal food. Gaining an understanding of how food and beverages are produced and how their supply chain works is invaluable to your future career.
7. Get work experience
Do you know anyone who runs a guesthouse or restaurant? If so, organise to do some holiday work or volunteer your services for free. Future employers will want employees with previous experience and learning on the job teaches more than a book or website ever can.
8. Travel, eat out and journal
When you have the opportunity to travel and eat out, make an effort to absorb the experience. Keep a journal and record meals, restaurants, accommodation venues, and the elements that make each place or meal stand out. This will give you insight into dealing with people and creating memorable customer experiences.
There you have it, eight things you can do now to be a better chef, manager or restaurateur later. Pick a few or choose them all for a great head-start on a successful hospitality future!
Do you have any ideas to add to our list? Let us know in the comments box below!
