What Do Chefs Do

Chefs are skilled cooks who make delicious food for people to enjoy. They work in restaurants, hotels, and bakeries. Chefs create new recipes and put together menus. They know how to mix flavors to make meals taste amazing.

Working in the Kitchen

A chef's kitchen is a busy place. Chefs chop vegetables, cook meats, and bake bread. They must work quickly because many people are waiting for their food. Chefs also make sure the food looks beautiful on the plate. A busy restaurant might serve hundreds of meals in one night.

Becoming a Chef

Many chefs go to cooking school to learn their skills. They study different types of food from around the world. Chefs start by doing simple tasks like chopping and stirring. Over time, they learn to create their own special dishes. The head chef in a kitchen is often called the executive chef.

Fun Facts

• The tall white hat a chef wears is called a toque and can have up to 100 folds.
• The world's largest restaurant kitchen can serve 10,000 meals in a single day.
• Chefs taste their food many times while cooking to make sure it is just right.

Did You Know?

The tradition of the chef's tall white hat goes back hundreds of years. Legend says the 100 folds in the hat stand for the 100 ways a chef can cook an egg!