Hospitality
Chef.
Chefs develop cooking technique, food safety habits, station discipline, menu planning, cost awareness, plating, and leadership under the pressure of service.
Median time
18
6–30 months
Nodes
32
8 phases
Proof artifacts
3
portfolio-worthy
Hours est.
~200
across the path
What people in this role actually do
Creates menus, prepares food, leads kitchen execution, manages quality, and controls food cost.
A typical week mixes deep focus with collaboration — the hardest cognitive work up front, and coordination, reviews, and planning around it.
Skills you'll build
8 core competencies, ranked by importance
Knife skills
Knife skills applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Food safety
Food safety applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Cooking methods
Cooking methods applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Station work
Station work applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Menu planning
Menu planning applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Food costing
Food costing applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Plating
Plating applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Kitchen leadership
Kitchen leadership applied to Chef work, including practical judgment, communication, and quality expectations.
Tools of the trade
Career progression
Typical titles, not the only path
Step 1
Prep Cook
Step 2
Line Cook
Step 3
Sous Chef
Step 4
Executive Chef or Owner
Proof-of-skill projects
Portfolio artifacts that prove the skill
Five-technique dish set
Prepare and document dishes demonstrating knife work, saute, roast, sauce, and plating.
Costed seasonal menu
Design a small menu with ingredient costs, pricing, prep plan, and waste controls.
Service simulation
Run a timed prep and plating workflow with a station checklist and post-service notes.