Graduates in nearly every field experience the long and somewhat arduous process of working their way up an industry ladder. The culinary arts are intensely competitive, and regardless of having a degree from culinary school, you'll probably have to start at an entry-level job. Here is a descriptive list of jobs that you should look for when you first enter the culinary workforce.
Line Cook: While this is one of the lowest positions on the culinary food chain, it is one that sees the most action in the kitchen. After putting in your time as a culinary student, you will need to hone your skills, and this is the perfect position for that purpose. Line cooks work on a meal assembly line where they are each in charge of a specific element of a dish. This can be anything from the meat, the garnish, or the sauce. Line cooks work under the sous chef, and the executive chef approves every plate before it leaves the kitchen. A line cook is a great role for a recent culinary school graduate.
Prep Cook: Prep cooks are responsible for preparing all the ingredients of a meal sometimes an entire day before the actual cooking. Duties often include deboning poultry, filleting fish, peeling and chopping vegetables, and making sure all the cooking equipment is in working order. This position is a great way to get your foot in the door and can absolutely lead to advancement within the kitchen.
Assistant Pastry Chef: Similar to a prep cook, an assistant pastry chef mixes, chops, and peels components needed to make pastries and other desserts. As a post-culinary school job, this tends to be a little less stressful and demanding than that of a prep cook since the desserts are not as frequently ordered as main courses or appetizers. Though, if you are an assistant pastry chef in the wedding or hotel industry, this would be a drastically different scenario.