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| Tips for surviving in a professional kitchen who want to grow fast |
10 Tips Chef for surviving in a professional kitchen who want to grow fast
A short guide for Commis & Demi Chefs who want to grow fast
There’s a lot they don’t teach you in culinary school. the real lessons live inside the pressure, rhythm, and culture of a professional kitchen.
There’s a lot they don’t teach you in culinary school. the real lessons live inside the pressure, rhythm, and culture of a professional kitchen.
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
If you’re a commis or demi chef aiming for rapid growth, here’s what you need to know (and what most chefs learn the hard way)
1. Your Attitude Is Your Real CV
Skills get you noticed.
Attitude gets you promoted.
Chefs invest in:
Curiosity
Discipline
Humility
Coachability
Calm under pressure
Be the person senior chefs want to teach.
Attitude gets you promoted.
Chefs invest in:
Curiosity
Discipline
Humility
Coachability
Calm under pressure
Be the person senior chefs want to teach.
2. Understand the Kitchen System
A kitchen runs on hierarchy, timing, consistency, and cleanliness.
Learn the flow, observe how sections work, understand your role in the bigger picture.
You become valuable the day your presence makes the kitchen run smoother.
Learn the flow, observe how sections work, understand your role in the bigger picture.
You become valuable the day your presence makes the kitchen run smoother.
3. Know the Career Map
Promotions are not random. Each level has clear expectations:
Commis → Demi → CDP → Senior CDP → Sous → Exec Sous → Executive Chef
Align your learning with the level above you:
Commis: master basics
Demi: show initiative + run small tasks independently
CDP: own a section + train others
Commis → Demi → CDP → Senior CDP → Sous → Exec Sous → Executive Chef
Align your learning with the level above you:
Commis: master basics
Demi: show initiative + run small tasks independently
CDP: own a section + train others
4. Tell Your Chef You Want to Grow
Don’t stay quiet and hope someone notices.
Say:
“Chef, guide me on what I need to learn for the next step.”
That single sentence changes everything.
Say:
“Chef, guide me on what I need to learn for the next step.”
That single sentence changes everything.
5. Build Skills Beyond Cooking
The chefs who grow fastest master:
Communication
Time management
Hygiene & HACCP
Teamwork
Pressure control
Basic cost control
These are promotion skills... not just kitchen skills.
Communication
Time management
Hygiene & HACCP
Teamwork
Pressure control
Basic cost control
These are promotion skills... not just kitchen skills.
6. Be the Chef Who Makes Life Easier
Small actions matter:
Clean as you go
Help before being asked
Organize
Restock
Support other sections
Your work ethic becomes your brand.
Clean as you go
Help before being asked
Organize
Restock
Support other sections
Your work ethic becomes your brand.
7. Run Toward Difficult Stations
Sauce, grill, fish, pastry, butchery... these stations shape careers.
Growth lives in discomfort. Don’t shy away from it.
Growth lives in discomfort. Don’t shy away from it.
8. Don’t Job-Hop Too Early
Stay long enough to learn discipline, systems, and consistency.
One year is the minimum for real development and mentorship.
One year is the minimum for real development and mentorship.
9. Your Mindset Will Decide Your Future
The strongest chefs aren’t just skilled they’re resilient, calm, teachable, and hungry to improve.
10. Find a Mentor
A good mentor accelerates your growth by years.
Seek chefs with high standards, real leadership, and a willingness to teach.
What Nobody Told You:
Your career won’t happen by accident.. it’s shaped by your mindset, your behavior in the kitchen, and how intentionally you grow.
Show up with purpose.
Show up with humility.
Show up hungry.
Seek chefs with high standards, real leadership, and a willingness to teach.
What Nobody Told You:
Your career won’t happen by accident.. it’s shaped by your mindset, your behavior in the kitchen, and how intentionally you grow.
Show up with purpose.
Show up with humility.
Show up hungry.
Thank you chef.