I need to know how math is used in being a chef and what places a chef (anyone) has worked in for a project?

Question

i have to "interview" for a job as a chef in school and i have to pretend to be someone thats a chef but i cant find anyone to find out where they have worked and what experience they have

(its for school for the person that thinks that im actually doing that in an interview)

Answer 1

Chefs and other cooks need to perform math in order to calculate the amounts of ingredients needed to prepare specific portions of food, for example if a recipe for four requires 3 teaspoons of spice, how much spice do they need to prepare a dish for 3 portions. Also, the calculation of temperature and time necessary to prepare different foods would be necessary so that the entire meal is ready at one time. Also, many chef operate as food buyers for the restaurant, so they need to be able to calculate the costs of the food, apply percentage discounts, and keep track of expenses.

I don't know any chefs you can interview, but if you search online you may be able to find biographies of famous chefs, where they describe their experiences in the field.

Another resource might be to contact a culinary school in your area, they might have individuals that are agreeable to talking to a study about the profession.


Also you can take a look at the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook; here's what they say:


Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods—from soups, snacks, and salads to entrees, side dishes, and desserts—in a variety of restaurants and other food services establishments. Chefs and cooks create recipes and prepare meals, while food preparation workers peel and cut vegetables, trim meat, prepare poultry, and perform other duties such as keeping work areas clean and monitoring temperatures of ovens and stovetops.

In general, chefs and cooks measure, mix, and cook ingredients according to recipes, using a variety of pots, pans, cutlery, and other equipment, including ovens, broilers, grills, slicers, grinders, and blenders. Chefs and head cooks also are responsible for directing the work of other kitchen workers, estimating food requirements, and ordering food supplies.

Larger restaurants and food services establishments tend to have varied menus and larger kitchen staffs. They often include several chefs and cooks, sometimes called assistant or line cooks, along with other lesser skilled kitchen workers, such as food preparation workers. Each chef or cook works an assigned station that is equipped with the types of stoves, grills, pans, and ingredients needed for the foods prepared at that station. Job titles often reflect the principal ingredient prepared or the type of cooking performed—vegetable cook, fry cook, or grill cook.

Executive chefs and head cooks coordinate the work of the kitchen staff and direct the preparation of meals. They determine serving sizes, plan menus, order food supplies, and oversee kitchen operations to ensure uniform quality and presentation of meals. The terms chef and cook often are used interchangeably, but generally reflect the different types of chefs and the organizational structure of the kitchen staff. For example, an executive chef is in charge of all food service operations and also may supervise the many kitchens of a hotel, restaurant group, or corporate dining operation. A chef de cuisine reports to an executive chef and is responsible for the daily operations of a single kitchen. A sous chef, or sub chef, is the second-in-command and runs the kitchen in the absence of the chef. Chefs tend to be more highly skilled and better trained than cooks. Many chefs earn fame both for themselves and for their kitchens because of the quality and distinctive nature of the food they serve.

For even more information you can contact the below listed organizations:

Career information about chefs, cooks, and other kitchen workers, as well as a directory of 2- and 4-year colleges that offer courses or programs that prepare persons for food service careers, is available from:

National Restaurant Association, 1200 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20036-3097. Internet: http://www.restaurant.org

For information on the American Culinary Federation’s apprenticeship and certification programs for cooks, as well as a list of accredited culinary programs, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

American Culinary Federation, 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095. Internet: http://www.acfchefs.org

Answer 2

Chefs have to use maths to decide how much food to order from a supplier to feed the right amount of people. For example with cooking breakfast for thirty people, how many eggs you need for one per person (plus breakages) or how many loaves of bread for each person to have three slices of toast. Also budgetting is important, working how much money you have to spend on ingredients, and deciding how much to charge customers to make sure you make a profit.

My husband is a chef, he has worked in hotels, restaurants and pubs. Chefs work quite long hours, a six day working week is common. As you are feeding people at meal times you have to work early mornings and evenings and usually get the afternoons off. Its hard work but its teamwork and a lot of fun.

Answer 3

math is a very important factor in cooking their are portions that have to be applied when preparing all the way till it gets to the customer. i would have thought that was obivious. but by all means dont pretend to be someone else, if u dont have the confidents in ur self some one who does have will get that job.

Answer 4

Wolfgang Puck look him up and Emeril Lagasse