Profession private chef

Private chefs comply with food and sanitation rules to prepare meals for their employers. They take into consideration the employer’s intolerances to specific ingredients or their preferences and cook the meals in the employer's home. Private chefs may also be asked to organise small dinner parties or other types of celebrations for special occasions.

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • Food storage

    The proper conditions and methods to store food to keep it from spoiling, taking into account humidity, light, temperature and other environmental factors.

Skills

  • Use food preparation techniques

    Apply food preparation techniques including the selecting, washing, cooling, peeling, marinating, preparing of dressings and cutting of ingredients.

  • Execute chilling processes to food products

    Carry out chilling, freezing and cooling operation processes to food products such as fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, catering food. Prepare food products for extended periods of storage or half prepared food. Ensure safety and nutrition qualities of frozen goods and preserve products in accordance with specified temperatures.

  • Cook meat dishes

    Prepare meat dishes, including poultry and game. The complexity of the dishes depend on the type of meat, the cuts being used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.

  • Store raw food materials

    Keep in reserve raw materials and other food supplies, following stock control procedures.

  • Use food cutting tools

    Trim, peel and slice products with knives, paring or food cutting tools or equipment according to guidelines.

  • Cook dairy products

    Prepare eggs, cheese and other dairy products, combined with other products if necessary.

  • Communicate with customers

    Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.

  • Cook pastry products

    Prepare savoury and sweet pastry products, combining with other products if necessary.

  • Use cooking techniques

    Apply cooking techniques including grilling, frying, boiling, braising, poaching, baking or roasting.

  • Satisfy customers

    Communicate with customers and make them feel satisfied.

  • Prepare bakery products

    Make bakery products such as bread and pasta by preparing dough, using proper techniques, recipes and equipment to achieve ready bakery items, combining with other products if necessary.

  • Cook fish

    Prepare fish dishes. The complexity of the dishes will depend on the range of fish used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.

  • Handle kitchen equipment according to the requirements

    Knowing and handling a variety of kitchen instruments and equipment. Choosing the right tool for the purpose and the raw material. Trim, peel, and slice products with knives, paring tools, or food cutting tools.

  • Cook vegetable products

    Prepare dishes based on vegetables in combination with other ingredients if necessary.

  • Use reheating techniques

    Apply reheating techniques including steaming, boiling or bain marie.

  • Comply with food safety and hygiene

    Respect optimal food safety and hygiene during preparation, manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution and delivery of food products.

  • Cook sauce products

    Prepare soups, hot sauces, cold sauces and dressings.

  • Prepare desserts

    Cook, bake, decorate and present hot and cold savoury and sweet pastry products, desserts and puddings.

  • Store kitchen supplies

    Keep delivered kitchen supplies for future use safely and hygienically according to guidelines.

  • Cook seafood

    Prepare seafood dishes. The complexity of the dishes will depend on the range of seafood used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.

Optional knowledge and skills

prepare pasta arrange special events compile cooking recipes operate kneading of food products serve food in table service clean surfaces buy groceries food allergies composition of diets provide food and beverages prepare sandwiches prepare salad dressings ensure cleanliness of food preparation area assess nutritional characteristics of food create decorative food displays train employees give instructions to staff operate mixing of food products plan menus prepare dietary meals dispose food waste blend food ingredients ensure regular maintenance of kitchen equipment prepare pizza manage staff

Source: Sisyphus ODB