What's the role of an executive chef?

I'm thinking about getting into the culinary industry and wanted to learn more about the role of an executive chef. What kind of responsibilities do they have in a restaurant, and what skills or experience are needed?

An Executive Chef, also known as a Head Chef, is essentially the leader of a professional kitchen. They're responsible for managing the culinary team and overseeing all kitchen operations. Here's a closer look at some of their key duties:

Planning and Designing Menus: Executive Chefs often design and plan the menus at restaurants. This includes developing recipes, deciding on the style of cuisine, determining menu prices and planning portion sizes.

Food Preparation: While they may not be involved in the daily food preparing, they monitor the quality of the food, enforcing standards and ensuring consistency.

Training and Managing Kitchen Staff: An executive chef supervises and trains other chefs, cooks and kitchen staff. They assign duties, schedule shifts and coordinate the work of the kitchen staff.

Ordering Supplies: They're also responsible for estimating food requirements and ordering food supplies. They ensure that high-quality ingredients are used and that supplies are stocked efficiently.

Budget Management: Managing a budget is another crucial element of an executive chef's role. They must plan out and adhere to a budget, including identifying areas to cut costs while maintaining the quality of food and service.

Maintaining Safety and Sanitation Standards: Compliance with health and safety regulations is a critical part of a chef's job. They have to ensure the kitchen's cleanliness, food safety, and workplace safety standards.

As for the skills or experience needed, this often requires a combination of education (like a degree in culinary arts) and on-the-job training. However, many executive chefs have risen through kitchen ranks, starting as line cooks and gaining experience over years of work. Key skills include leadership, organization, creativity, and a deep knowledge and passion for food. Being able to handle pressure and solve problems quickly during service is also important.