Are you planning or desiring to become an agency chef? No doubt, the hospitality and hotel industry is experiencing sharp growth. This aspect is increasing the demand for chefs. The one million dollar question remains, what does an agency chef do?
However, finding a qualified and experienced chef ready to commit to a permanent position is a challenge. A good number of such chefs are already running their pastry businesses or opting for freelancing jobs.
As a chef, you are wondering which the best option is. Do you consider a permanent position or go the agency way? To help you make the right decision, read on to know what an agency chef does.
Who is an agency chef?
Before getting into what they do, it is essential to understand who an agency chef is. This chef work under an agency. They are usually self-employed chefs running a hospitality or catering services agency or a limited company.
In other words, they are not residential chefs. You hire them to prepare a given recipe for a given time. They are not in charge of the entire kitchen process unless it is part of their assigned task. So, what does an agency chef do? Here are some of their tasks:
Prepare specialized recipes
Do you love working on a single recipe at a time? Working as a chef can be an awesome experience. You have a chance to oversee all the processes going on in the kitchen. However, working as a permanent chef comes with different challenges. For instance, you work extra hours and tight schedule.
For an agency chef, your job is different. You do not need to mind what other chefs or cooks in the kitchen are preparing. Your role is to prepare the assigned and specialized recipes. For example, the agency assigns you to be a sous chef, you do not need to undertake or oversee a pastry process.
Work with different client
Permanent chefs work for a single client. When working as one, you can only do what your employer assigns and requires from you. Agency chefs are flexible. They do not work for a specific client.
Instead, they work with different clients as per assigned tasks. You can work in a restaurant today but get an outside catering position tomorrow. Also, you might travel to work in international opportunities depending on your agency networks.
Try new menu and recipes
Do you love flexibility and learning new things? When you work as an agency chef, you get a chance to try different menu and recipes. You will enjoy preparing local and international cuisines. Also, you can try new menus to see if your clients will like them.
As you work with different clients, you get a chance to learn and improve your skills. You do not need to have a daily schedule or set of recipes to prepare. So, you try new recipes and work for a given time as per your contract.
Work on their specialized hospitality niche
Specialization is essential in any field. Unlike the permanent chefs, you do not do anything and everything in the kitchen. Agency chefs specialize in a given niche. A restaurant can hire you to prepare pastry only if that is your area of specialization. So, as an agency chef, you do what you know best and work-life balance is not a foreign term for you.
Wrapping up
In a word, an agency chef’s job is flexible. It offers you an opportunity to work on your own time and schedule. Also, you can gain new experience as you work in different environments and with varying clients. Hence, you now know what this type of chef does and can make your decisions whether it is worthy or not.
Before you make the bold decision of becoming an agency chef, here are some tips for you.
Do you need an agency chef? Get your quote right away.