Luis Pous, executive chef, Asia de Cuba
The first tip would be that in order to become a head chef, you need to have a good foundation — meaning either attending culinary school or the old school way — going through the ranks and working your way up. Starting at the bottom whether it be as a dishwasher or a prep cook and working your way up to a sous chef, executive sous chef etc.
The second tip would be that you need to work hard and you need to give yourself time — becoming a head chef doesn't happen overnight and you cannot rush it. In order to become a solid head chef you need to go through a variety of situations and steps in different positions, such as working in a free standing restaurant, having hotel experience and so forth. To be a solid head chef it doesn't just involve kitchen. It’s also about hiring and training staff, guiding and inspiring people and being involved in public relations. Yes, cooking skills are important but there are also things that life will teach you that you will incorporate over time. Becoming a head chef is not fast track; you need to go through all of these things.
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The last tip would be to make sure that you concentrate on one goal, your cuisine. You need to have a clear idea and direction of what you what in your career. You don’t necessarily have to stick to one cuisine, but you have to have a strong vision of what you want instead of going with the trends. Go with what your heart tells you.
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