While the profession of a chef has certainly evolved over the past few centuries, it is definitely a career that has deep roots in history. According to historians, the profession of chef as we know it probably began in ancient Assyria. Since so many rulers were assassinated by poisoning, a chef was carefully selected to guard the king’s life. As a special distinction, the chef was given a hat to wear that looked like a crown – similar to the toque that chefs wear today.
In 776 BCE, a chef became famous – not for his foods, but for his athletic prowess. Coroebus of Elis, a cook, became the first winner of the Olympic sprint race. In 258 AD, a chef gained notoriety as well as canonization: Saint Lawrence, the patron saint of chefs, was burned at the stake.
Royalty definitely played a role in the development of culinary traditions, and hence the profession of chefs. Charles VII of France (born in 1403) had a mistress named Agnes Sorel who became a celebrated cook as well. The Medici dynasty out of Florence also heightened the artistry of cooking. When Catherine de Medici of France married King Henry II of France, she brought several Italian chefs with her who altered the course of French cuisine for centuries. In 1718, John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, was born. He developed the first sandwich so that he could eat without pausing his gambling. Later, Captain Cook named the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) after him.
The History of Restaurant
The restaurant as we know it was really developed in the 1700s. Boulanger is widely regarded as the first restauranteur. His bouillon shop, established in 1765, is regarded by many to be the first of the modern restaurants in France. In 1766, Mathurin Roze de Chantolseau came to Paris with the idea of establishing a restaurant. In 1782, Beauvilliers established a restaurant, the first of its kind with a menu and individual tables. Called the Grande Taverne de Londres, this establishment set the tone for the modern restaurant.
It’s an idea that has been popular across the globe for centuries now. There are currently over 209,819 limited service restaurants; 266,534 limited service eating places; and 217,282 full service restaurants in America.
Becoming a Chef: What You Should Know
The concept of going to school to become a chef is relatively new. Le Cordon Bleu, the world’s most famous cooking school, began in 1895 as a magazine for trading recipes. Now it numbers over 20,000 students. The Culinary Institute of America was originally established as a vocational training program for veterans returning from the war in 1946. Now it boasts 2,757 students in three states. The New England Culinary Institute was founded in 1980 and is the smallest vocational chef school at 500 students.
No matter where you choose to get your training and no matter what path you choose to follow, the future for chefs looks bright and the salaries are good. Whether you train to be a saucier or a patissier, you should know that the lowest average salary for chefs is around $22,120. On average a chef earns $38,770, but the highest salaries can average around $66,680.
The lowest salaries are typically found in the restaurant industry, which averages $39,930. Special food services rank a little higher at $43,600. Travel accommodations typically average above $50,000, while the recreation industries can go above $50,720.