It is no secret that the culinary field is extremely competitive, and
chef Chad Clift has slowly but surely found his way to success over a
fifteen year long career. Many people wonder how to develop a successful
career as a chef or other culinary professional, and Clift has found
that it takes years of dedication and passion for food, good training,
and a little bit of luck.
Clift had developed an interest in
food in his early teen years, but it wasn’t until college that he
started seriously training in food. Many would consider this a late
start, but Clift’s dedication and willingness to learn gave him a leg up
on the other students. He has a naturally strong attention to detail,
which helped him develop strong technique quickly, as well as present
himself well. It is crucial for a chef to be clean and well-composed in
the kitchen, and Clift found that focusing on good composure not only
kept him calm in stressful situations, but also helped him catch the
attention of his teachers, and later, potential employers.
Once he developed strong technique, Clift found that being creative helped him advance and stand apart from his competition. He consistently worked outside of the box by keeping an open mind about ingredients and techniques he could use to develop new dishes. He also made sure to be friendly and make connections with other culinary professionals, as this helped him to network later on in his career. Chad Clift recommends that young chefs start by focusing on technique, and then later expand their horizons by experimenting with new kinds of food.
Clift had developed an interest in
food in his early teen years, but it wasn’t until college that he
started seriously training in food. Many would consider this a late
start, but Clift’s dedication and willingness to learn gave him a leg up
on the other students. He has a naturally strong attention to detail,
which helped him develop strong technique quickly, as well as present
himself well. It is crucial for a chef to be clean and well-composed in
the kitchen, and Clift found that focusing on good composure not only
kept him calm in stressful situations, but also helped him catch the
attention of his teachers, and later, potential employers.Once he developed strong technique, Clift found that being creative helped him advance and stand apart from his competition. He consistently worked outside of the box by keeping an open mind about ingredients and techniques he could use to develop new dishes. He also made sure to be friendly and make connections with other culinary professionals, as this helped him to network later on in his career. Chad Clift recommends that young chefs start by focusing on technique, and then later expand their horizons by experimenting with new kinds of food.
