A junior chef, also called comis chef, works with station chefs to learn about the kitchen environment. This person has recently completed some studies or training and is starting to work in the culinary field. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a cook is “someone who prepares and cooks food”, while a chef is “an expert and trained cook who works in a hotel or restaurant”. These definitions imply that a chef is a type of cook, but they differ in that a chef has developed learned skills and has received training.
This definition would also suggest that chefs are likely to work in restaurants or have done so in the past. While these are the official definitions of cook and chef, people who work in the industry tend to have very strong and often different views on what constitutes each of them. It's these perceptions that we'll explore here. In addition to experience and training, the culinary school also offers young chefs the opportunity to decide what type of kitchen they see themselves in and what type of cooks they would like to be, and allows professionals to establish contacts with like-minded colleagues.
In other words, the role of specialized cooks is not a managerial position, but one that requires practical cooking and a specific set of culinary experience. For example, if you work at an upscale seafood restaurant, you're likely to find fish cooks and grill cooks. While chefs tend to specialize, cooks are more complete and are trained to work throughout the kitchen. Similarly, trained chefs may decide to move away from the kitchens and responsibilities of restaurants and pursue careers that may or may not involve cooking.
Some people think that working as a cook is a job and that working as a chef is a profession, but professional cooks are also common. A chef is usually a highly qualified culinary person with years of training and experience, while a cook is someone who has been taught to complete a task, but who may lack the technical knowledge, training, and certification to be considered a chef.
