To become a chef de partie, you will need to gain experience as a cook and demonstrate proficiency in at least one area of cooking. If you wish to get a job working as a chef de partie, sometimes called a line cook, in a large kitchen, you may also need management experience, as you may have to train and manage additional staff. While formal education may help you to get a job working as a chef, becoming a chef de partie requires you to demonstrate real-life success in working in a kitchen. A chef de partie is in charge of a particular kitchen station, so must not only have good cooking skills, but must also be able to effectively work with subordinates.
As you begin your quest to become a chef de partie, you may wish to try getting a job in a restaurant kitchen working in any capacity so as to gain experience and determine whether the culinary world is a good fit for you. If you are currently in high school, you may also wish to take cooking classes, which can help you to understand whether you like working with food. Some high schools may also offer more advanced vocational classes for those who are interested in working in restaurants. After you graduate, you may decide to attend a culinary school program offered through a vocational school, community college, or even through some four-year universities. If you do decide to pursue culinary education, make sure that you go to a school that offers you internship opportunities so you can get kitchen experience.
If you decide to not go to school to become a chef de partie, you will want to get an entry-level job in the kitchen. If you have no education or experience, you may have to start out as a dishwasher or working under the close supervision of a chef doing simple prep work. As you continue in your career, you should seek out more responsibility and pay careful attention to the instruction of your superiors in learning how to improve your cooking skills. If you work in a smaller kitchen, you may eventually become a chef de partie when your superior leaves or is promoted. Over time, you may also gain enough experience working in a particular section of the kitchen that you can eventually leave for another establishment and take over as a station chef.
