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What Does a Cooking Coach Do?

Lily Ruha
Lily Ruha

A cooking coach guides people through buying the right meal ingredients, following a recipe and properly cooking and serving food. Outlining the ingredients of a recipe, explaining which utensils to use and identifying the temperatures to set for cooking various meats are a few examples of instructions that might be given by a cooking coach. Many cooking coaches work in cooking schools, restaurants and food stores. Some teach from a distance through hosting television shows, creating videos or maintaining websites. Traveling to people's homes to demonstrate cooking techniques also is common for some cooking coaches.

The main objective of a cooking coach is to teach people how to cook. Cooking coaches typically gain knowledge and skills through a formal education in a culinary school and/or extensive cooking experience. A coach might work with beginning students in a cooking school. It also is common to guide large numbers of cooking assistants in a restaurant, sharing tips on how to choose fresh ingredients and how to coordinate cooking tasks. Some food stores also hire cooking coaches to interact with customers and answer questions such as which flour to use for gluten-free cake or how long to soak beans.

Many cooking coaches work in restaurants.
Many cooking coaches work in restaurants.

Some cooking coaches teach by giving presentations on television shows and videos or by maintaining their own websites. The typical tasks of a cooking coach include selecting a dish to cook, providing a list of ingredients and guiding viewers or readers through detailed steps. Instructions also might be provided on where to find rare ingredients for a cultural dish or how to determine whether a particular fruit is ripe. Which cooking utensils to use and how to serve the food are other areas of instruction. When learning from a videotape or a website, students typically benefit from the ability to replay or reread the coach's instructions.

Coaches explain which cooking utensils and tools are appropriate for certain jobs in the kitchen.
Coaches explain which cooking utensils and tools are appropriate for certain jobs in the kitchen.

People who want to improve their cooking skills might hire a cooking coach who travels to private homes. This type of coach typically has a conversation with the client ahead of time to agree on a particular dish. Depending on the particular circumstances, the client and coach might meet at the grocery store to select the right ingredients for the meal. Instruction is then delivered in the home as the coach demonstrates how to slice foods, provides ideal cooking temperatures, cooks items in a particular order and explains how to avoid burning or under-cooking food. Coaches who work privately with clients often charge on an hourly or per-project basis.

Discussion Comments

Talentryto

@rundocuri- If your nephew likes the idea of showing people how to cook to eat more healthful diets to improve their health, he should think about getting a degree as a dietician. This would open so many doors for him, from working in the healthcare field or instructing individuals who are striving to eat better.

Heavanet

@rundocuri- I think that the best answer to your question depends on what type of cooking coach your nephew would want to be. You should ask him if he would rather work on his own or with a large group of to help guide him in the right direction.

Regardless of whether he would like to help individuals learn how to cook or instruct cooking techniques in a classroom setting, your nephew is going to need a degree in culinary arts. This will give him an educational foundation for a cooking coach career as well as knowledge about the field of cooking. Universities and colleges offer different types of culinary arts degrees, including two and four year programs.

I think that it would also help your nephew to begin getting experience as a cook. A part-time job in the restaurant industry would be great for him, because it will give him hands-on experience about how to cook and work with others.

Rundocuri

I have a nephew who loves to cook and show others how to cook, so I think he would enjoy working a a cooking coach. He is in his last year of high school, and is exploring different career options. I'm wondering what kind of training and experience he would need to work in this field.

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    • Many cooking coaches work in restaurants.
      By: CandyBox Images
      Many cooking coaches work in restaurants.
    • Coaches explain which cooking utensils and tools are appropriate for certain jobs in the kitchen.
      By: sumnersgraphicsinc
      Coaches explain which cooking utensils and tools are appropriate for certain jobs in the kitchen.
    • A cooking coach may help someone make a baking mix for gluten-free cookies and other baked goods.
      By: sarahdoow
      A cooking coach may help someone make a baking mix for gluten-free cookies and other baked goods.
    • A cooking coach may teach a client how to prepare a specific dish or meal.
      By: Xavier MARCHANT
      A cooking coach may teach a client how to prepare a specific dish or meal.
    • Some cooking coaches focus on creating healthier dishes.
      By: Ljupco Smokovski
      Some cooking coaches focus on creating healthier dishes.