Being a chef de cuisine, which is another term for a sous chef, has always been hard work, but it is a position that many section cooks aspire to. Sous chef jobs are interesting, relatively well paid and come with a certain level of prestige.
Naturally, if you are offered the position of sous chef your instinctive reaction is to say yes straight away. However, before you do so it may be wise to pause and ask yourself if it really is the right move for you. Not all sous jobs are the same, so here are a few things you need to bear in mind.
Pay
You need to establish what the pay actually is including any benefits. If you are currently working part time or on an adhoc basis as a personal chef you are unlikely to be able to continue to do so. Most chefs de cuisine work extremely long hours, so rarely has time for any other work.
How much freedom you will have
Some chefs assume that as the sous they will have a lot of freedom to decide what goes on in the kitchen. In most cases this is true, however, if your head chef is very controlling that may be able to do much your own way. You could end up working for someone who wants things done very differently from you, which can be extremely frustrating and potentially demoralising.
How much time you will actually spend cooking
Being a sous chef is not for everyone. If your true passion is cooking becoming a sous chef may not be the best move. In some kitchens, the sous chef does not have any time to cook instead they spend all day dealing with suppliers, doing admin and supervising.