When you say you want to become a good, professional chef someday, it actually takes more than just saying what you really want to be. If you are decided to be a chef and do all of the chef's job for a living, it is important that you maintain the positive attitude that all chefs exhibit while working professionally regardless its in a world-class hotel kitchen or not.
Dreaming big and doing what it takes to get what you want needs hard work. Dreaming to become a chef someday requires most of your time to work in the kitchen. But a person who aspires to become a chef has to know not only the cooking basics but also how the kitchen hierarchy works. A large kitchen which is usually what large establishments have, need all the management it can get from everybody working in it. When you are among the cooks in this type of kitchen, its important to know who you can approach at the right time. This makes cooking and working at the same time efficient for you and fellow chefs.
But for the meantime, you may want to put the following common terms that are often used in the kitchen.
Kitchens on big establishments and hotels will always have a chef that has authority over everybody. The Executive Chef has the topmost position relating to the kitchen hierarchy but this person has the most number of responsibilities to fulfill as well. Next to him is the Head chef or also called Chef de Cuisine which is usually referred to as the immediate superior of all the other cooks. He has the authority to hire or fire someone. Next to him is the Sous chef which takes orders from the Head Chef. A Sous Chef should follow whatever it is that is instructed to him by the Head Chef.
The Chef de Partie is the one responsible for making sure that the food goes out of the kitchen properly. Helping him out is the Commis chef which is also a bit ahead of the Aides or the trainees. This people all make up the orderly structure and work flow in the kitchen. Through this, you'll also have an idea which role you will want to pursue and achieve.
