When boy meets the culinary world: Advice and inspiration for young cooks

Based on TV representation, the world of professional culinary arts seems a tough one. With or without a screaming, tyrannical executive chef like Gordon Ramsay, the demands of working in a professional kitchen are consistently high. The challenge is always there to prepare the best food from the best quality ingredients under immense time pressure.

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A host of opportunities await the young cook who dares to take on the challenge. Head chef is the ultimate dream of many aspiring cooks, so as becoming sous chef. Both jobs take on the challenging but rewarding job of navigating the course of the professional kitchen.

For the aspiring cook, walking into a big kitchen can be an intimidating, fearsome experience. But here are ways to help the novice cook confront the initial anxiety and help run the kitchen with flying colors.

1. Focus. Cat Cora, the first female chef on "Iron Chef America" and host of "America's Best Cook," admits to facing the same nerve-wracking feeling in every challenging kitchen situation. But when the head starts spinning in anxiety, she says: "I just look down at my food, get my thoughts together, and tackle it again.”

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2. Move with efficiency. A huge kitchen is as noisy and chaotic a busy street. Get distracted by the chaos and stress and you'll end up running around like a headless chicken. Collect your thoughts, put a premium on preparation, and cut all unnecessary moves. Also, avoid talking unless spoken to or when needing clarification.

3. Never pretend to know more than what you can do. The rule of thumb is to under-promise and over-deliver. Try to impress colleagues and the chef not by floating intimidating French terms but by learning the most complex techniques and producing a consistent product.

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Civic hero and Cornell University student Justin Crell was once an aspiring cook who worked his way up to become a sous chef in a New Jersey restaurant. Visit this site to know more about his work and advocacy.