Cooking has always been a popular hobby, but the recent explosion of competitive cooking shows and food blogs have captured the imagination of the public, causing more people to wonder if they have what it takes to be a successful chef. While having a dream is good, the reality is that pursuing a career in the culinary arts takes a lot of hard work.

But while you might not become the next celebrity chef, there are few jobs as gratifying as becoming a chef if you love to spend most of your free time in the kitchen. Since so many people share the desire to cook for a living, the competition can be fierce for job openings.

Perhaps the best way to position yourself for a job in the food industry is to enroll in a culinary school where you can learn about the business and improve your chops in the kitchen. Some schools offer job placement assistance, so that’s one way to get a foot in the door.

But before you head off to school, you may want to consider the different types of positions available for chefs and which ones might be the most suited to your talents. That way, you can choose a school that offers a career-focused program in the field in which you are interested, just as you would with any other college degree. Here are a few of the typical jobs held by chefs and their duties:

Executive chef: This job is less about the actual cooking and more about developing the menu and concept behind the restaurant. Such a job usually takes years of experience to attain and often comes with more involvement on the business side of the restaurant.

Sous chef: Also known as an assistant chef, the sous chef is akin to the general of the kitchen in a larger restaurant, passing down orders from the executive chefs and supervising cooks and kitchen staff.

Demi chef: These types of chefs specialize in one type of cooking or food preparation and may or may not have other kitchen staff to help him or her. An example of this type of chef would be a sushi chef or a chef in charge of the appetizer menu at a restaurant.

Pastry chef: Pastry chefs could work in a specific restaurant or provide the desserts for a number of restaurants.

Personal chef: You don’t have to work in a restaurant to be considered a chef, as many people earn a living cooking meals for individuals who can afford to hire them.

Research chef: Many chefs are also hired to develop products for food manufacturers.

Once you figure out what type of career interests you, check out what type of training is offered in the cities where you would consider living. If you need help, you can visit www.culinaryschools.org, where schools can be sorted by state and area of emphasis.