International Chef Day is a holiday observed on the 20th of October every year. It is a day to give recognition to all the professionals around the world who are busy making culinary delights for us to enjoy.

However, we feel that this day should not only celebrate the people at the top of their culinary game but also all the food service workers who work hard in kitchens across the country.

In the U.S. alone, there are almost a million head cooks, chefs, and food supervisors working in food service. It doesn’t matter if we call them executive chefs, sous chefs, or chefs de partie; they all do important culinary work. Let’s show them some appreciation for this holiday.

The History of International Chef Day

International Chef Day was created by Dr. Bill Gallagher in 2004. He was not only an esteemed chef but also the president of the World Association of Chefs Societies. He created this day to celebrate chefs all over the world and acknowledge the hard work they do every single day.

Facts About Chefs You Might Not Know

Okay, let’s dig a little deeper into the subject of chefs and the culinary magic they perform. Most people don’t know what chefs do other than preparing food, so we thought we’d list some other interesting facts about these professionals.

• Head cooks and chefs who work in travel, seafood, and performing arts are some of the ones that earn the highest salaries.
• The average age of an executive chef is 39 years old.
• Chefs can specialize in one culinary area. Poissoniers deal with seafood, Grillardins specialize in grilled foods, and Garde Mangers deal with cold foods.
• Sauciers deal with gravies and other sauces, Rotisseurs deal with braised and roasted meats, and Bouchers are expert preparers of meats.
• Chefs are a cross between scientists and artists.
• Many chefs will have a special knife that is perfectly balanced.

Observing International Chef Day

This holiday is observed by over 100 different chef organizations every year. Each year, there is also a theme that focuses the public spotlight on particular areas of the chef profession.

Past themes include “Art on a Plate” in 2016, “Healthy Foods for Growing Up” in 2018, and “Preparing Children for a Healthy Life” in 2022. People can spread the news about this holiday and its theme online using the hashtag #InternationalChefDay on social media.