Girard shipped out to sea at the age of 14 and by 1774 was captain of a ship involved in U.S. coastal trade with the West Indies. Stymied by British blockades of U.S. seaports during the Revolutionary War (1775â83), he settled in Philadelphia but resumed maritime trading after the war.
Although it's possible to find employment in kitchens before completing high school, a diploma helps if you want to get full-time work in better restaurants. While you're in high school, you may be able to take vocational classes in food safety, handling and cooking.
It's the highest level of achievement for an American chef, and it's not easy to earn the honor -- there are less than 100 [source: Chef2chef.net]. The first thing required to become a CMC is certification as an executive head chef or pastry chef. Then you need to pass the exam, held only once a year. The test is a grueling eight-day experience. Candidates are expected to know and execute just about everything dealing with the classical technique.