Who doesn’t want to become a chef these days? Those guys and gals in the funny (usually) white jackets live the lives of rock stars, with their own television shows, tours of great locations in the company of famous actresses, and become ga-zillionaires with lucrative product and licensing deals. If only it were that easy. But although the odds of getting tapped for next season’s Top Chef may be slim, the career potential for well-trained chefs is getting better and better.

Food preparation is a growth industry and while high-end restaurants report they are experiencing the effects of a slow economy, people still have to eat, and more often than not, there is a chef involved. Think about it for a minute. With more families needing at least two incomes, pre-prepared meals are becoming the norm at the dinner table. Those meals are designed, tested and marketed by large food companies. The culinary and industrial giants have teams of chefs working to develop menus for this growing market and they offer employment contracts that include 401Ks, excellent health care benefits and other perks.

For chefs who have additional training in nutrition and special diets, career opportunities include hospitals and senior living facilities. Chefs with an interest and training in children’s nutritional needs can find excellent placement with schools and food-service companies that provide pre-made meals for educational institutions. And for chefs who combine an expertise in healthful nutrition with haute cuisine, spas and health clubs offer some exciting career choices.

Hotels, resorts, cruise ships and other vacation venues offer chefs with a taste for adventure some truly unique opportunities to combine food and far-away places. In the intensely competitive world of event catering, chefs who have been trained in a variety of cuisines are always in demand. And then, there is the world of the personal chef.

So how do you get in line for one of these fabulous jobs? Sure, maybe you can cook, but there is more to it than putting on an apron and grabbing chef’s knife. Top chefs are the product of rigorous programs that do more than sharpen your knife skills and expand your palate. Training programs offer courses in kitchen management, cost control and how to maintain a commercial kitchen that meets all the local health codes. And many schools offer specialized training in specific areas. Are cakes and pies your passion? Then perhaps you want to focus on becoming a pastry chef.

You can earn a certificate in a few months or opt for a culinary degree from a fully accredited program. This is a field with options, so take a good look at the full range of career opportunities, and find the chef’s program that is right for you. Top-Colleges is an excellent source of information, giving future chefs a wide range of choices, from certification programs to a full culinary education. Check out all the options. Who knows, you might just get that call from the Food Network!