Today, you have the opportunity to specialize, or focus your career, on one particular branch of the culinary arts. However, even if you think garde manger will ultimately be your career specialty, you should spend time working on the hot side as well. Experience in baking and pastry is also a plus. Once you have gained some well-rounded work experience, you can then settle in to a career in garde manger.
The field of garde manger requires a specific set of talents, skills, and personal characteristics. While many of these attributes are the same as those for chefs in other culinary fields, some are unique to garde manger.