A professional Chef will tell you that a good cook is made of in-kitchen experience, out of kitchen experience and a love of food.

In-Kitchen Experience:
The best way to get in-kitchen experience is to work in a kitchen. It's important to work in a kitchen with a team that fosters learning. Starting part-time is a great idea because you'll be exposed to the industry without any real commitment. Someone who hires you for part time work will be looking for you to be reliable (on time, every time, never missing a shift) and hard working (do what you're told, try hard, work fast).

Out of kitchen experience:
This is gained through life experience. Gordon Ramsay didn't start with a professional pallet or an extensive repertoire of ingredients. Professional Chefs learn these things by traveling, tasting and experiencing food. They carefully build a set of influences that define who they are as a Chef and what they cook.

Love of food:
Chefs love food. They don't just love eating it, they love learning about it, seeing it, touching it, smelling it, and serving it. I know this sounds weird but any true professional (in any industry) who loves what they do shares this affinity. Chefs generally talk fondly of their time in culinary school. They are quickly exposed to the things they love and even though it's very difficult, they look back on their school experiences as a major benefit.

So, I'd suggest that you start part-time in the kitchen like you want. Spend NO MORE then 1 year there. Move to a different kitchen in under a year so that you're not tied to one place. Don't burn any bridges - tell the Chef what you're doing and he or she will help you. These Chefs need to be your best friend. Their help will be invaluable in the future. Don't forget to work at the front of the house for at least a little bit of time... it's very important to know customers AND food.

After you have worked in a kitchen for long enough to know that you love it, go to school. Find a good culinary institute and take the shortest program that you can to obtain some qualifications.

Next, travel. Bank on your experience with the Chefs that you have worked for and the teachers at your school - ask them to help you line up 3 to 5 restaurants overseas where you can do a training tour. Take a year and work for these restaurants. Listen more then you talk and take careful notes of key ingredients and processes.

Last, become a Sous Chef at a well known, high class restaurant. You won't make much money (barely enough to live), but this part is key. After a year or two successfully "Sous Cheffing", find an restaurateur with at least one successful restaurant under his or her belt. Partner with him or her to become the Executive Chef and rock it out.

Build a portfolio of successful reviews (they won't all be two thumbs up), customer comment cards, celebrity endorsements and live the life of a successful Chef.

The retirement plan for many Chef's is to become a Chef Owner. This isn't for everyone because many Chef's don't have the skills (or even desire) to run a business. If you get to this point in your career and don't think that you'll make a good sole owner, become an investor. Simply put money into restaurants / other Chefs that you know will be successful. Take a small percentage from the revenue each of these restaurants and help out in the kitchen as required.

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