Any chefs out there?

Stingray89 · #1 01-01-2010, 05:30 PM

Hey people, I was just wondering if there were any people out there who are chefs that could give me some advice/tips. I'm 20 years old and have been trying to decide what to do with my life, i'm saving up money now to go back to college this fall and was going to enroll in the culinary arts program there. So if anyone out there has words of wisdom they'd like to give me, it'd be appreciated.

MJ5150 · #2 01-01-2010, 05:38 PM

I wish I was 20 again. I would love to have gone to culinary school. I totally enjoy cooking and preparing food for people.

The only advise I have is from watching cooking shows on TV like Hells Kitchen and Chopped. If your heart isn't into it, you will suck. Make sure you really want this for a career.

-Mike

WookieeForLife · #3 01-01-2010, 05:40 PM

I am a pizza chef. My specialty is plain.

ADbassman · #4 01-01-2010, 06:06 PM

I'm a chef at a gourmet restaurant.

Don't believe anything you see on the TV. That isn't the industry.

I recommend getting an entry level job in the culinary field, and if you still like it after working there for around 6 months or so, apply to culinary school.

Also realize you don't have to go to culinary school to do well in this field. I have limited formal training and mostly know what I know through apprenticeship and competition.

There willl be times when you'll want to hang yourself in the walk in, and there will also be some extremely rewarding moments. By and large I love what I do, but at the same time this isn't my permanent career. I know plenty of chefs that feel locked in their industry cause they have no other skills or never went to college. I'm fortunate in that I have a bachelors degree in addition to my culinary training.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions that you have.

MJ5150 · #5 01-01-2010, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADbassman

Don't believe anything you see on the TV. That isn't the industry.

I'm going to tell Gordon Ramsay you said this!!!!

-Mike

Unrepresented · #6 01-02-2010, 08:25 AM

I don't have any firsthand experience, but from what I've heard from friends in the industry is that the hours are ridiculously long, the stress is high, and the pay is relatively low. YMMV of course...

rr5025 · #7 01-02-2010, 09:40 AM

I've also heard it's very stressful.

WookieeForLife · #8 01-02-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rr5025

I've also heard it's very stressful.

I worked in 3 kitchens, and this is true.

Nightlyraider · #9 01-02-2010, 10:40 AM

I'm 23, and love cooking.

I'd recommend you find a career with better odds of success, and cook on the side. The vast majority of Kitchen work is line work, nothing like putting together a whole meal that you see Emeril doing on TV.

Unless you are truly the "Head Chef", you pretty much need to work your own kitchen, in a restaurant you own/know owner of to work a kitchen your way; not just be a slave in 140 degree temps.

Also there has been a huge influx in Culinary School attendance lately, flooding the market with "Chefs with Degrees". This means absolutely nothing to most people; but the people you know and the food you actually make means everything.

shadowtippy · #10 01-02-2010, 10:43 AM

I am not a chef, but I have cooked professionally. The hours are long and the work is hard, but the pay isn't all that great. It can also be rewarding. Some of my creations are almost works of art for the palatte (sp).

COOL AND DEADLY · #11 01-02-2010, 10:45 AM

The Ace of Cakes guy is a bassist. We are playing a show with his band in Philly.

blendermassacre · #12 01-02-2010, 11:47 AM

Not to mention I've never seen more abuse of hard drugs and alcohol then when I was working in a kitchen. When a dude is working a double and snorts cocaine off of a dumpster, you know it's a bad day.

ADbassman · #13 01-02-2010, 04:26 PM

+1 to pretty much everything said here.

Long hours, hard work, interesting working conditions, drug abuse, chain smokers, etc. Granted, there are just so many restaurants out there that your experience will vary widely.

I've worked in restaurants where co-workers were doing coke on the line and other times where I've worked with convicted felons and other shady characters. I'm fortunate in that I now work in a restaurant where most everyone has an education and actually like working there. We all feel like a big family, so it doesn't feel like work. Those are the most rewarding types of restaurants in my opinion.

Someone else mentioned that the there has been an influx of chefs with culinary degrees out in industry. That is very true. It's not enough to just have an education, you have to be able to apply it in innovative and creative ways. Your food has to taste and be well marketed if you're going to get anywhere. This is all assuming you want to get up to head chef or executive chef level.

Also, never forget that a restaurant is a business. You can make the best food in the world, but if you're not selling it, you're not doing your job right.

WookieeForLife · #14 01-02-2010, 09:35 PM

Give you a low down about cooking at an entry level. First job was great, treated me like family. They went under, weren't making enought cash to cover costs. Second job, kitchen was dirty as hell and the head chef was ruthless, screaming that he was gunna beat a 16 year old's face in. Now I work at a fast pace pizza place. It's the median of both. I love making food and pizza. Be quick and accurate and you will be praised. If you are slow, but accurate you will be warned to speed up. If you are fast but inaccurate, you will probably be fired. Best of luck to you. Just like any job field, it will take work to achieve what you want.

standupright · #15 01-02-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADbassman

I'm a chef at a gourmet restaurant.

Don't believe anything you see on the TV. That isn't the industry.

I recommend getting an entry level job in the culinary field, and if you still like it after working there for around 6 months or so, apply to culinary school.

Also realize you don't have to go to culinary school to do well in this field. I have limited formal training and mostly know what I know through apprenticeship and competition.

There willl be times when you'll want to hang yourself in the walk in, and there will also be some extremely rewarding moments. By and large I love what I do, but at the same time this isn't my permanent career. I know plenty of chefs that feel locked in their industry cause they have no other skills or never went to college. I'm fortunate in that I have a bachelors degree in addition to my culinary training.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions that you have.

you're a chef at a gourmet restaurant?

standupright · #16 01-02-2010, 10:11 PM

but seriously, what kind of stuff do you want to know.