Chef.... why? its not worth it!

[Pastachef]

I make good money considering that I'm only a cook. I have a lot of responsibilities and have to provide a nutritious menu as well as an interesting one. I'm constantly looking for something new or better. I do a lot of dirty work too, but I feel so blessed in having a job that I love so much. So often on pay day I have forgotten that I have a check coming. I was just having fun

You get paid what your worth and what you put in. Sure enough I agree in some aspects of your comments but really being a chef is one of the most demanding jobs in the world and if your expecting to do 40 hours a week for top dollar, get out...I work 75 hours a week, look after two restaurants in two different establishments, provided with a car and a very good wage, I love the trade and would not ever consider doing anything else. I dont have much of a life outside cooking but thats my choice Young people often ask what its like to be a Chef. Some love it and some hate it I say. I love it.

[holydiver]

We don"t expect 40 hours a week at top dollar we prefer 75 hours a week at top dollar salary is a sham to not only not pay ot but to not even pay a livable hourly wage nobody should average 7 or 8 dollars an hour on salary that is pathetic.

[W.DeBord]

I actually recieve a large check from a former employeer several months after I quit. I was salaried and never recieved any compensation for OT. Someone called me at home and asked me several questions about my former job and then a pay check showed up in the mail.

It took me along time to figure-out what it was about because I didn't understand the law. I do know it burned the bridge between me and them, somehow they thought I was the one who blew the whisle. Oh, well.


I can't believe how so many intelligent people can keep quite for sooo long. This guilt that "but I love my job" isn't a good reason to settle for poor wages and obscene hours. United we stand, divided we fall!

[CampChef]

Here we are falling once again into the "we vs. they" mentality. What do I do if I'm the owner? Do I then ahve to pay myself extra $$ for "overtime"? Almost every job I've had has had in the job description hours will be as needed and will average 50-60 hours a week and may exceed that. None of us is so naive to come into a job in this industry and be shocked at the hours. I'm not against negotiating for the best pay you are worth, but to cry because your not making what someone in another industry is making is just whining. I'll say it again, if you're not getting paid what you're worth, go somewhere else. In our area, any half decent chef can get a job in less that a day, and the pay is pretty good. But if you don't like what you're doing, you will be obsessed with the number of hours and the "Woe is me" attitude and you will never be happy in your position. I'm ranting a bit, but I've been on both sides of this issue, as an owner and an employee, and I've found that money and hours are not usually the root of the problem. It's self respect, self confidence and a passion for the job.

if it is money you need to be happy there is plenty if you know where to look and are willing to work for it. I was location chef for film and television for 5 years and never made less than 75k. But I busted my arse. I literally worked 85-95 hours a week and sometimes more. I left the business for that reason. But for someone young and with out a familly it is a great experience. I now work in my uncle's rest and am very happy. I now have much more time for my familly and I am supplementing my income by playing music. I think it's all about time management and love for the work.

[holydiver]

You know I really take offense to being called a whiner it is exactly that attitude that ruins this industry why do you think their is a shortage of help in this profession because of that attitude. One day you will see that nobody will wanna cook for a living move out of the dark ages.

[foodnfoto]

My problem with the restaurant industry is that it seems to be exempt from the kind of acceptable labor standands that are applied to every other production-based business in the US. Would you say to garment workers that get paid a $200 weekly salary for an 80 hour work week in dangerous and unsafe conditions "Thats the nature of the industry. If you don't like it find something else"? People are outraged at factory owners that exploit their workers that way. Well, what's the difference between garment production and food production? I don't see any. There are plenty of people who are passionate about sewing but labor laws don't allow them to be exploited (although lack of enforcement allows exploitation to happen, anyway.) Why should food service be exempt from such scrutiny? If you are a business owner, pay people a living wage for appropriate work and responsibility, then calculate your costs and affix retail price according to your costs.
It's not quantum physics, my friends.

[W.DeBord]

I'm with you footnfoto 100%!

Once upon a time it used to be normal for the head chef to be a screaming, ranting even dangerous person. Now if the guys a screaming idiot no one stays and puts up with it.

As more of our workers are school taught instead of "from the school of hard knocks" I think they'll be changes. Hopefully we'll see ourselfs as professionals and expect to be treated as such.

I was an owner too, you should be paying yourself first. The cheapest price doesn't get the most business unless the food is good. The better your food the more you can ask for it.

P.S. Shoes now average around $100. a pair, Wake-up!

[Pastachef]

Wonderful posts. It definitely can be a dangerous job too. I have bruises all over from various things I have to do, as well as burn scars. I didn't realize that wages was a problem in this industry. I've been in the same job for ten years.

[cape chef]

This is a great topic,

I agree with you foodnfoto on your analogy of factory workers. I also agree with W.dbord on the statement about more educated chefs coming into the work field will slowly raise the bridge. As more and more people enter our industry with degrees and the like. I think it will be a benifit to us all, I also strongly believe there is no substitute for on the job experence.I find many people taking advantage of the abundent choices now availible in our industry,and less people coming to the kitchen to make careers.One of the most problematic issues is the fact that so many establishments do not offer benifites to there staff,thid can be a powerful deterent to someone considering a career in the private sector of our industry.You can graduate collage at 20 something and land a job in finaince,wall street,Tech,computors etc and be paid a fine salary with benifites with weekend and holidays off,with vacation pay,sick days and the like. You can graduate from culinary school and land a job with a fair salary,no benifites,vacation pay,sick days and you work almost every weekend and holiday.So whats the attraction to what we do? I think it all starts with "Passion" I sence of well being by performing a job (art form or craft)
That these people on the "other side" can't even begine to understand. I've been in the industry for over 20 years now and I have to say it is better then it once was. I to worked for a number of chefs who's idea of motivating there staff was to bully them around,It still happins today,but much less then before.I've been a salaried employee for most of my career and I get sick sometimes if I break down my salary into hours worked,But I am a trained proffessinal Chef. I know no other proffesion that I could change into that is outside of the food biz. I think my saving grace is that I have a wife with a heart of gold and I have met the most incredible people in this biz.

As foodnfoto said in her post...pay your employees a solid wage,get them benifits (split the cost) and then bury the cost into your bottom line. Just like every single other industry does

cc

[CWK]

Originally posted by Afra:
<STRONG>What about places like Denver, Colorado? Everyone knows that is the capital of Colorado. Shouldn't someone who lives in that city and become a gourmet chef there make some decent income? I still want to move to Denver; I want to have my own house and I want to be where my boyfriend is. A lot of my friends tell me that you make more money in the bigger cities than you do in the smaller ones. I am working on being able to go to Denver soon. </STRONG>

Afra,While it may be true about more money in larger cities the cost of living is in proportion to said areas.That being said I
would rather be happy just getting by than be well paid and misrable.Sometimes I just don't realize how lucky I am out here in the sticks.We do have well schooled chefs here (three of our own went to CIA) but the bottom line isn't money.I guess it's a matter of perspective.Bill

[W.DeBord]

Gosh Darn It, why in the world do we all keep saying the issue isn't money!!!!!!!? Of course it is, benifits are money, money buys time, money buys health now days too!

We loose tons of great people who have bills and dreams for a family into other professions everyday. Yes, respect and loving your job is important but FIRST, FIRST comes pay (for so many reasons).

Pay symbolizes your value both literally and figurately speaking to everyone in society.

Do you think we are the only group of people in a profession that happen to love their jobs? Don't you think tons of people love their jobs and get paid well for it too?! I'm not talking about getting rich type of figures, I'm talking about a decent average wage. The 22 year old driver who delivers linens to our club makes more money then I do at 40 (with years of experience).

Recently my spouse and I were considering a move to Denver from Chicago. Suprise Afra, housing in Denver is WAY, WAY more expensive in Denver then in Chicago! A small 3 bedroom, 1 bath home, run down and in desperate need of repairs in the suburbs of Denver START around $170,000.. They aren't in a reasonable liveable condition until you pay over $200,000.

Everyone wants to talk about how they love their job....how come no one wants to talk about their real income and housing costs?

Tell Afra and every other young person entering this field what they can expect to earn after 20 years in this field?

[kokopuffs]

Although I'm not a chef, I live in Denver. Here, the cost of living is so high I that I plan to relocate. You don't get much for your money in this city. Go to any mexican restaurant and the portion of beans and rice is so tiny you'd think that those two items are worth their weight in gold. Tiny servings. You're lucky to get more than 6 small pieces of beef in chili verde.

There are cheaper, more worthwhile places to live than Denver. I've never experienced road rage to the extent that I have seen in this city. And, I've driven around Los Angeles for years; nothing compares to Denver. I'd opt for some other area to live, either another midwestern state or the deep south. Denver is just too yuppie and ill mannered for me. Not enough down home folk



[ May 07, 2001: Message edited by: kokopuffs ]

[shroomgirl]

I've posted salary before guess it's not a big secret.....
personal cheffing $175 a day for 5 meals and 3 baked goods...(creme caramel, icebox cookies, strawbery shortcake....etc...)
Cost is salary. I get several weeks a year off when they are on vacation.
Classes...depends but usually $300 for 2 1/2 including food...(usually about $70)
Consulting ($50 an hour)
The market is my brain child baby and I started it as a public service....when it became year round and a "full time job" I started taking a salary...still consider it a public service cus it does not equate to minimum wage...
Catering... a party for ten runs about $450 I clear about $325 for 10 hours.
Party for 250 I clear $2000 for 15-18 hours
Mushroom group is discounted cus I'm a member
so I'll cook for nominal amounts.
Rent in suburbia is $1200 a month for a townhome in St Louis
Food is fairly inexspensive
Schools are OK for public schools... not the best, but a whole lot better than Louisiana schools.
I do better than most cus I spend my vacations/travel always on business. I have alot of exspenses that can be written off as afood business owner. I have three children that as head of the house I get great deductions from. I don't drive fancy cars...
So I could not make as much as I do and have a flexible schedule, creative control and
just do what I wanna do.
PS when I left Baton Rouge my choices were Berkley California, Madison Wisconsin or St. Louis....Berkley is too exspensive, Madison is too cold, and St. Louis just felt like home.

No secret, just kinda weird telling the world what you make.