Thoughts about a mid-life career change?

[theloggg]

I'm doing something similar, check out my story at http://www.cheftalk.com/HTML/Educati...y_student.html Let me know if you have any specific questions I can answer.

Sounds like you have all the info you need except if you'll actually like the restaurant environment. Try to find some part time work, paid or unpaid. Just an fyi, if you already have a bachelor's degree, check out Johnson and Wale's "Garnish Your Degree" program. J&W's rep is right there with the CIA (you can see the many opinions all over this bulletin board) and the program is a year long and quite a bit cheaper than the other AS/AA 2 year programs. It's currently only offered at the Denver Campus. http://www.jwu.edu/denver/programs.html

Greetings, Logan.

I read your entire journal yesterday on this site and enjoyed it a great deal. Lots of good insight.

Unfortunately, Denver's really not an option for me. I'm going to be here in LA or in the Bay Area. I'm getting married in October and will effectively be relying on my wife to bring in the bucks. Her job will almost certainly be here or there.

I'm looking at some less expensive options for school, but I don't think I'll make that decision until I've given the whole issue of changing careers some further thought.

Thanks so much for your reply, and also for your journal. I'll keep reading it. And I'll post here from time to time to share my thinking.

My fiancee is virtually insisting that I go to culinary school. I'm insanely lucky to have her.

[cape chef]

Hi Jackmack65!!

Welcome to cheftalk.

Just as an FYI,in the culinary students forum there are alot of postings and discussions on the same topic.

In the mean time we look forward to you keeping us up to date
cc

[Pooh]

Hello and welcome to Cheftalk, Jackmack65!

That looks like a a very interesting project on your plate! OH, and excuuuuuuuuuse the pun!

Hey Jackmack65! Your post is almost a mirror image of my current situation. My biggest dilemma comes from pondering the effect on a relationship/marriage caused by the demands of the long working schedule, and getting my better half to understand it.

I'm aware of the physical realities of working in the industry and the hard work and sacrifices one has to make in order to do succeed in the field, but the thought of the inflexibility and strain that it can put on a relationship is the only thing that scares me a bit.

My fiancee and I even fight about me going to culinary school - she pushes me because of the passion she knows I share with food and cooking. However, she fails to see or fully comprehend the demands on personal time that working on a restaurant can have.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should try to really see in to and discuss with her how your life will change - the clearer a picture you have heading in the better. I'm still struggling with mine, but I'm hopeful...

Has anyone else out there found this a big challenge? How do you overcome it?!

[shroomgirl]

Guys, there are so many other things you can do in the food field than cook, run or own a restaurant.
I did a mid-life 180* and started personal cheffing, catering, cooking outdoors, teaching classes on cooking, founding and running a farmer's market helping chefs do demos with farmer produce...there are a whole lot of ways to play with food and make money. I support 3 boys in suburbia. I don't make a huge amount of $ but I REALLY ENJOY what I do...and can work as much or as little as I choose to (at least most of the time....right now the market is demanding my time in huge ways <May 12 is opening> )
I get to play with the big boys when I "do competitions" or Benefits. I can cook for 200 on burners in the woods, or make 5 meals with desserts in 7 hours including shopping and delivery time(that keeps me fresh and sharp). Cooking is play. I would not take restaurants when they have been handed to me....no way!!! So look at all the different options.

Greetings.

I'm 35 years old, an accomplished home cook with virtually no food service experience (I worked for a caterer and a Kosher Butcher during college, years ago. Did lots of prep for the caterer, and learned some meat-cutting skills, now dormant).

After years of trying to make money by doing things I don't care that much about, I'm considering turning my passion for food and creativity into a career. I'm clear about the financial implications. I know I would be looking at years of apprenticeship, really. And I don't know where it would lead, whether to my own restaurant (a fond fantasy I'm sure is shared by legions) or to food writing, or what.

I'm interested in the thoughts of professional chefs, mid-life career changers, and virtually anyone else. My thinking is to see if I can spend a few days in a busy kitchen (probably doing little more than trying to stay out of the way) to see what the intensity of a high-caliber restaurant kitchen is like. If I commit to this, I'll probably go to either the CIA or Cal. School of Culinary Arts, if I can raise the bucks. Of course, that's a whole other subject that I'll get to later.

Anyone's advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[markdchef]

Ever thought about becoming a personal chef?
Make your own hours, take on as many clients as you can handle, create your own menus, get real feedback, and real money. If you are interested in how I did it at 38 yrs old after wasting years in Insurance biz then email me at markdchef@starchefs.com.

I love personal cheffing and the response from my clients has been immediate and rewarding.

Mark Darragh
On The Mark PCS Inc.

There are some great replies here. Shroomgirl's is a great reminder that there are always more options than may be apparent.

I'm going to make an effort to get a part time job in a kitchen... I'll happily go in and just wash and prep if I can find a chef who will let me in. I'd definitely prefer not to work for free... in any case, I'd like to give that a shot at least to see if I'm happy in a commercial kitchen environment, and to see if I can find people who will give me the chance to learn. I think I can. I'll make the decision about culinary school after I've spent some time in a kitchen, or with a caterer, or both.

Thanks all! Any further thoughts are of course most welcome.