New Career

[the_student]

At the moment i am doing an assignment about the declining chefs in the trade. I was just wondering if you were to leave chefing and explore a new career path, what do you think you do?

[Headless Chicken]

The only other traits I have are in computers and business. I was training for a job in high school under those 2 fields but left them for cooking so I really don't have much of another skill to back up on if I where to leave.

[Botanique]

Its a bit of a broad and frankly benign question. Leaving one carreer for another.... Don't get me wrong, its a good question. But to focus on one vocation transitioning to another doesn't work, because you are dealing with the complexity of human nature. I went from Information management to cooking to biology then back to cooking then housewife and current "farmer / planter / caretaker of 6 acres of heaven." AND I'm only 35!

However, it would be different if I had gone the culinary academy rout and become a chef, stayed in the industry for 20 years and then skipped town to sail around the world....

This is a great opening for some honest discussion. What do we really want, and do we go after it during our prime? If not, why?

Just my thoughts... verbal vomit... hope you don't mind....

[Rivitman]

I'd become indigant, a drifter I suppose. There is nothing else that suits my fiercly loyal yet rebellious toward the disloyal and incompetant nature. And I'm too old to re enlist and go kill terrorists.

[chef john]

Dear Student-
Before going into the food service I was in the military and then in law enforcement. I get asked how did you pick being a chef? It isn't that much of a stretch, the mind set is similar. As Rivitman alluded to, you need a strong loyalty to a greater good and a fierce dedication to doing things the right way, and just enough rebellion in you to handle fighting your way through the sludge of mediocre and incompetent people. And this would include dealing with high periods of extreme stress, that most working people can't imagine. I have mentioned to my staff at times when we are getting hammered on the line that "****, combat is easier that this!" And I meant it.
Most chef's in my experience who leave our lifestyle try being a sales person for a food company. They generally fail in this, then either come back to a kitchen or do something entirely different like run a dog kennel or something.