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Moving on up?

post #1 of 5
7/17/12 at 6:28am
Thread Starter 
chefs, i seek your advice. I worked a few years back at a reputable fine dining spot as a stodge. The place hadva stellar crew of bad motherfuckers. 6 years later i work for the former grill man at his operation. I make decent money and have learned the charcuterie/garde manger side. I've been there more than a year. Recently, another cook from back in the day offered me a gig paying more working for him. I don't want to burn the bridge my current chef built taylor made For me, but I could use the money and would like to keep learning. I need to keep improving. I'd just as soon put in my two today but i do give a shit about my current place and have gained immensely from my time there. I feel thevsmart thing Is to fight stagnation and take the position with more cash and learn under another heavy hitter, but don't know if it's wise. The old school says bail and move on. I'm 23. what do you guys think?
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post #2 of 5
7/17/12 at 6:58am

GO!...first off if you're already thinking about it, you're halfway there.....i would tell your current chef exactly what you said here....no chef thinks there crew is going to stick around forever, especially at your tender age...people come and go where life takes them.  any chef worth their salt would be more than happy to see their mentees 'movin on up' with new opportunities.....if you are stagnant then your chef has taught you what you need to know about your position...no kitchen can teach you all and everything, as every kitchen is different with different restaurant  styles.....learning is the fun part of all this ...if you don't want to learn and learn from the best, you may as well work at mickey d's...it's safer...my guess is that your'e not in this to play it 'safe' though....best of luck to you....go, go go!

joey


Edited by durangojo - 7/17/12 at 7:09am

food is like love...it should be entered into with abandon or not at all        Harriet Van Horne

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post #3 of 5
7/17/12 at 7:01am

Meez

I would talk to your current Chef letting him know that you have been given an offer to move and grow, and that you are seriously thinking of

taking the job. You will know by his reaction what you should do. If he freaks out give your notice, if he comes back with an offer of more money, better hours, ect..  then decide what is better for you. You have to decide what is best for you not what is best for the place you are working.

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post #4 of 5
7/20/12 at 5:44am
Thread Starter 
Hey gents. the initial talks and an interview settled on par time with benefits. Got a call last night offering full time plus benefits, a (deleted) 401k and 6 bucks more an hour. I called a few friends for advice in the business and they all confirmed what you guys said. I felt like a (deleted) snake but slept on it, with dreams of being able to pay mortgage and save a little for later dancing through my head. Google searched Why do cooks sell out, first hit was from a blogger called Ritchie Nakano who used to run a blog called Linecook415 that was the source of much inspiration a few years back. He confirmed it with a piece that put my head to rest.
I've taken the gig guys.
Thanks for the advice
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post #5 of 5
7/20/12 at 8:14am

Making more money for increasing your talent and ability is not selling out-it's called making a living.

Ask any restaurant owner if he does it for the art of it and the answer will be a resounding NO. They do it to earn a living and create something new and wonderful.

Doing what's good for you and your life is not being a sell-out, it's being true to yourself.

Go for it, but don't burn the bridge. Your current chef has probably been in your shoes more than once and made similar decisions. 

If he reacts badly-he's just being small.

 

Moderators-I thought there was a language filter on this site.

Meez-keep it clean here and at work. There are youngsters who frequent this site and you undermine your talent by using such language.

www.foodandphoto.com

Liquored up and laquered down,
She's got the biggest hair in town!

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