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What culinary position should i be looking for that will further my culinary career?

1K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  alaminute 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,

I graduated culinary school a year ago and since they were not very helpful on where to work to further my culinary career, i obtained a job as a line cook in olive garden.  I am now looking for a job where you actually cook.  I just don't know where i should be looking for, i'm not asking for an specific restaurant, but what kind of position should i be searching for? How do i know if the restaurant actually fillet their fish and i can actually use what i've learned in culinary school and where chefs will actually show me new things.  By the way, i live in Florida if that matters.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

Please help me.

Thank you for your time.
 
#4 ·
Hello everyone,

I graduated culinary school a year ago and since they were not very helpful on where to work to further my culinary career, i obtained a job as a line cook in olive garden. I am now looking for a job where you actually cook. I just don't know where i should be looking for, i'm not asking for an specific restaurant, but what kind of position should i be searching for? How do i know if the restaurant actually fillet their fish and i can actually use what i've learned in culinary school and where chefs will actually show me new things. By the way, i live in Florida if that matters.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

Please help me.

Thank you for your time.
furthering your career depends on just what you want to do/envision for yourself.

first you need experiance...knowing how to work all stations. That includes how to scrub dishes, posts and trash cans and dumpsters. I would also highly suggest you get a good feel for the pastry stations.

Right now your best asset is knowing that you don't know everything.....ie: looking for chefs who will teach you.

In my opinion...your best bet of finding somewhere to "really" cook is going to be smaller restaurants and not chain restaurants. Apply for a line cook position and work your way up.
 
#6 ·
I figured a chain restaurant would help with experience on working in a fast pace.
Fast pace, yes, but how much prep was being done, versus how much microwaving was being done.

Larger chains tend to have cooks for individual stations, prep cooks, dishwashers, etc.

A smaller restaurant will have you learn everything from the ground up.

What you want to do is learn each task and station and learn to do each of them well.

And learn to wash dishes well. And clean grills and griddles well. And sweep and mop well.

You want to be a Line Cook.

And keep in mind that the culinary degree isn't going to do much regarding advancement. You've learned, but you've not done.

Welcome.
 
#7 ·
What I do when I'm considering changing locations is to google the best restaurants in the city. Look through tripadvisor, yelp, and urbanspoon to see who the reoccurring top spots go to, then check out each of there individual sites, who there chefs are, and what their menus look like. Once you have an idea of the places that seem like good opportunities to work put on your best suit, brush up your resume, grab your knives and start at the top of the list. Make sure when you go in to drop off your resume and fill out an app to speak with a chef or sous chef, not just an foh manager or host.
 
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