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Benefits in the work place.

953 views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  thespit 
#1 ·
How many professional chefs out there get benefits like health insurance or dental or 401K?    Im sure this is different from corporate kitchens as opposed to single owner.   i am just curious.
 
#2 ·
In some corporate places the bennies can be really good.  A buddy of mine worked at a hospital and in the benefits were outstanding although the pay was subpar.  Sadly in my experience the benefits for chefs generally aren't that good.  In all my years I have never worked somewhere that offered better insurance (for instance) than I could get just by shopping for myself. 
 
#3 ·
I've got decent insurance, slightly more decent than at my last place; neither are corparate, sort of local companies. The standout at my current job is vision. I used to work for a larger company where I had a 401k, but it was kinda crappy, the insurance wasn't really better, and I didn't have vision.
 
#4 ·
When I "gave up" the restaurant life, at least temporarily, one of the reasons was for better benefits.  I work in institutional food service now, and, from a financial standpoint, I am much better off than when I was in the restaurant world.  Not only are the benefits a heck of a lot better, I get paid a lot better also.  On top of those things, I don't often work late into the evening or on weekends although I do occasionally.  In general my weeks are 40-50 hours.  Again, that is the norm, but there have been stints of 70-90 hour weeks.  But I have given up virtually all creativity and a sense that I really run the place.  I left the restaurant world behind due to burn out, and because I didn't want to be like most my mentors who missed out on watching their kids grow up.  I imagine that someday, I will go back to the restaurant world, although with every year that passes it gets harder to think about giving up my nights and weekends again, and I wonder if physically I can do it again.
 
#5 ·
I recently just ditched my corporate job with amazing benefits, good pay - but the chef just didnt give a damn. I staged at a new restaurant for Marcel Vigneron ( i didnt know who he was at this point) and thought Id work part time for him. I am so incredibly happy, that ditching the benefits was worth it. I dont have kids, Im young and can afford to lose those benefits to get more experience.I guess it just depends on who you ask.
 
#6 ·
I work in the corporate world, the benefits are great, match up to 4% and good pay for my area. The pay is 10-20k more than what I'd see in the private sector. Unfortunately that makes me middle management and am told to do conflicting things by the same person depending upon who is putting pressure on him. Very frustrating.
 
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