[chefross]

3) At any point does the pay get better or start to get benefits?

QUOTE:

I'm most intimidated by the idea of burning out.  Never having a weekend off and 60 hr work weeks. Or never making it and being 40 and making $12/hr. 

Have you every worked at a place with some weekends off? Or vacation time? Made a menu? What kind of places pay well? I don't really care about making a ton of money, I just want to be stable. I'm pretty low maintenance. Pay my bills and have a little extra, is that achievable?

4) How do you deal with stress? When you're in the weeds how do you stay calm.. do you destress after work? 

5) I've been thinking in a way to avoid late nights, that I could get really good at breakfast. And apply at a breakfast joint. I think I might enjoy subjecting to early mornings instead of late nights. 

Are there any pros/cons to working breakfast vs lunch vs dinner?

6) Is there anywhere you would move to get good experience?

7)What types of jobs have you had? What kind are available? IE; working on ships, cruises, casino, personal chef, traveling chef, institute etc.

Welcome to Cheftalk...

The pay will get better as you climb up the ladder but know the Chef makes lousy wages with the hours to salary pay ratio.

You may need to re-think your goals if you are already intimidated by the concept of long hours and no weekends, holidays, etc....

There are alternatives to working on a line with regards to hours. Hospitals, colleges, corporate, all have a niche where you may have off holidays and weekends.

Stress comes with any job not just working with food. It is how you handle it that counts. Getting enough sleep, eating right, avoiding bad habits will all help with dealing with stress.

As far as what shifts are concerned, if you want to stay in fine dining, then you'll be working the night shifts. If you are happy simply prepping and cooking then perhaps breakfast and lunches are the way to go.

You mentioned going to a technical college for their culinary program. I think sometimes they are better over a culinary college per se.

One, they cost less, and two you'll get real hands on experiences.

You mentioned not being shown how to use the french fryer at the working interview. School will teach you everything you'd need to know about that plus so much more. There are some things that you will never learn through experience but may in school, and go on to use the knowledge later.....Good luck

 

[chefross]

Panini's QUOTE;

I had always felt the exact same way about my career.

For years, I've always heard about the passion that drives us. I sometimes felt that this was the only industry that had an understanding for passion. So much so, it almost validated

all the ( abuse ) for lack of a nicer word.

It wasn't until I semi-retired, that I diversified my efforts and invested into other professions. I can now see that there is so much more in the world to observe. All jobs that aren't in our field

are bad. Jobs, just for money.

I meet people, young and old, who have just as much passion for what they do as I had in the food world.

There are good and bad jobs in every field. I have learned that other fields can be just as rewarding and allow you to enjoy your accomplishments.

Don't take me wrong, I would have not done it any other way, then the way I did. But I also enjoy seeing my children really enjoy what they are doing.

It may be that I'm getting pretty old, but my decision making now a days does not include all the clutter that it used to in food.

Again, just my old 2 cents.

As for passion, it is a tricky word. It comes and goes, depending on the day and workload for some people.

It's difficult to be passionate 12-14 hours a day, 6 days for weeks on end.

It's defined by Webster as an "uncontrollable intense emotion."

My nephew is a theoretical physicist and a candidate for his doctoral coming up real soon. He's worked at the quantum excellerator in Sweden.

He reads Hawkins and understand it. HE is quite passionate and wants to teach.

I know of a few people not in the food business that have passion for what they do and you can surely tell.