[tiffanyw]

Hi everyone. I have a deep appreciation for the culinary arts and the amazing opportunities it can provide to chefs/individuals in general. Television, can at times, exaggerate the culinary world making it appear flawless and famous. I would like to get your opinions Chefs on your experiences as a chef. Do you find there is a good mix of highs and lows (stress, work-life balance, adequate skills, etc.) or are there things that you have witnessed people struggle with that is just unfortunate.  I'm thinking about the current tragedies/suicides that have made the news.  Do you think something could be done in the culinary world to prevent or minimize issues that may exist?

 

[foodpump]

A-yup.

Cooking in the U.S. really means that there are no qualifications, certifications, or benchmarks that define what a cook should know, be capable of preparing, and more importantly--but directly related, what a cook should be paid.

What TV doesn't acknowledge is that the hospitality industry is one of the worst paid industries with minimal benefits. If you want to earn, you have to work, hard. 80hr weeks are not uncommon. High stress AND hard physical labour, with long work hours (cooks cook on public holidays...) will kill just about any relationship if you give it enough time.....

But that isnt sexy, and it doesn't interest reality TV producers.

 

[foodpump]

Didn't like the response, huh?

But honestly--and I speak from 35-odd years in the pro kitchen, a qualification or benchmark for our trade is probably the best thing that can be done to " prevent or minimize issues that may exist".