# Apprenticeship Rules!



## terrarich (Feb 19, 2002)

Hey All,

It has been quite a while since I last posted. I have not had much time for the Internet because I am still struggling with the time requirements of my new career and also being a new home owner.

The ACF apprenticeship has been working out really well. I aced the first semester of classes. Also, the restaurant that I work at sometime 50+ hours a week has proven to be an excellent place for me to break into the biz. Due to my lack of line experience I was put on garde manger for a while. I guess I showed promise and dependibilty because the sous now has me on saute full -time, in the middle of the hoiday rush! Keep in mind that there are only three line cooks, Garde Manger, Saute (which also handles the broiler and fryer), and the Grill/Expediter. Whatever doubts I had about being able to handle a line are gone. I now just need to work on creativity and particpate more in planning specials. Not bad for a four-month ex-wannabe, heh?

I want thank those of you that provided me with encouragement when I was contemplating training to be a cook.

Happy holidays,

Terrarich


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## culinarian247 (Jan 21, 2002)

Keep us posted on your progress and how you like school. How is your apprenticeship structured, btw?


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## apprentice_chef (Aug 21, 2008)

Hello

I am also an apprentice chef in melbourne australia i love it i walked in to a restaurant on the gold coast (have since moved to melbourne to widen my culinary experainces,) with no experience at all i was green as can be my apprenticeship is structured different i am a full time employee of the establishment and i spend 99% of my time in the kitchen 5 days a week in the kitchen 1 day at school it has been the best experience i have ever had i have been an apprentice for one year now i spent 3 months in a grill restaurant after discovering i had the stamina and physical ability to handle it i moved to a high end fine dining restaurant (i ran cold larder and deserts by myself) were i have been since, i have since left for experience for one year in a big establishment i will be working for hyatt hotels as from sept, but my passion is within traditional / modern french food and i wish to cook in france when i qualified as a chef at 19 years of age (currently 16) i think that going to a culinary school and gaining a placement and spending limited time in the kitchen dose not prepare you for kitchen life as an apprenticeship does because in an apprenticeship you have spent 99% of your time in the industry and not in school, sometimes at school i learn the same things as the chefs have taught me in the kitchen are faster and you get the same finished product so an apprenticeship is deffenitly the way to go in my opinion would not have it any other way i do think its the best way to prepare new chefs to become industry leaders

regards

I reccomend watching this video






Marco was the first british chef to win 3 michelin stars, reccomending no one go fulltime to catering college but on day release he discribes why


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## geimhreadh (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm considering taking up a similar program, as it would be infinitely more preferable to going into loan-debt for a degree that is wholly unnecessary. But my question is about life outside of the kitchen. Does the ACF offer anything in the way of living/travel support? I would assume the apprenticeship entails no actual income, so how does one go about holding down an apartment, groceries, healthcare, etc?


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## lizabu (Jun 17, 2008)

I'm not sure how it works in other countries but here in Canada apprentices get paid. An non paying position is generally referred to as a "stage". A stage generally doesn't last more than a couple weeks. It's a chance for you to learn a new skill or a chance for an employer to try you out.


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## apprentice_chef (Aug 21, 2008)

In response to this post

Here in Victoria, Australia for a first year apprentice you are on about 400-450 a week if your establishment you are working at offers over time take it apprentices don't get paid well but it increases on average about 50 dollars a year Witch is not to bad for me considering i am still 16 years of age and i am earning 500 dollars a week and I'm livening at home with my parents i don't have much out goings the i myself don't have to pay for culinary school i get paid to learn considering we have a large chef shortage in australia the government have taken 1 year off the training for chefs from 4 years to 3 years But i think its a great way to learn go for it!!!

try look here for some information I'm not sure were you are from but this may help

http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/on/lmi/eaid/occinfo/apprent.shtml- canada

http://www.doleta.gov/OA/eta_default.cfm -USA

Good luck hope i helped


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