# Interested in a culinary career



## bunmuffin (Apr 15, 2007)

I'm really looking into professional schooling right now but am having second thoughts if I should try to find a restaurant job(whatever that may be someone with no exp) first...just to make sure of things. 
At the same time, I've been hearing what other people have to say, and when I want to get excited about a career in cooking all I hear is how long the hours are, that it consumes your entire life, that it's brutally hard work. etc. 
Now, for someone looking to get into something, and only hearing things like that.....I guess I'm just looking for reassurance(spelling?) because I am def not sure


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## ras1187 (Oct 3, 2006)

I would definitely try to get a job working in a kitchen before doing anything else.

What you have heard is pretty close to accurate. Cooking is not just another "job". The long hours, the hard work, the pressured environment, and the minimal pay (at least starting off) are all characteristics of this industry. Professional Chefs accepts this though, because the passion for food makes everything worth it to them.

Im not trying to discourage you, this is the only industry to work in for me. Just really try to think if cleaning deep fryers and grills at 12 or 1 am is for you.


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## bunmuffin (Apr 15, 2007)

You see! That's exactly what I'm talking about...why would anyone want this career if this is all people have to say about it?


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## rjx (Oct 2, 2006)

This is not all people have to say about it. But its what should be known before someone decides to take on cooking as a career. Many people don't realize when making this career decision that it is hard work. Its not like cooking for your family, or the glamorous tv shows. This is real life.

Some people think they can go to school and then shortly after, become chef at a restaurant and that its probably smooth sailing after that. So then people in the biz educate and break down how it really is since these tv shows / school ads brainwash people into thinking its all glamour and glitz.

The long hours come with the territory. Thats just how it is (in most cases). Some people don't mind working more than 8 hours a day. Some people don't mind the tedious cleaning and prepping before the cooking starts. And of course cleaning that is involved after the kitchen closes.

But that is where the passion comes in to play. You put up with all the bad because you love cooking. You want to continue to learn as much as you can so you become even better. You love knowing that you are pleasing the people that eat your food. You would rather work with knives, pans and stoves than computers, hammers and trucks.

The comments you hear from people like RAS1187 are because most aspiring chefs don't take that into consideration before making their decision to change careers and spend lots of money for a school. People need to know this before hand and thats why you hear this a lot. So before diving into the water, just go and get your feet wet and see how that goes. Then you can judge for yourself if the good outweighs the bad.


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## ras1187 (Oct 3, 2006)

Im not trying to discourage you, just make you realize that there is more to cooking then chopping vegetables. It is more hard work then some are used to, and if you arent prepared to sacrifice for it, you might be better off in another industry.


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## bunmuffin (Apr 15, 2007)

I understand that it's hard work, but I get the sense that what I'd be sacrificing....is my life, the way it sounds how many hours you have to put into it.


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## nickydafish (Oct 30, 2006)

Hey there Bunmuffin, I am new in this industry. But I'm in love. I wake up in the morning and I think about what I'm going to learn today that will make me a better cook. When my boss who is a NECI graduate is showing me how to do something, I'm all ears because my goal one day is to be the best cook and eventually chef I can be. That is what drives me, I want to be the best I can. So the extra hours are a welcome thing for me. We had a catering event at my full time place on Saturday, and I was called downstairs and my boss announced to the customers that I was the one who did the cooking, they told me how great everything was, and it felt great. I felt like I was walking on air. It made all those dishes I had to wash around midnight that much easier to handle. :lol: I'm even interviewing today for a line cook job in town. I was refered there from one of the waitstaff, and I think it's gonna be great. That's what I'm talking about. Where I am now isn't enough, I want to learn more. I want to pick up all the experience and skills that I can, and the extra money is nice as well. If this is what you love, then the time spent in the kitchen is time well spent. Your not going to think about how your friends are out having fun, because you are where you want to be and your having fun as well. You need to find out what drives you and if this industry is really for you. Good luck to you and take care.


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## paddychef (Apr 16, 2007)

i have been cheffing for many years,i would never change it for anything but your life is not the same after you begin this career, if you dont think you can do it then dont as you wont be very good, in order to be great you must scrafice


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## el segundo (Apr 16, 2007)

This is a pretty common question...as always the usual replies (hard work, long hours..) but cooking is a passion like some of the other replies about getting satisfaction from people enjoying what you prepare, but there is so much more. I have been in hotels and resorts for 9 years. I worked in country clubs, private restaurants, on-site and off-site catering. I have found that hotels are my choice of places to work, with so many different operations running you are there to service the guest through and through. You need to have it in you that this is a service industry and that no matter how you feel, how much you had to drink last night..( this one is important  you need to be there. Everyone likes to make the negatives apparent while these are things that separate the good from the bad, and in this business there is no grey area, you really need to get in it and try it out. My mentor and best friend told me that it is a "disease" and you just feel it in you. 

Hard work, long hours, crazy work environments these are things that you can't understand until you do it. It is what makes it all worth it. No matter what the show must go on, and when it does and the day is over you feel like a champion because no one else can do what you just did. There is a level of pride amongst chefs a certain level of respect that only they can appreciate. "You had a hard day at the office huh?" well in the midst of serving a full dining room and a wedding of 500 people 2 cooks didn't show the pastrie chef's oven went down, a server dropped 20 dinners, and some one put a **** bread basket on the bottom shelf of the hot box and started a fire...I had a pretty easy day. Not that this actually happens, but this is what makes this business fun. 

So I would say try it out and give it all you have if you like it you'll know if not go out and buy a few suits


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