# Career Choices - OH MY!



## jamieloo (May 23, 2006)

I guess as a food lover or lover of food, you are faced with 4 options: become a chef in a restaurant, open up your own restaurant, become a personal chef, or become a carterer.

Can anyone sum up pros and cons of each of these options? I have loved cooking-and have cooked for friends and family for the past 12 years. I can't start catering out of my home because of the "commercial kitchen" stipulation. I want the flexibility of becoming a personal chef, but I'm afraid without that experience -I won't be taken seriously and it will be tough to get a job in someone's home. I like the Paula Deen way -where she packaged little lunches and brought them to businesses. I think there is money to be made that way but there again, you need a commercial kitchen to work out of. I've been thinking of going to a local church and offering my services to cook for the staff if I could get a discount in using the kitchen once a week. 

Any advice or suggestions?? Would I need any special licenses or permits to operate 1 day out of my church's kitchen if I provide the packaging, etc? Also, what type of insurance do I need, and how to convince the church they wouldn't be liable?


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Hello Jamieloo and welcome to Chef Talk.

I'm moving your post to the Culinary School and Culinary Students' forum since it's better-suited to getting responses there. Come on back to the Welcome Forum to introduce yourself, and we'll be able to give you a rousing Chef Talk welcome!

Good luck in your quest!
Mezzaluna


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