# Cooking Career Age 40



## mrdecoy1 (Jan 17, 2012)

I just turned 40, my wife graduates with a master's in accounting next year in the spring. Just wondering, if I went to a culinary school or even just a community college course, what kind of work could I get? would line cook be out of the question?? Give me some ABC's here please. Thanks


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## chef7734 (Apr 13, 2011)

Do you have any experience on the line?

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## mrdecoy1 (Jan 17, 2012)

No professional experience at all.


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## chef7734 (Apr 13, 2011)

With no experience i dont see more than prep work at first. You have to develop the skills and get some experience before being thrown on the line. 

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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

plan b?

why?

lie down in a darkened room with a cold compress on your head and wait for the feeling to pass!

joey

i am big on change....all for it..people changing horses in mid stream..rah,rah, rah...what i'm not big on is culinary schools in general and how/what they spit out. they may teach knife skills but they don't teach people skills. that comes with experience. creativity can't be taught. on your question of whether or not you'll be a line cook for the rest of your new career..that depends on what you want and how badly you want it. where do you see yourself in 10 [email protected] 50? how driven and motivated are you? how long will it take to pay off your school loan on a line cooks wages? culinary schools are mostly for young people who don't have a clue as to what they want and where they are going and can be molded. you are 40...you have life expereinces. do you really want to go to school with a bunch of 20 somethings? imo going to school for you would be taking the long way home. look for a good restaurant with a good kitchen. under the right chef you can learn 'hands' on' just as much if not more than in school and have a better experience. whatever you decide...rah, rah, rah!!!

joey


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I hate to say it, but at 40 is no time in your life to become a line cook, you start to slow down at this age . Possibly go to school for rest. management or something less demanding on your body.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

> "Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."


I worked the line in my forties and fifties. I am getting ready to turn sixty on my next bday and haven't really slowed down, just trying to stay away from OT although I am not always successful. In a convoluted way maybe I agree with chefedb in that I feel about forty, although the calender disagrees.

The fastest way for you become a line cook is to get a job as a prep cook. The odds are that you will wind up on the line much quicker that way than going to school. Now as to how that fits your long term goals, hard to say as I have no idea what they are.


> "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"


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## mrdecoy1 (Jan 17, 2012)

I've thought this over and it does seem the long way up hill, another idea maybe more realistic is when the wife and I save up some money is to maybe open or take over a tiny take out only place that stomps out fast food in quality plus offer catering and delivery.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

mrdecoy1,

 doesn't matter what the size of your operation...you still need kitchen skills, as well as business and managment skills.  classes are readily available online, at your community college or university. your local health department most likely offers a course once or twice a year which includes management, food science and sanitation. they will all be invaluable to you down the line if you do anything with food.....again, rah, rah, rah!

joey


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I did it upto 68  but you and I have been doing it all our lives. He is just starting.


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