# Eataly LA job opportunity...o



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

I'm torn. I currently have a picture perfect job with benefits that is 7 minutes from my home. The work would be great, except every other aspect is slowly killing my soul. I'm on the hunt.

I have an opportunity to interview for the pastry chef position at Eataly. I've always made fun of it for it's celeb and corporate culture and it's quite a commute but I just love fancy markets and the pay would be nice.

I've never worked in a place like this and I'm wondering if any of you have any insight, or could perhaps see into the future?


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Seven minutes to work in LA is unheard of. Can you stand the commute? 
I lived near South Pasadena, worked out of Tarzana. It was only about thirty miles, no traffic at three am when I went in but the evening commute was on average two plus hours. 
I nearly lost my mind after about eight years of that. I took the 110 to 5 to 134 to 101. I now live in a small town with one four way intersection and a flashing red light.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Feeding the soul is important, but it is also important to prioritize because our soul is more complex than just than our profession. For a large part of my career, what I did and where was extremely important to my soul. Now days not so much. As I look back, I am content and have no what ifs. Life is about more than just existing from pay check to paycheck.


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## harpua (May 4, 2005)

chefbuba said:


> Seven minutes to work in LA is unheard of. Can you stand the commute?
> I lived near South Pasadena, worked out of Tarzana. It was only about thirty miles, no traffic at three am when I went in but the evening commute was on average two plus hours.
> I nearly lost my mind after about eight years of that. I took the 110 to 5 to 134 to 101. I now live in a small town with one four way intersection and a flashing red light.


Which town is that?


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Very small town on the southern Washington coast/Oregon border..


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

I worked in a similar kind of place and it's just like a normal job. If I was to compare it to working in a restaurant, the differences would be that 1. The pace is more steady. 2. Your creativity is more limited. 3. Your potential to become famous is off the table.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

I think you really have to have a serious talk with yourself and list all the pros and cons about staying in your current job or going for the new one. I'm old enough and experienced enough now to know what are deal killers for me. I did the long commute thing and that is soul sucking as well. Especially when more often than not, you're dog tired at the end of the day and you have that huge annoying commute ahead of you. Just leaves you enough time to chill a little at home, then go to sleep and start all over again the next day. So for me, a long commute is a deal killer. Also consider that paying for transportation and gas will eat into whatever kind of elevation in pay you may get. 

I had a friend that worked at Morimoto. Everyone in that kitchen were people on their way up, and it was dog-eat-dog competitive in there. The pressure was enormous and he basically got chewed up and spit out. I'm used to working in 
high end kitchens, but when it gets that bad, it's not for me. Some people thrive on it. I don't. 

I've also found that most of the time, you can't have it all. Sometimes it's a job you enjoy and be creative at, but the pay sucks and there's no benefits. Or you get pay and benefits and a reliable reasonable schedule with "only" an 8 hour day, but you're cranking out cookie cutter food assembly line style. Or you have an almost perfect job situation where the pay is OK, you get some benefits, you get to be creative and you feel valued, but your co-workers suck or the commute is insane. It's always something. So what is most important to you, and what are you willing to endure?


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