# I'm desperately looking for a culinary apprenticeship. Please help.



## er378 (Nov 10, 2013)

Before I get into the topic, let me explain my story and situation.

I'm a 22 years-old male with some college education.

During my college years, I was, so to speak, soulless. I literally bore no passion. I wasn't even into partying or similar gamut other students were into. I was attending college, as told by parents, and I believed that this was what everyone else is doing and, hence, I should follow the same path too. I've been B to B+ student all my life, but I haven't ever excelled at anything nor failed academically. I thought everything will stay the same way, and all I really need to do was follow the "majorities'" paths.

Then, everything collapsed as my father lost his business in Korea, due to the lawsuits the business was involved. Our family had no source of income for last 3 years. My dad moved to the states to take care of my step-brother and step-sister who were attending a private school around D.C. metro area, as he and his second wife got divorced. An year after, I quit my college due to money, of course, and came to live with my dad, and my new step-mom, along with 3 step-siblings. Since I was abused by dad's last ex-wife, I was little anxious about living with my new family. However, my new step-mom was a very nice and kind woman, and I somehow I was able to get along with my step-brother and sisters, of whom had disastrous personality inherited from her mom, my dad's ex-wife. While it was all stressful, and frustrating, I tried my best to be a nice brother to my siblings, as I understood all the stress coming from complicated family situation and living with my high, ill-tempered dad. While my dad is a hard worker and also a keen business man, he was not necessarily an ideal dad; every time my siblings and I had our own problems, my dad couldn't careless. Every time I made some trivial mistake(like spilling water and etc), from my childhood, my dad would say something like "That's why you're a failure, and you will fail." One day, I accidentally left my house key at the office, and he told me, "this is why you're destined to be a loser" along with some disgusting remarks on my mother. I later discovered, he also left his key at they office and we were locked out until our step-mom came back home. I'm sure you'd be able to imagine what happened when I told my dad, for the first time in my life, that I am seriously interested in culinary field and that I'd like his support once his financial situation gets better.

My dad opened up a restaurant, and he made me do from cashier, cook to manager. It was tough in the beginning, but I'm usually a good adapter, so I was able to handle works while working 70 to 80 hours every week, sometime with no day-off at all. And I am the only one at the restaurant gets 0 pay, as my dad says, "You should be grateful that you're able to eat and sleep. Nobody will hire you anyway." I was also fine with that, since I believed, if I work hard, my dad would recognize me someday. After couple months have passed, restaurant started picking-up its business a little bit, and everything seemed going well, until, my step-mom was sentenced jail time, as she was, while working as a layer, involved in some darker side of the business. I now then had to take care of house work, on top of 70-80 hours of labor at the restaurant. I worked even harder, in a hope that, a year or later, I'd be able to get some support from my dad. Today, I was told to leave house because my dad discovered I sent my old camera that he bought me to my mom a couple months. I tried my best to explain him, that I don't use nor need camera that I simply sent it to my mom so I don't have to worry about losing camera, yet only to hear him shouting at me and saying all sorts of swears that I'd expect to hear last from my very own father. I bursted into tears, and ran into my room.

Now sitting at my room with my brother sleeping on the bed, I can't regret more putting all those efforts to simply make him happy. I have no phone, or anything because I have had no money last 6 months and couldn't pay the bills. I've browsed here and there to find jobs, but since I have no car, I'm kind of stuck here and there is really no job opening around this area. I, somewhere in this forum, found out that there's still an opportunity for a restaurant apprenticeship here in the states. I don't know how exactly the system works, but I honestly see this as the only way to escape away from this madness.

I'm wondering if you guys can give me some information or idea in regard to this program. Thank you.


----------



## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

The only advice i can give you is make a resume and hit the streets. 

Find a job , work as a dishwasher if you have to and work your way up. 

Move , find you own place to live. 

Im sorry if the words sounds cruel , but its the only answer i have and possibily the only advice i can give you. 

If you expect that life will treat you well because you are a good person , its the same thing as expecting a hungry lion wont eat you because you are a vegetarian. 

Our lives are in our hands , some of us in the industry had luck , some of us didnt and had to sweat bullets. 

When i was 16 i left home to live with my grandparents. 

I took the first job i found , and worked my arse off until i could pay for a culinary course , completed 5 courses up to date and have worked in the hospatility industry for 2 and a half years now <_<  

I started paying rent at 16 , started paying school at 16 , started buying my own clothes at 16 , started paying commute to work , grew up fast and quick , learned what i had to to stay in the industry and allow others to have faith in my work. 

No i dont know everything about cooking nor do i know half of what i should , but i worked my arse off , got to work with great people , learned a hell of alot , and havent stopped yet and dont plan on it. 

Ill be a line cook as long as i have to , but i dont regret the choices i made. 

In the words of my first chef ( who had a rough life too ) : " when life hands you lemons , MAKE A FREAKING TEQUILA "

There are plenty of people , including in CT , that had to work hard to pursue their goals. Im just one of millions who battles it out daily.


----------



## soesje (Dec 6, 2012)

when I read through all this I remember times......and I know exactly what you are talking about.

so going to give you my take on it.

you are 22 now and grown up, time to pick up your life!! 

move away from your dad and go on your own, into the world. 

look for a job elsewhere and a place to live, and start over. 

before you're going to do that, make your mind up about where you want to go.....

you mention a culinary apprenticeship... OK.....what kind of kitchen? where does your passion lie? what do you feel intuitively attracted to?

I dunno in USA but in my country sometimes restaurants take apprentices and offer them room to stay.

its rare though.maybe a hotel.

my experience is, if you really really really want something , then by all means GO FOR IT and leave your dad behind.

he is not treating you as a father should, he is treating you like less than a dog.....and you still accept this?

look at yourself. 

you are worth much better treatment than you are getting, so take your life in your hands and go!

good luck to you!! be brave and strong and out in the world.


----------



## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

Soesje said:


> when I read through all this I remember times......and I know exactly what you are talking about.
> 
> so going to give you my take on it.
> 
> ...


I swear you remind me so much of a great women i met long ago.

She was one of the main reasons i entered the culinary field ( gave me the push i needed ).

Dont know where she is now , but she was a great women.

Lifes rough , we adapt , change , improve , and move on. Dont look to the past but the future.

In my country , if you work at a hotel or even some restaurants here offer you a place to stay. Like mentioned it rare.

Me , get on the internet and start searching for apartments , houses , etc.... that are looking for a roomate to split rent , there is tons of it , you just gotta search around.

Find a job , or an internship , and be prepared to work. We can´t do much other then give you advice , what you do with it is whats important.


----------



## parisjordan (Aug 19, 2013)

Well, I agree with KaiqueKuisine. Since, you have to start from the scratch, so you should work harder for getting a better reputation in culinary arts industry.

There are many ways to get a culinary education, and one will be more suited for you than others. What's right for you depends on your talents, goals, and current situation (that you already talked about). You will need to know which type of apprenticeship program best fits you. ACFEF offers four types. You then will need to decide where the apprentice will be working and how best to deliver the related instruction. You will need to register with the US Department of Labor and apply to become a program with the ACFEF. One of today's most popular and well-regarded apprenticeship programs in the United States is administered by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). For detailed information about the programs, salary structure, entry level requirements and much more, you can check here: http://bit.ly/1bzjO3l

Apart from this, you can also check here for the top culinary schools that offer Apprenticeship programs: http://bit.ly/T1UGVK

Undoubtedly just go for it, as it is the chance to prove yourself to become a successful person in culinary arts industry. So wish you good luck for your future.


----------

