finding work as a cook/chef in a new city

i'm not looking for work. i guess that needs to be said...

i'm rather asking how other's have faired finding work after a move to another city/state without having something lined up.

i moved to north carolina from minnesota 2 years ago. i worked at 5 different places over the course of 10 years in minnie. with that i also worked at part time jobs numbering close to 20. my shortest stint was 2 years exactly and longest almost 4 years.

since i have lived in charlotte, i have worked at 6 different places. i left the last place i worked at to get a job cooking for corporate execs and hated it. luckily i didn't burn any bridges and was welcomed back at the previous employer with open arms.

just wondering if anyone else has had this same experience. after doing some research, i have found that north carolina is the lowest paying state for for kitchen staff. very depressing.

i feel like i'm starting back at square one here.

anyone else have a similar experience?  maybe i'm just venting because i feel like the culinary seen here is about 10 years behind everyone else. way behind everyone else.