gday from WA!

[jaxstar84]

WA being western australia, in case you didnt catch the gday part

names Jacqui and im new to the forum - have posted a few times already and am loving the info and topics being raised - much better than the other forums im a member of i must say!!

im a teacher, but am very seriously considering a career move into the food business - thinking of moving to england, doing a year long course to become a chef, and actually love my job! there are much longer courses which are much more comprehensive but im 25 and dont want to spend 4 years training to be a chef - i learn better by getting stuck right in there anyway... i find im constantly watching cooking shows, reading cook books/forums/articles, browsing in kitchen stores, and actually cooking, mostly from scratch (im not a fan of packets, any kind!). it occupies my mind far too much to just let it carry on being a hobby!! just finished working for the summer in a hotel where i was pretty much always either working the pass or taking the food orders, which meant i had to know how the food was prepared, what was in it, how it was presented and pretty much everything about it - and i always did, just outta personal interest, and ended up being able to pull the chefs up on things theyd missed (it was a VERY BUSY hotel - awesome chefs, just in a small ktichen dealing with more covers than youd think possible). and i LOVED it! i wasnt even cooking, but always watching, sometimes helping with prep.. im not working there anymore and imiss it ALOT... met some chefs who really inspired me...

so thats my story
look forward to learning something from everyone and maybe if im lucky being able to pass something on to other ppl!

 

[mezzaluna]

Welcome to Chef Talk, Jacqui! Your zest for the food industry can certainly be fed here. While only the professionals can post in their forums, you're welcome to browse to your heart's content. The search tool can help you find discussions of interest to you which we've had in the past.

Good luck with your adventure! We hope you'll participate here to share, learn and have some fun, too.
Regards,
Mezzaluna

 

[ishbel]

G'day Jacqui
I've just returned to the UK from your shores!

Good luck with your ambitions to change your career.  The course you mention... where is it based, in a kitchen or in a college?

There are so many Michelin starred places over here, plus lots of gastropubs - I think you'd be able to get a good grounding in  some sort of place here, so good luck!

 

[dc sunshine]

G'day Jacqui,

I'm from Down Under too.  Just recently moved to Melbourne, been in Tassie for 6 years, before that Darwin for 5  years, grew up in Adelaide.  Have you been to Margaret River?  Some great places there.

England does open up a whole amount of possibilities for you if the course is that much shorter - its pretty similar in some ways to Aussie cooking, and going by the shows on the idiot box, Aussie cooks are pretty popular over there.

Good luck with your venture - when a person is obsessed by something (in a good way!), it is time to act while you have that drive.  Looking forwar to reading your posts.

DC

 

[jaxstar84]

heya DC, yeah margs is a great place, would be awesome to be able to work down there at some stage! fab wine down there and its beautiful as well... pretty hard to beat wine country!!

and yeah, i figure that while i have the drive now, i should plan to get on board! i think its just taken me this long to realise that cooking is actually what i love, and that its a bit more than a hobby. i always used to say that i loved to cook but didnt wanna be a chef cos the hours were shit n the apprenticeship is a really hard slog etc n i didnt want cooking to become a chore, i wanted to keep it fun. however ive since realised, the hours ARE shit, but all through uni ive worked those hours in bars and restaurants etc and they suit me, im already addicted to coffee and am a sucker for punishment, cheffing is perfect for me i cant think of anything id rather do all day than prep, cook, plate things up... i love the dynamic of a kitchen... i worked with some awesome chefs at my last job where i was pass bitch, and id be very lucky to work with people like that again.. one can only hope!

the course ive looked at is - i think - based in a restaurant... id like to do it that way because ill get more hands on industry experience and im also familiar with alot of the front of house aspects already, itll give me a bit more breathing space to concentrate on the food... i hope, there are always suprises around the corner when i assume things

 

[dc sunshine]

 jaxstar - your enthusiasm is great!  Use it or lose it /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif  Yeah the hours are long and tough.  If its want you want and feel you can take it - do it.  Sometimes things get you and drag you along and you love it.  It can't hurt to try - cooking can take you anywhere in the world, it is one of the professions that can land you a job anywhere.

 It's good you've had a headstart with FOH, it gives you a good understanding of what the customers want and their feedback also, Just make sure you have the resources to cover you before you make the leap.  If you don't have a young family to consider (given that your monicker is jaxstar 84) and I'm assuming you were born in 1984, all the more easy to move and change.

Best of luck to you.
Daina