World Daily Info

things to know before pursuing a career as a chef


There are usually two main reasons anyone decides to pursue a career as a chef. The first, of course, is a love of food. This was the case for me. I grew up around my grandma’s kitchen table, learning from, in my opinion – and that of pretty much anyone who has ever tasted her food – the best cook who has ever lived. This theme has followed me throughout my life. Some of my best memories are centred around food, and this love for cooking is something I seem to have passed on to my kids, the eldest of whom has become a chef himself.

The second reason is the fame and recognition we all hope to achieve with the job title. Show me a chef without an ego, and I will show you the meaning of life. We all hope life will mimic fiction. We have reality shows like Master Chef or Hell’s Kitchen to blame for that, or even the idyllic adventures of Gordon, Gino, and Fred across the world or Somebody Feed Phil, two of my go-to Netflix chill choices. Hell, Jon Favreau won my heart with the best food scenes in Chef, from delicate sauces to his sexy, greasy grilled cheese, which, to this day, still haunts my dreams.

So, you want to be a chef? Great stuff! I honestly applaud you for deciding to follow your heart and embark on one of the most fulfilling journeys anyone who loves food can experience. But before you jump right in, let me share a little secret: it can also be one of the most painful – and at times frustrating – career paths you could ever choose.

Why? Well, keep reading and we’ll get there.

Yuri Pires: Passion for cooking has been passed on to his kids, with one of them becoming a chef.

The truth about food porn

Every chef dreams of creating the most amazing dishes, appealing to all senses. You eat first with your eyes, followed by the smell, texture, and flavour. If this is not your dream, you are already dipping your toe into the wrong pool.

What most people don’t know is that being a chef involves a great deal of training and practice. For a significant part of your career, you will be learning and replicating other people’s work. At least at the start, you won’t get to be as creative as you might hope, especially in a professional kitchen where you’ll need to adhere to an established restaurant’s vision. This is one of the main reasons more creative individuals pursue other avenues or stop cooking altogether.

My biggest disappointment came when I joined a well-known bistro chain, eager to learn the secrets of their sauces, only to discover that most were prepared in a central kitchen, vacuum-packed, and sent to the restaurants to “maintain the consistency of dishes across the chain” and, of course, save money on fresh ingredients. Yes, I still got to plate Instagram-worthy dishes, but I felt like a bit of a fraud. This, however, strengthened my skills in starters, where I could be a little more creative and at least prep, cook, and plate my covers from scratch.

My humble suggestion? Never give up on your love of food, even if it’s just for you and your family at home.

Burnout

Since we’ve mentioned TV shows, add The Bear, currently airing on Disney+, and the film Boiling Point to your watchlist. These are the closest depictions of life in a professional kitchen at a high level.

The restaurant industry is notorious for demanding long workweeks, often 60-80 hours or more. The pace and physical demands can be gruelling, leading to burnout over time, with intense work environments where you’re constantly under pressure to deliver high-quality, aesthetically pleasing food to demanding customers, while balancing relationships inside and outside the kitchen.

Being a chef is not for everyone. It takes a certain type of person to survive the intense working conditions, financial pressures, and limited upward mobility that cause many young chefs to realise the trade-offs are not worth it after the initial excitement of working in professional kitchens wears off.

Unfortunately, in real life, there’s no guaranteed big cash prize or cushy job for being the most talented chef, and you won’t necessarily live the jet-set lifestyle, exploring some of the world’s greatest gastronomic destinations because you can cook the best risotto in town.

This is the environment you are entering. So, if you dream of working with some of the greatest names in the industry, bear this in mind.

Work-life balance

Or rather, the lack of it. The nature of the restaurant business, with evenings, weekends, and holidays being the busiest times, makes it difficult for chefs to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This can strain personal relationships and lower the overall quality of life.

When I decided to trade my cushy 9-to-5 recruitment job for a career in a professional kitchen, this was the first discussion I had with my partner. It has been, by far, the biggest source of strain in our relationship. I’m grateful to have someone as understanding as my fiancée behind me, but it hasn’t come without sacrifices. I think she’s a saint for putting up with my wild schedules and sheer exhaustion sometimes.

It’s no easier if you start your own kitchen either, with even more responsibilities on your shoulders. Though, given time, you might be able to ease off the gas as your restaurant becomes more established, but this too comes with its own set of challenges. Finding the elusive balance can be incredibly hard. Been there, done that, and got the T-shirt – and it’s not something I’d jump back into lightly.

It’s not impossible, but be ready to set boundaries and stick to them. If you figure out how to do that, please let me know.

Money, money, money

If fame, fortune, and recognition are your primary motivations for becoming a chef, let me tell you right now: you’re choosing the wrong career.

Entry-level and mid-level chef positions don’t often pay well, especially considering the long hours. The average salary for a starting chef is around £19k to £25k for a full-time role. When you factor in the unsociable hours, stress, and lack of work-life balance, it can seem like an unattractive prospect, especially in light of the cost of living in 2024.

Many chefs become disillusioned by the compensation compared to the demands of the job. In hierarchical kitchens, there are fewer Head Chef or Executive Chef roles available, which can be frustrating when there’s no clear path for advancement.

At some point, every chef asks themselves one key question: “Why do I do this to myself?”. Honestly, I still don’t know the answer. But I will say this: there’s something incredibly satisfying about pouring your heart and soul into your food and seeing satisfied faces across the kitchen pass. You can’t make everyone happy, but when you do, it feels SO good.

And if you eventually decide that the restaurant life isn’t for you, not all is doom and gloom. The skills you’ve honed can take you in many different directions. The rise of social media has opened up opportunities for chefs to create content for digital media, and advertising agencies dedicated solely to food and drinks are constantly looking for creative minds.

Yes, being a chef can be stressful, but if you find the right balance, it can also be incredibly rewarding. And if, like me, you decide that a restaurant kitchen isn’t your place, there’s always the path of a private chef – but that’s a story for another day, so stay tuned for more.

Until then, carpe diem, my friend!



Source link