8 answers
Lindsey
Student
Winter Park, Florida
1
Question
Asked
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I'm currently working as a pastry chef and I don't like the work environment. There is no room for my creative input. I graduated from culinary school and went into the culinary field because I love creating my own recipes and sharing them with others. I want to work with food but I don't want to be confined to making recipes that are not mine or even partially my own. What should I do?
I know I have to gain experience, but I want to work somewhere where career goals and creativity are encouraged.
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8 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1334
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Lindsey, heyo, I totally get it girl! You went to culinary school to create, not to be stuck in a kitchen making someone else’s boring recipes, uhum hope no one is reading 🤫! And you wanna do your thing, and that is totally valid. 😏
Dave and Michelle both gave solid advice. ✨ Dave’s, “Listen, sometimes jobs suck but they teach you resilience.” And he’s not wrong—having that experience under your belt will help you in the long run. Michelle’s “keep grinding but also make space for your own creativity”, side is which honestly sounds like the move.
So, I am gonna mix something actually doable and fun for you that you cna start now, which I totlaky hope gels out. And I know it will! 😉
First off, stay at your job for now (ugh, I know, but hear me out). Every chef starts somewhere, and even if this gig isn’t sparking joy, it’s giving you experience, which you’ll need when you find a place that does vibe with you.
BUT in the meantime, don’t let your creativity die in the walk-in fridge. Start a side project. It doesn’t have to be a huge thing—maybe an Instagram page where you post your original creations, a small pop-up at a local event, or even taking orders for custom desserts and doing little taste tests for people.
Network like crazy. Find chefs, food bloggers, or small food businesses that actually care about innovation. Go to food expos, join online foodie communities, DM people who inspire you—seriously, slide into those DMs like “Hey, love your work, would love to connect!” You never know what opportunities might pop up.
And honestly? Make your current job work for you as much as possible. If they don’t encourage new ideas, find little ways to sneak in your creativity. Make something new on your own time, bring it in, and casually let your manager (or even better, someone higher up) taste it. “Oh, I just whipped this up for fun, no big deal” (while secretly manifesting your name on the menu).
Most importantly, don’t lose your spark. Keep experimenting, keep creating, and don’t let a boring job make you forget why you love food in the first place. You’re gonna find your space, and when you do, it’s gonna be chef’s kiss perfection. Keep cooking up magic, Lindsey🍽️✨You are gonna make great creations and I can't wait to taste them too! 🤤😍
Dave and Michelle both gave solid advice. ✨ Dave’s, “Listen, sometimes jobs suck but they teach you resilience.” And he’s not wrong—having that experience under your belt will help you in the long run. Michelle’s “keep grinding but also make space for your own creativity”, side is which honestly sounds like the move.
So, I am gonna mix something actually doable and fun for you that you cna start now, which I totlaky hope gels out. And I know it will! 😉
First off, stay at your job for now (ugh, I know, but hear me out). Every chef starts somewhere, and even if this gig isn’t sparking joy, it’s giving you experience, which you’ll need when you find a place that does vibe with you.
BUT in the meantime, don’t let your creativity die in the walk-in fridge. Start a side project. It doesn’t have to be a huge thing—maybe an Instagram page where you post your original creations, a small pop-up at a local event, or even taking orders for custom desserts and doing little taste tests for people.
Network like crazy. Find chefs, food bloggers, or small food businesses that actually care about innovation. Go to food expos, join online foodie communities, DM people who inspire you—seriously, slide into those DMs like “Hey, love your work, would love to connect!” You never know what opportunities might pop up.
And honestly? Make your current job work for you as much as possible. If they don’t encourage new ideas, find little ways to sneak in your creativity. Make something new on your own time, bring it in, and casually let your manager (or even better, someone higher up) taste it. “Oh, I just whipped this up for fun, no big deal” (while secretly manifesting your name on the menu).
Most importantly, don’t lose your spark. Keep experimenting, keep creating, and don’t let a boring job make you forget why you love food in the first place. You’re gonna find your space, and when you do, it’s gonna be chef’s kiss perfection. Keep cooking up magic, Lindsey🍽️✨You are gonna make great creations and I can't wait to taste them too! 🤤😍
Christopher Lowth
Culinary Director
1
Answer
Boulder Creek, California
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
I myself am a classically trained pastry chef & executive chef. Through the years I have found the best places to let your art shine. Country Clubs(golf club) are a place where you can work and show off your skills. Boutique Hotels are another, the hidden gem that pays well and is fun College Campus dining. Yes 90% of time it’s basic stuff but you can shine when there are special events or The Dean’s galas. It’s a good place to work prior to say a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton. The pastry chef who I trained under came from Ritz Carlton.
Sometimes you need to take the lower pay job to get you to the job you want.
My example
I worked for $300 a week (A WEEK!!!) in 2009 as the assistant baker in Hollywood. Then I caught my break and less than a year later I was the Executive Pastry Chef at Playboy Mansion. To be fair yes the pay was better but still not great.
I’m 50 now, my journey began when I was 14 working at McDonald’s in wood field mall in IL.
So find a place you WANT to work this goes for everyone in every career. There are times you just NEED a job and you take what you can get but when an opportunity comes for job you want don’t let it pass.
I didn’t want to work at bakery but every place gave me same response to my resume. “This is nice but this is Los Angeles it’s different”
Or this is Hollywood not Chicago or Kennebunkport.
I took the job I needed where I in turn met the people who helped get me into playboy mansion. I didn’t set out thinking I’m moving to LA and am going to work at Playboy. I set out on an adventure to expand my knowledge and meet new people.
Well I hope this helps. This is my first time responding so not sure if you are able to reach out to me. But if you are then go ahead I worked my way up and I did not go to culinary school. Though I was trained by a chef whose program later became accredited and is now The French Pastry School of Chicago.
Since you are currently working, look for an opportunity that allows you to be creative.
Sometimes you need to take the lower pay job to get you to the job you want.
My example
I worked for $300 a week (A WEEK!!!) in 2009 as the assistant baker in Hollywood. Then I caught my break and less than a year later I was the Executive Pastry Chef at Playboy Mansion. To be fair yes the pay was better but still not great.
I’m 50 now, my journey began when I was 14 working at McDonald’s in wood field mall in IL.
So find a place you WANT to work this goes for everyone in every career. There are times you just NEED a job and you take what you can get but when an opportunity comes for job you want don’t let it pass.
I didn’t want to work at bakery but every place gave me same response to my resume. “This is nice but this is Los Angeles it’s different”
Or this is Hollywood not Chicago or Kennebunkport.
I took the job I needed where I in turn met the people who helped get me into playboy mansion. I didn’t set out thinking I’m moving to LA and am going to work at Playboy. I set out on an adventure to expand my knowledge and meet new people.
Well I hope this helps. This is my first time responding so not sure if you are able to reach out to me. But if you are then go ahead I worked my way up and I did not go to culinary school. Though I was trained by a chef whose program later became accredited and is now The French Pastry School of Chicago.
Christopher recommends the following next steps:
Dave Meeks
Classically-trained Pastry Chef and Baker
2
Answers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Dave’s Answer
Hi, not sure who your employer is but do they reward innovation? Do they encourage new ideas from staff?
Face it, they're in business to make money., right? If you can sell them by appealing to their taste buds, take the risk.
Don't ignore Company policy but what if you made something, on YOUR dime and YOUR time and brought in for Manager to taste?
Better yet, arrange to do so when people from Corporate visit and let them have some. Do your homework. What will sell??
Does your business have a "test kitchen?" If not, find out how their menu was developed, what inspired certain dishes.
Let your ideas and suggestions dovetail from there. Do NOT try to steamroll this. Talk to your manager and make it collaborative.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Dave
Face it, they're in business to make money., right? If you can sell them by appealing to their taste buds, take the risk.
Don't ignore Company policy but what if you made something, on YOUR dime and YOUR time and brought in for Manager to taste?
Better yet, arrange to do so when people from Corporate visit and let them have some. Do your homework. What will sell??
Does your business have a "test kitchen?" If not, find out how their menu was developed, what inspired certain dishes.
Let your ideas and suggestions dovetail from there. Do NOT try to steamroll this. Talk to your manager and make it collaborative.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Dave
Michelle M.
Actress
2310
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Lindsey !
Congratulations on being a culinary school graduate Chef ! That is a wonderful accomplishment !
The workplace - yes, filled with guidelines and rules, co-workers that may or may not be like-minded, having to do duties that make you feel limited. Real life. However . . . this is only the beginning of your career and yes, you are getting the experience that will capture more acceptable jobs. Every recipe that seems rigid to you is an assignment and a lesson. You need the practice, just like an athlete. Think of it as temporary and routine, practice and know that things will change if you stick with it for now. You definitely have many options as a Chef.
Even as you work your current position, do not stop creating your own recipes and sharing them with everyone. Do it on your free time for now. Network more outside your place of employment and get an idea of the climate at various other prospective employers. I do suggest for good resume reasons that you stay with your current job for one to two years at least.
Something that you can do that might make you feel creative and original is to make your creations for people. Get the word out in your neighborhood, community organizations you belong to, your parent's friends and co-workers and take orders for your creations. Create a website with photos of what you offer so people you know can go and e-mail you with an order. Websites are expensive, so try to do it as inexpensively as possible for right now, like have a Linked In Business page would be best. Start out slow because you still have the demands of your full time position.
Things will get better, Lindsey. Anything you do outside of work will be a welcome distraction from the way you feel at work. You can even create some You Tube videos to document your original creations.
So for now, stick with your current work, do your creations outside of work and try marketing them to the public. I wish you all the very best in all you do and I hope this is helpful !
Congratulations on being a culinary school graduate Chef ! That is a wonderful accomplishment !
The workplace - yes, filled with guidelines and rules, co-workers that may or may not be like-minded, having to do duties that make you feel limited. Real life. However . . . this is only the beginning of your career and yes, you are getting the experience that will capture more acceptable jobs. Every recipe that seems rigid to you is an assignment and a lesson. You need the practice, just like an athlete. Think of it as temporary and routine, practice and know that things will change if you stick with it for now. You definitely have many options as a Chef.
Even as you work your current position, do not stop creating your own recipes and sharing them with everyone. Do it on your free time for now. Network more outside your place of employment and get an idea of the climate at various other prospective employers. I do suggest for good resume reasons that you stay with your current job for one to two years at least.
Something that you can do that might make you feel creative and original is to make your creations for people. Get the word out in your neighborhood, community organizations you belong to, your parent's friends and co-workers and take orders for your creations. Create a website with photos of what you offer so people you know can go and e-mail you with an order. Websites are expensive, so try to do it as inexpensively as possible for right now, like have a Linked In Business page would be best. Start out slow because you still have the demands of your full time position.
Things will get better, Lindsey. Anything you do outside of work will be a welcome distraction from the way you feel at work. You can even create some You Tube videos to document your original creations.
So for now, stick with your current work, do your creations outside of work and try marketing them to the public. I wish you all the very best in all you do and I hope this is helpful !
Michelle, thank you!
Steve Fye
Food Safety and Brand Standards
2
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Steve’s Answer
This is an issue many new chefs face. We have all had to pay our dues and grind out others' recipes and formulas. Unless the environment is oppressive or hostile, I recommend you continue to keep your head down and do the work while honing your production skills and build experience. Develop your own techniques, recipes, and formulas on your own time and document your end products. Search for other opportunities that would allow you the freedom to create, but don't burn bridges. It's always easier to find a new position if you're already employed.
I wish you the best of luck.
I wish you the best of luck.
Dave Meeks
Classically-trained Pastry Chef and Baker
2
Answers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Dave’s Answer
Hi Lindsey, Dave again. I should share that after leaving the culinary field in 1985, I began my 2nd current career as a headhunter, i.e., recruiter. Had my own business twice, worked for 2 global Companies, and so on.
My point is whatever you do, do NOT get into the job-hopping rut I've seen all too often after 40 years of reviewing resumes.
The resolve, resilience and tenacity you develop at jobs that are no fun can be a real feather in your cap downstream. Trust me on this.
Maybe I'm stating the obvious but in your next job search, maybe limit your options to places that foster the type of creativity you yearn for. They are out there.
My point is whatever you do, do NOT get into the job-hopping rut I've seen all too often after 40 years of reviewing resumes.
The resolve, resilience and tenacity you develop at jobs that are no fun can be a real feather in your cap downstream. Trust me on this.
Maybe I'm stating the obvious but in your next job search, maybe limit your options to places that foster the type of creativity you yearn for. They are out there.
Rachel Kindrick
Chef
4
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
I understand you want to spread your wings and see the beauty you can create! I would recommend looking for local restaurants with seasonal or weekly menu changes. It will be easier to have some input or they may even give you creative freedom. Stay away from corporate restaurants or tasting menu types. This is sometimes difficult but remember when you interview anywhere try to do a stage or working interview to get vibes of the people and environment.
Howard Pierceall CEC, CCE WCEC
Chef, Chef Instructor, Business owner
113
Answers
Sun City, Arizona
Updated
Howard’s Answer
Cooking or baking is not about creating something new each time you make it. What makes you successful is can you reproduce the item the same way and same taste each time you make it. If your job is not giving you opportunities to grow then look for a new place or people to work with. Remember this if you are not the Chef, you need to do the recipe and work the chef wants you to do first. I you can consistently do a good job with their recipes. Maybe they will trust you to make or create something new. Customers going to a restaurant or bakery want the food to be the same each time they visit. If it is always different they will not come back. If you truly want to only make your own dishes you need your own place to do that. Being successful in food service and cooking is being on time, following instructions, and being consistent in what you produce. If you cannot do those basic things you will not be successful. I wish you luck. It is not easy starting out, just do not give up.