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Is being a head chef really worth it to you?
I really y'all to be honest with me
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3 answers
Updated
Luke’s Answer
I'm not a chef but like many people I've worked in the restaurant business. Chefs work a ton and endure lots of pressure. If you're a reader, I'd suggest Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.
Thanks for the help.
Ralph
Updated
John’s Answer
Ralph
Being an Executive Chef is beyond any commitment you will ever make in your life, short of marriage and babies. My position at present finds me training and inspecting about 30+ Executive Chef's and restaurant management on food and beverage safety. I myself was a long time chef in the industry. The dedication and commitment is something you really must think hard about and plot out a career path that gets you to where you want to go. But here are the basics of the actual life you will lead.
Once you reach Executive Chef status (maybe 5 to 10 years if working hard in the industry) you will not have weekends off. You will not have any holiday off. You could be making between $85K to $110K a year. It will interfere with relationships. It will interfere with family obligations. At 40+ years in the industry, I often think back to the choice I made to be a chef. So it's really hard to give you a straight answer. If leisure time or family time or free time is high on your priority list for your future then I would look at a M-F 9 to 5 gig that will give those things to you. Chef's work 11+ hours a day 6 or 7 days a week. It can be a brutal job BUT if the benefits are important to you. Like finances or name recognition or creativity, etc then you can justify your culinary dreams. Good luck in your decisions
Being an Executive Chef is beyond any commitment you will ever make in your life, short of marriage and babies. My position at present finds me training and inspecting about 30+ Executive Chef's and restaurant management on food and beverage safety. I myself was a long time chef in the industry. The dedication and commitment is something you really must think hard about and plot out a career path that gets you to where you want to go. But here are the basics of the actual life you will lead.
Once you reach Executive Chef status (maybe 5 to 10 years if working hard in the industry) you will not have weekends off. You will not have any holiday off. You could be making between $85K to $110K a year. It will interfere with relationships. It will interfere with family obligations. At 40+ years in the industry, I often think back to the choice I made to be a chef. So it's really hard to give you a straight answer. If leisure time or family time or free time is high on your priority list for your future then I would look at a M-F 9 to 5 gig that will give those things to you. Chef's work 11+ hours a day 6 or 7 days a week. It can be a brutal job BUT if the benefits are important to you. Like finances or name recognition or creativity, etc then you can justify your culinary dreams. Good luck in your decisions
Updated
Benjamin’s Answer
One of my greatest achievements Ralph. Although I’m not always happy with my industry the fact I worked myself up from the bottom means something.
I can’t explain how you feel you do something and see it on paper. One of my recipes was featured in a cookbook along with other amazing chefs I got to meet.
I can’t explain how you feel you do something and see it on paper. One of my recipes was featured in a cookbook along with other amazing chefs I got to meet.
oh my! what was it like to see one of your recipes in a cookbook? What was it if I may ask?
Ralph
Ralph it was a proud moment for me, to have something from my small company featured with a decent amount of heavy hitters felt good, we had a book signing that was awesome it’s called Crossing boarders a fusion cookbook
Benjamin Fuoco