3 answers
Verin
Student
1
Question
Asked
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Whats the culinary field like?
I love culinary arts, is there anyone here that's been a chef/is one or a baker that could tell me what's it's like?
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3 answers
Kathy Laneaux
Cake Decorator/Finisher
21
Answers
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Updated
Kathy’s Answer
Hi Verin,
Ok...so being a chef is different than being a baker. The experiences are different so answering this will be a bit of a challenge.
As an experienced baker, cake decorator, pastry chef assistant and growing up in the food industry, father owned restaurants, the experiences has been different and sometimes I wish I had stayed in the restaurant industry but then again, I love decorating cakes and making incredible desserts.
It's challenging and everyone feels that they have an edge on the other person.
My advice to you...learn your craft.
Don't just go to one place, work in different places, not all at the same time though.
Try different cultures, so you can broaden your taste buds.
Get a few years under your belt and then go to another place.
Some incredible pastry chefs have worked for some well know chefs and they just learned and honed their skills til they were ready to open their own place.
Practice makes perfect and there is no shame in realizing that you may be good at one thing and not at the other.
Ther is no shame in admitting when you have been defeated.
Don't be scared to try something different. Some successful people out there have failed in one area and nailed it in another. Try.
If you don't want to work hard and long hours, at times, this may not be the place for you.
There is a lot of work, long hours, creativity and failures, but everyone experiences this.
Think out of the box, try new things and sometimes things will not mesh well. It's ok.
Hope this helps
Ok...so being a chef is different than being a baker. The experiences are different so answering this will be a bit of a challenge.
As an experienced baker, cake decorator, pastry chef assistant and growing up in the food industry, father owned restaurants, the experiences has been different and sometimes I wish I had stayed in the restaurant industry but then again, I love decorating cakes and making incredible desserts.
It's challenging and everyone feels that they have an edge on the other person.
My advice to you...learn your craft.
Don't just go to one place, work in different places, not all at the same time though.
Try different cultures, so you can broaden your taste buds.
Get a few years under your belt and then go to another place.
Some incredible pastry chefs have worked for some well know chefs and they just learned and honed their skills til they were ready to open their own place.
Practice makes perfect and there is no shame in realizing that you may be good at one thing and not at the other.
Ther is no shame in admitting when you have been defeated.
Don't be scared to try something different. Some successful people out there have failed in one area and nailed it in another. Try.
If you don't want to work hard and long hours, at times, this may not be the place for you.
There is a lot of work, long hours, creativity and failures, but everyone experiences this.
Think out of the box, try new things and sometimes things will not mesh well. It's ok.
Hope this helps
Thank you so much, Kathy!
Verin
wilfred Kaburungiw
Pastry and bakery
2
Answers
Burlington, Massachusetts
Updated
wilfred’s Answer
Good ,in general to be the best and to achieve great goals in culinary will depend on the love you have for this profession. This drives y every day to think ,create, innovate great ideas 💡 that makes you unique ,smart from the rest of y team.
Working smart is the most important aspect , and this helps to ease complicated tasks to look easy and smooth.
For more expertise ,I would advise u to work with different organisation's, for some time, here u will be exposed to different chefs 👩🍳 with skills and ideas in all the sectors of culinary
This will be the Genesis ,of weighing up y self weather to be an entrepreneur, or getting elevated at wrk for senior positions ,or to go higher studies to achieve executive roles in culinary .
Conclusion ,culinary arts is full of 😁 fun ,enjoyment if u have the love and passion for it.
Come on let's do it.
Working smart is the most important aspect , and this helps to ease complicated tasks to look easy and smooth.
For more expertise ,I would advise u to work with different organisation's, for some time, here u will be exposed to different chefs 👩🍳 with skills and ideas in all the sectors of culinary
This will be the Genesis ,of weighing up y self weather to be an entrepreneur, or getting elevated at wrk for senior positions ,or to go higher studies to achieve executive roles in culinary .
Conclusion ,culinary arts is full of 😁 fun ,enjoyment if u have the love and passion for it.
Come on let's do it.
Juliana Vitosh
Baker
3
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Juliana’s Answer
I worked as a cook for a local cafe for about a year and a half. I would come in at 8 a.m. and prepare the pastries (cookies, cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins, bread) before we opened, and I would make sandwiches, salads, and soups during the day. Now, I work as a baker at a gluten free coffee shop. The biggest difference between the two is that, as a baker, I don't have to make anything other that pastries (muffins, cookies, cakes) and a few savory things (scones, empanadas).
Both jobs require a lot of time standing in the kitchen, so you'll need shoes with good support/cushioning. You'll be working with hot and cold foods, and you'll need to be especially careful with stoves and ovens so you don't burn yourself. Obviously, knives will be involved, and the best advice I have is to not try to catch a falling knife. Just let it hit the floor and then clean it or get a new one out. You have to multitask a lot, as often one food item will be cooking while you prepare the next, and you can't forget about any of them lest they burn or overmix. It helps to have strong hands/arms and backs since you'll end up doing more heavy lifting than you think. While large restaurants might have dedicated dishwashers, smaller ones usually can't afford to hire one, so you'll end up washing your own dishes as well.
Sometimes the work can be a little repetitive, but I find that comforting since I'm not having to learn new recipes every day. However, there's enough variation in the work that I never get bored. Many places have a seasonal menu that rotates every month or so, and as a chef or baker you might have some control over the different flavors. I like being let loose in the kitchen to work my way through the to-do list.
Hope this helps give you an idea of what it might be like!
Both jobs require a lot of time standing in the kitchen, so you'll need shoes with good support/cushioning. You'll be working with hot and cold foods, and you'll need to be especially careful with stoves and ovens so you don't burn yourself. Obviously, knives will be involved, and the best advice I have is to not try to catch a falling knife. Just let it hit the floor and then clean it or get a new one out. You have to multitask a lot, as often one food item will be cooking while you prepare the next, and you can't forget about any of them lest they burn or overmix. It helps to have strong hands/arms and backs since you'll end up doing more heavy lifting than you think. While large restaurants might have dedicated dishwashers, smaller ones usually can't afford to hire one, so you'll end up washing your own dishes as well.
Sometimes the work can be a little repetitive, but I find that comforting since I'm not having to learn new recipes every day. However, there's enough variation in the work that I never get bored. Many places have a seasonal menu that rotates every month or so, and as a chef or baker you might have some control over the different flavors. I like being let loose in the kitchen to work my way through the to-do list.
Hope this helps give you an idea of what it might be like!