Advice for an aspiring professional cook? for Questionland Seattle

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Advice for an aspiring professional cook?

I have decided that cooking is what I want to do with my life but am unsure of how to break into the scene exactly. I have come to the conclusion that I don't want to be stuck in a cubicle all day like I have the past few years, and would rather do something I have a passion for, even if it means less money for a lot more work. I have worked in restaurants before as a server and a dishwasher, so I have a general idea of what a line or prep cook's job is like. My plan right now is to apply for prep jobs for a while and if this doesn't work out try dishwashing jobs so I could work my way up from within a restaurant.

One problem is that I don't have much recent relevant experience outside of some part time banquet serving and a volunteer gig doing prep for a meals on wheels type organization over the summer. I am mostly self taught from culinary school textbooks, though I did learn a decent amount from the volunteer gigs.

Does anyone in the field have any advice... would it be better to just go the usual route of looking for posted jobs or do you think knocking on doors of restaurants where I would want to work would be more effective? Any other tips? Thanks and sorry for the long post...

bikechef asked in Jobs & Education about 1 year ago | Report

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Finding someone who can mentor you sounds like the best plan, BC. And stay away from almost all culinary schools. Like the University of Phoenix and the Art Institute, many of the for-profit schools are currently under investigation by the US government for being Stafford loan mills. They promise a culinary education leading to a $50-60K job after graduation. They'll get you to sign up for government loans, they'll get the money, and you are left holding the bag. Recent statistics demonstrated that almost all of these graduates don't find work after graduation or if they do, it's minimum wage employment in a kitchen somewhere with a $60K loan to pay off.

The Culinary Institute of America or perhaps Wales and Johnson University are two, very legit exceptions. Students there do seem to graduate into a career in culinary arts, but the tuition is very high. I'd aim for scholarships instead of loans - or better yet, just find a reputable kitchen if you can and do it! Best of luck!

Bauhaus answered in Jobs & Education about 1 year ago | Report

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You almost certainly will have to work for free if you are coming to the table with little to no experience. Think of places you may like to work and ask them if you can work a few shifts, pro bono. Write a well constructed letter explaining why you would like to do this, and a resume may be helpful as well. It may just get your foot in the door somewhere. Know the Chef's name. Know what the menu is like, maybe even go eat there once to get a feel of the place.

In the industry working for free is typically called a "stage" (pronounced like "stazhg"). No pay, but experience, and maybe an "in" if you work hard, have a good attitude, and they like you.

I am not really a proponent of school, since I know too many line cooks who are busting ass to pay off huge debts from fancy schools. May be for you, maybe not. Only you know that for sure.

Working your way up is the way I did it. I started as a dish/prep guy and worked, worked, worked. Plan on lousy money for a bunch of years before the dividends begin to pay off.

Hope this is helpful to you...

rastabilly answered in Jobs & Education about 1 year ago | Report

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I am actually in your same exact position. I have no culinary experience, aside from that of my own kitchen, and a few jobs working in a bakery/cafe type setting. I've been working at a desk job for nearly three years and am bored out of my damn mind. I am, however, completely totally madly and insanely in love with food and the preparation of it. (I actually just got on the computer to double check a pie recipe).

I just put my resume up on Craigslist today, outlining the fact that while I don't have professional culinary experience- I do have a lot of other hands-on experience, and a serious passion for good food. (You can probably find it if you go look- it's still on the first page of resumes). Note that I didn't list the name of my current employer, as I know that they search Craigslist.

My problem is that I don't want to work as a line cook, and I can only afford to cut my salary down by so much (not minimum wage, or even that close to it). I have emailed a few contacts that I have in the industry (restaurant owner, catering company owner) and expressed my interest. I've outlined my experience in an office as an asset and explained that I am currently trying to work towards my actual passion. I am also trying to finagle a situation where I might be able to make desserts for the small restaurant where my boyfriend works.

I realized a little while ago that it may be damn near impossible for me to get hired into a kitchen setting, and so I need to figure out what tiny steps I can take to work my way towards it on my own terms. I can't count on my contacts to pan out, and if I don't figure out a way on my own it may never happen at all.

Shit sucks. There's no way for me to go to culinary school right now, and I'm so tired of being miserable and bored every day.

GOOD LUCK!!!

RM answered in Jobs & Education about 1 year ago | Report

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Thanks for your response...I am sincerely trying not to sound like a dick, but if can't live without making a lot of money cooking is probably not for you.

It is a fairly low-wage situation across the board, at the top of food chain the most you could hope to make is 50-60K, and that ends up being not much per hour when you figure in the amount of time you would spend in such a position... it is also unreasonable particularly in this economy to expect to start in an upper level position when you have no experience... you would be LUCKY to start as a line cook with no experience.

I have generally found there to be a minimum of BS in the food service industry when compared to almost any other field. Pretty much every interview I've ever had in the industry (except for interviews with a few corporate-owned places) mostly consisted of straightforward questions about my experience and abilities rather than the weird, abstract conceptual questions that they seem to ask when I've applied for jobs in any other field. They are mostly interested in proven experience, what you can actually do.

That's why BOH work is (or at least used to be) one of the few fields that regularly hires convicts, people with spotty employment histories, etc if they can pull their weight in the kitchen. All they care about is what you can actually do and if you can be a reliable employee where it counts.

Realistically, if you are really sincere in your intentions you probably need to stop thinking of yourself as being above starting at an entry level position that pays slightly above minimum wage. Either that or you could focus on the fact that you are lucky to have a decent paying job in this economy and
be thankful for the security that it provides you.

Again, I do not mean to come off a harsh or critical, just making a genuine observation.

bikechef commented about 1 year ago | Report

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Re-reading my response- it's actually kind of awful and not very well explained. I think I got a little too excited about answering!

The place where we differ is that I'm not interested in working in a kitchen. I want to work in a food-focused environment, and would like to get into catering, food styling, or another related area. I've applied for jobs as a catering assistant, an event planner, and even an admin assistant for a natural foods company.

RM commented about 1 year ago | Report

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