Is there any chef's here?
- Thread starter Bathyio
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I have known a few chefs. A large number of chefs hate their jobs. Also depression rates and subsequently drug/alcohol abuse are pretty rampant among professional chefs. I can make a pretty good meal myself and have been advised I should go to cooking school. I wouldnt though because it would be terrible if I started hating cooking as I rather enjoy it.
Some people make good money and love their jobs as a chef though. It's a toss up I guess. I suppose the difference is if you get to be the head chef and make your own creations or if you work FOR the head chef and dont get to be creative.
Some people make good money and love their jobs as a chef though. It's a toss up I guess. I suppose the difference is if you get to be the head chef and make your own creations or if you work FOR the head chef and dont get to be creative.
A good short order cook can find pick-up work in most towns of any size and even in smaller towns. Being a chef is of course different than being a short order cook. It is not as easy to establish yourself in that high end culinary mastery end of the profession if you are moving around a lot.
Often you begin by starting in an entry level job and stay put at the same restaurant working your way up the ladder over time being given increasingly more responsibility. Going to a culinary school or enrolling in the culinary course at a college or university will teach you more than just how to cook. It will teach you all the daily life of what happens in a kitchen such as ordering supplies, the health standards, how to make sure you will have profit on the food you make, book keeping, managing employees, getting along with fellow employees and the boss.
But once you have established yourself and are a "big name deal" then you could manage to have a more mobile career by being a guest chef and also by teaching. But practically speaking if you want to cook for a living while on the road and not take a lot of years to get there then specialize as a short order cook who can walk into any cafe, small specialty restaurant, truck stop or a hotel or casino and be immediately welcomed into the work force. Then with that foundation if you wish to elevate your position you can do it the old fashioned way, working your way up the ladder year by year.
Of course if you are a culinary genius then it won't take all that many years to get there. Plus you can always establish yourself with you own mini food channel on youtube. Also enter cooking contest and get a name for yourself that way.
Often you begin by starting in an entry level job and stay put at the same restaurant working your way up the ladder over time being given increasingly more responsibility. Going to a culinary school or enrolling in the culinary course at a college or university will teach you more than just how to cook. It will teach you all the daily life of what happens in a kitchen such as ordering supplies, the health standards, how to make sure you will have profit on the food you make, book keeping, managing employees, getting along with fellow employees and the boss.
But once you have established yourself and are a "big name deal" then you could manage to have a more mobile career by being a guest chef and also by teaching. But practically speaking if you want to cook for a living while on the road and not take a lot of years to get there then specialize as a short order cook who can walk into any cafe, small specialty restaurant, truck stop or a hotel or casino and be immediately welcomed into the work force. Then with that foundation if you wish to elevate your position you can do it the old fashioned way, working your way up the ladder year by year.
Of course if you are a culinary genius then it won't take all that many years to get there. Plus you can always establish yourself with you own mini food channel on youtube. Also enter cooking contest and get a name for yourself that way.
Dingfelder
Well-known member
I've read a lot of books and articles by chefs and seen a lot of documentaries, and one refrain readily confirmed by most chefs is that cooking is a young person's game. Long hours on your feet, odd hours, holiday hours, lots of bending and stooping and lifting, sometimes going up and down stairs carrying things, a whole lot of heat, high pressure, time-sensitive work ... and that's under ordinary conditions, not counting other typical work stresses we can all face, like bad bosses or co-workers or customers, etc. It's harder to take sick and vacation days off, too, because unlike, say, an office paperwork job, you can't just come back later or feed people tomorrow instead.
The top chefs have often said something along the lines of, if you haven't made it to where you want to be by your late 30's or 40 at most, you're done. It's too physically taxing after 40 or so.
If by that time you have made it big and no longer have to do the cooking yourself, then great. But most cooks have to cook and most chefs have to cook, ,too.
The top chefs have often said something along the lines of, if you haven't made it to where you want to be by your late 30's or 40 at most, you're done. It's too physically taxing after 40 or so.
If by that time you have made it big and no longer have to do the cooking yourself, then great. But most cooks have to cook and most chefs have to cook, ,too.
If you want to have a great kitchen in your "RV" you can get a head start on that by buying a food truck. Just be sure you have room for a place to sleep and a separate bathroom. I have seen a lot of food trucks on craigslist that I would not mind buying and doing some minor modifications to for fitting in a bed. Some have grills with big vent fans in them, others are set up mostly for rolling latte stands.
maki2 said:
Thanks, it seems an interesting thing to get into. I already prepared using some online material like servsafe practice test 2019.
It's very important to know those things if you want to cook healthier and more organized.
It's also can help you get an additional job but anyhow it will make your RV kitchen look way better
Dingfelder
Well-known member
It's amazing how many people argue vociferously against food safety rules. Including here, I might add.
sushidog
Well-known member
I worked as a sushi chef for many years across several states. Food safety rules vary from state to state and even between cities and counties. Some counties even have county specific food safety certification requirements and issue their own food handler's licenses. Most food safety rules make sense, and indeed are common sense. Others are not, but are politically motivated. Some have debatable merit while others are downright dangerous.
I learned to be a chef the hard way, through a traditional apprenticeship. However most chefs attend (or even teach at) a culinary academy at some point in their carreer. It is true that being a line cook or a kitchen chef is physically demanding, stressful work. The hours are long, sometimes 70+ hrs/wk, the kitchens are hot, and benefits typically nonexistant, but for the chef can be creatively very rewarding. a classically trained sushi chef gets paid is pretty well as most get good tips in addition to their salary. Being a chef involves more than just cooking, but kitchen management, from purchasing, menu development, cost control, customer service and personnel management - the latter two the most challenging parts.
My rv kitchen is pretty typical, but I have quite a few specialty knives and more exotic tools than most, though I have divested myself of most of my specialized gadgets (like quail egg scissors). But how many RVers travel with special knives for preparing sashimi, blowfish and live eels? I do. Or a folded and layered, consecrated sushi knife (I paid $1,300 for over 20 years ago) made by a family who forged the samurai swords for the Japanese imperial household for the last 800 years? Not many I'd guess. But it's hard to give up some of the rare and valuable tools you worked with most of your life.
My wife helps me keep up my skills, as if I make less than top restaurant quality sushi or sashimi for her she lets me know about it, even if the ingredients are impossible to get. "There's no diakon sprouts or shaved bonito flakes in this spicy tuna handroll you made me", she'll complain. I've created a monster - with high culinary standards. LOL
Chip
I learned to be a chef the hard way, through a traditional apprenticeship. However most chefs attend (or even teach at) a culinary academy at some point in their carreer. It is true that being a line cook or a kitchen chef is physically demanding, stressful work. The hours are long, sometimes 70+ hrs/wk, the kitchens are hot, and benefits typically nonexistant, but for the chef can be creatively very rewarding. a classically trained sushi chef gets paid is pretty well as most get good tips in addition to their salary. Being a chef involves more than just cooking, but kitchen management, from purchasing, menu development, cost control, customer service and personnel management - the latter two the most challenging parts.
My rv kitchen is pretty typical, but I have quite a few specialty knives and more exotic tools than most, though I have divested myself of most of my specialized gadgets (like quail egg scissors). But how many RVers travel with special knives for preparing sashimi, blowfish and live eels? I do. Or a folded and layered, consecrated sushi knife (I paid $1,300 for over 20 years ago) made by a family who forged the samurai swords for the Japanese imperial household for the last 800 years? Not many I'd guess. But it's hard to give up some of the rare and valuable tools you worked with most of your life.
My wife helps me keep up my skills, as if I make less than top restaurant quality sushi or sashimi for her she lets me know about it, even if the ingredients are impossible to get. "There's no diakon sprouts or shaved bonito flakes in this spicy tuna handroll you made me", she'll complain. I've created a monster - with high culinary standards. LOL
Chip
eDJ_
Well-known member
I haven't been around here a lot lately but have posted some today. Last year this time I loaded my Van and headed out to Paducah, KY to interview for a job cooking on a River Boat. I have my ServSafe, CPR/First Aid and TWIC card all of which are required. I've cooked a lot in my time including fraternal lodges with full commercial kitchens.
I sat with 5 Chef's when taking my ServSafe. Mine was the first time and they were all renewing. A couple of them told me stories of how the Ohio Valley River Boat cooks had a reputation that put them on similar footing with Chef's. People who cook on these boats often pick up work in restaurants during their months off and often meet and impress Chefs in those same restaurants. The Boat employs work a month on and a month off and earn a years income in 6 months.
When I took my physical the Doctor wanted me to have a same day surgery for a hernia in my naval which probably dates back to my steel worker days. This is done now and soon I will be released from his care. Then I can get back in the Van and drive back to Paducah and hopefully go on the river and cook.
A Chef's I spoke with in the ServSafe course explained to me that there are many schools where one can get certified as a Chef. (depending on the specialty that you want....baker, general, sous, sauces, and so on. There are even correspondence courses available which will take from 14 to 24 months. He also mentioned hospitality training if one wanted to be a party or wedding planner, or Maitre de. Some do this so they aren't cooking constantly. One of the Chef's spoke of being a sauce Chef and working the whole week end to produce a stock of sauces and having the week off
when the prep Chef's were cooking and using the sauces he prepared.
One of the Chef's I spoke with told me he served an apprenticeship to become a Chef and his lead Chef and key teacher only cooked 9 months a year and took the rest of the time off. He drove a big Cadillac and had a room at the Hotel where he worked. He was Divorced (worked too many hours for his EX's satisfaction) and and was happier in the kitchen than anywhere else. But this way of life isn't for everyone.
What I would do, Chef or Cook, is get photos of my cooking and environment where I worked and create a website/Facebook page, have business cards printed with my cell phone number, Resume, URL to my webpages/Facebook and have in those pages a snapshot of my ServSafe with my certificate number so that they can verify it and other things like CPR/First Aid etc. Then if traveling when not working a regular job.....drop by some restaurants and present my card when inquiring about work there.
The nice thing about working in culinary is that people eat every day so there should be work somewhere.
But when I'm off the water I can do some Van traveling.
I'll likely be on a boat of this class:
I sat with 5 Chef's when taking my ServSafe. Mine was the first time and they were all renewing. A couple of them told me stories of how the Ohio Valley River Boat cooks had a reputation that put them on similar footing with Chef's. People who cook on these boats often pick up work in restaurants during their months off and often meet and impress Chefs in those same restaurants. The Boat employs work a month on and a month off and earn a years income in 6 months.
When I took my physical the Doctor wanted me to have a same day surgery for a hernia in my naval which probably dates back to my steel worker days. This is done now and soon I will be released from his care. Then I can get back in the Van and drive back to Paducah and hopefully go on the river and cook.
A Chef's I spoke with in the ServSafe course explained to me that there are many schools where one can get certified as a Chef. (depending on the specialty that you want....baker, general, sous, sauces, and so on. There are even correspondence courses available which will take from 14 to 24 months. He also mentioned hospitality training if one wanted to be a party or wedding planner, or Maitre de. Some do this so they aren't cooking constantly. One of the Chef's spoke of being a sauce Chef and working the whole week end to produce a stock of sauces and having the week off
when the prep Chef's were cooking and using the sauces he prepared.
One of the Chef's I spoke with told me he served an apprenticeship to become a Chef and his lead Chef and key teacher only cooked 9 months a year and took the rest of the time off. He drove a big Cadillac and had a room at the Hotel where he worked. He was Divorced (worked too many hours for his EX's satisfaction) and and was happier in the kitchen than anywhere else. But this way of life isn't for everyone.
What I would do, Chef or Cook, is get photos of my cooking and environment where I worked and create a website/Facebook page, have business cards printed with my cell phone number, Resume, URL to my webpages/Facebook and have in those pages a snapshot of my ServSafe with my certificate number so that they can verify it and other things like CPR/First Aid etc. Then if traveling when not working a regular job.....drop by some restaurants and present my card when inquiring about work there.
The nice thing about working in culinary is that people eat every day so there should be work somewhere.
But when I'm off the water I can do some Van traveling.
I'll likely be on a boat of this class:
There used to be a grocery store in South Ashland, Kentucky that ran power boats out with deliveries out to the barges in all types of weather just before Boggs landing, That was the only food job I was ever interested in!
eDJ_
Well-known member
Over by the Taco Bell on Winchester Bvld there was a Mussetters (sp) and Piggly Wiggly. A neighbor of my Grandmother worked there picking orders. (Mrs Nusam I believe....now deceased) I'm not sure if they delivered to Boggs and then they delivered midstream or they had their own pontoon boats. When I drove a Nabisco Truck for awhile I used to deliver to Boggs but McGinnis owns that Catlettsburg facility now.
RoadtripsAndCampfires
Well-known member
I am not a "Chef" but love to cook. We will cook for ourselves and sometimes friends at camp only.
Our 7' x 16' cargo trailer is nearing completion. We put in a stainless steel sink/counter (IKEA) and had a propane shop put in food-truck propane tubing inside and out. We are bringing 3 ovens and both stainless steel and cast iron pans. We built our unit around our kitchen. I am blown away it seems like it is going to work out - will know in a few weeks as we are working on the bed area now and that's the last of the floor plan. It would not qualify as a food truck because we sleep in it, etc. But it'll be a hoot on the road.
Our 7' x 16' cargo trailer is nearing completion. We put in a stainless steel sink/counter (IKEA) and had a propane shop put in food-truck propane tubing inside and out. We are bringing 3 ovens and both stainless steel and cast iron pans. We built our unit around our kitchen. I am blown away it seems like it is going to work out - will know in a few weeks as we are working on the bed area now and that's the last of the floor plan. It would not qualify as a food truck because we sleep in it, etc. But it'll be a hoot on the road.
eDJ_
Well-known member
Please Christine, post photos of it when finished.
I haven't purchased a trailer yet as I'm still looking at people's builds.
The sketch in my "Van Conversion" site (below) picks up on what my Van doesn't
have room for. (Utility Trailer Conversion link at the top)
MY thinking so far is to be able to detach the trailer when I want to into a town or go sight seeing and be able to
overnight stealth with it. Then return to the trailer and hitch up again and have all of my domestic gear
ready to use in the campground or while on the road.
I haven't purchased a trailer yet as I'm still looking at people's builds.
The sketch in my "Van Conversion" site (below) picks up on what my Van doesn't
have room for. (Utility Trailer Conversion link at the top)
MY thinking so far is to be able to detach the trailer when I want to into a town or go sight seeing and be able to
overnight stealth with it. Then return to the trailer and hitch up again and have all of my domestic gear
ready to use in the campground or while on the road.
