arminvanbuuren Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 hey guys.. i just have a food for thought here (ok no pun intended) but ive always loved food and to be honest as an enjoyment part of life (yes im a man and i know im a bit gay), ive always enjoyed cooking.. in fact since i was a kid ive always wanted to be a professional chef and ive even had a dream about being a celebrity chef lol.. but again with the labelling of men shouldnt cook and my parents stopping me from being one (because they said chef is like a slave they dont get money and they are not respected), eventhough i LOVED cooking.. actually i loved cooking probably as much as i love watches.. as in i dont get much time to watch tv these days but if i do i only watch the food lifestyle channel.. but lately in most (90%) of the food show i watched.. the chef always have some kind of branded watch.. ive seen breitlings, iwcs, rolexes, panerais and alot more.. in fact i got to meet matt moran the other day when i was eating at his restaurant, he wore an iwc big pilot in his hand.. which does look sexy hence why i decided to buy one.. but for these chefs to be able to afford these kinds of watches, they must have money right? i know theyre celeb chef and theyre 1 in a million.. but im sure there are chefs that gets paid 100-200k/yr? and for ppl that are experienced in the industry.. my dream like i said is that i want to be a professional chef.. what i mean by this is that i would like to learn as much culinary arts as possible and one day owning a (or more) fine dining restaurant.. as for the budget to open one.. my parents actually wanted to give me a loan to start a fine dining restaurant when im ready.. but i have to really show them that i am actually ready to open it.. so in a way do have the budget to start my own fine dining restaurant.. but i just dont have the skills (kitchen skills) or even management skills (eventho im a management and marketing graduate) to do it yet.. and yes i really do want to work in the kitchen as an executive chef even if i do own the restaurant.. does anyone know if it is too late for me to start pursuing my dream? i mean im 20 yrs old now.. i dunno if this is too late to start.. if it isnt does anyone know where i should start from? whether its going to a culinary arts institute or actually start working as a first yr apprentice? thanks for the help guys PS: i know ive asked alot of question like this in the past before.. i remembered i was asking advice about stock market investment and working in an AD.. but actually my hobby has always been food/cooking(no im not good at it but i want to be and i enjoy it like no tomorrow) and watches.. and with working in an ad i never got the job since most AD's only recruits through their own networks (well at least the ones in my area).. and as with stock markets it was my parents choice (they told me ALL RICH PPL ARE IN THE STOCK MARKET SO GO IN IT) even though i was never really interested in it.. now my last resort is in the hospitality industry... the only reason is when i see successful ppl ive noticed that they tend to be succesful because theyre passionate in what theyre doing and cooking trully is something i really enjoy and i dont think ill ever not enjoy even if my boss was gordon ramsay.. i dont mind getting shout at.. i just love preparing food for ppl and to know that theyre enjoying my food.. im not saying i wanted to be gordon ramsay really.. i just wanna own a chain of fine dining restaurant one day.. and if recipebooks and tv shows comes afterwards i dont mind.. i mean 100-200k per yr should be considered succesful enough in my book.. gordon earns millions.. and hes worldwide known.. im not talking about that.. maybe in australia something along the lines of a mark jensens, matt morans, luke nguyens or chris kranswick smith.. theyre good chefs and i consider them as succesful.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 20 is fine you have many years yet. Two words...William Angliss Or even a TAFE course...which I believe was Morans start. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipSlap Posted November 9, 2009 Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 I haven't been a chef, but when I was a young man I did wait tables in some excellent Napa Valley restaurants. In no way is 20 too old to start. In five years you could be a guy with 5 years of culinary experience, or you could be a guy who decided not to pursue it five years earlier. Just make sure you know that it is very hard work that will keep you in the kitchen for as much as 12 or 14 hours a day. Read "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arminvanbuuren Posted November 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2009 well i really dont know what restaurant kitchen condition is like.. but i really like cooking.. and if kitchen condition is like what it's like with the sous chef and head chef in iron chef.. then working fast pace like that is fine with me.. i can do it 12-14 hrs a day in it non stop... but if it was like hells kitchen with marco or gordon.. with dumb ppl shouting in ur ear for no reason then i wouldn't work at that place.. ive heard alot on tv though that alot of other celebrity chef really despises gordon ramsay.. including mario batali saying that gordon actually makes other che look bad... and not many head chefs out there actually scream at their employees like gordon does.. so based on this comment, i would think that eventhough kitchen environment is fast paced and ur always under pressure.. u wouldnt actually get shouted non stop by ur executive chef like in hells kitchen? lol nah cutting story short... really i want to be in the food industry because its really something im passionate about.. my sister and i actually have savings already that we saved up with a lil support of my parents to open up a restaurant (i heard u can start up a fine dining restaurant from $500k).. but i really want to learn how fine dining style restaurant works.. so i thought by gaining experience through apprenticeship then opening up my own little family restaurant then venturing into a fine dining restaurant as a long term goal would be feasible isnt it? i mean financial capital wise we're set... experience and skills wise.. we're no where there yet.. so i was thinking what steps can i take to achieve that (again my goal isnt really to be a famous celebrity chef or writing books), i just want to have a succesful restaurant that can provide a comfy living (maybe around 100-200k/yr) later on in my life.. i mean its good to hear that its not too late for me to start now.. because really its at that point in my life that i finished uni and i really dont know where to start.. i really do want to start but eventhough im a marketing and management graduate.. i really cant stand working 9-5 every single day under an office roof sitting there doing boring things.. i would've thought working fast pace under pressure preparing some kind of art and knowing that ppl enjoy your work would be alot more interesting.. but hey im just a 20 yr old kid.. i need to learn from everyone here whos much more experience than me.. so any advice on what career path i should take? or whether or not my dream is feasible or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paneristi_man Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 I don't have personal experience working as a chef but I've heard that a lot of master chefs are a bit like gordon ramsay - they swear a lot at their staff. so if you can't take that then it's not the right job for you. 20 is still early. some people decide to change into food career when they are 40. so it's not too late to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormTooper4 Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Go for it Dude Changing Jobs/Careers is one of the things your 20's are for , you should set your self a time line though ( Now I'm sounding really old) like 5 years and give it your best shot , then reevaluate where your at and see if you want to carry on or make a change again, Are you Gen Y or Gen I ? I just cant keep up these days, either one isn't supposed to worry too much about long term careers. I've had 3 or 4 distinctly different career paths and I'm Gen X You so don't want to be in a office at your age get out an explore a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anguz Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 (edited) Hey there, I have worked in kitchen in Niagara Falls, Canada. I have worked in Hotel and Casino kitchens and I would say that what you see on TV, on shows with Ramsey are true at times. They are rough places and you must have a very thick skin in regards to getting ribbed, taking swearing, and the opccasional projectile. You will get burned and cut and don't even think about complaining about it!. On the other hand, it can be fun, exciting and crazy. I am over 30 now and have been out of the kitchens for a while, I worked there while getting my degree's, which are not quite done, in a completely unrelated field. Some head chefs of hotels make really good f'n money, but that is going to take a loooong time, if ever. Most cooks work for little more than minimum wage to start. And I saw that someone said to read Tony Bourdain's book, that is a good idea as it is realistic, warts and all... PS, I hope you like to drink. Cheers Edited November 28, 2009 by Anguz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Part of being young is having a dream, and making the odd crazy turn. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't ever done that. But if you want the sensible opinion, it's a crazy notion: - >99.999% of chefs aren't celebrities. - You work nights and weekends forever. - For someone with degree qualifications, the money isn't great - and you make meals for people with better jobs. - An even bigger mistake is combining 'ego chef' with running a restaurant - they're two separate things. If you want to run a restaurant hire a professional, experienced chef. - If you have capital, there are easier ways to make money. Restaurants are hugely capital intensive, and very risky (off the scale risky). - The celebrity chefs make most of their money from books I believe. Combining the risks of restaurants and writing into a single career must have the odds of finding Elvis alive and well in a Krispy Kreme outlet declining a doughnut. - If you want a realistic assessment of likely success, approach a bank manager for a loan for your restaurant and tell them you have no collateral. The expression on their face will tell you their expectations of ever seeing their money again if they were crazy enough to lend it to you. Apply the same degree of skepticism to your own capital. - You must have seen the Kitchen Nightmares series. All of them examples of how exactly the same dream can turn to absolute disaster. - All that cleaning and cooking the same thing over and over again. I think the novelty wears off. - A thousand other reasons if needed. I think it's really hard work. I know a lot of people (me included) worked kitchens to pay for an education to ensure we didn't have to work in kitchens for a living You've already done the education bit.... At any rate: an extra perspective for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 20 is def not to late.. I hope not Im 29 and going back to college for a different degree..I would say if you love to cook def try it what do you got to lose.. thou I dont think most chefs make 100k a year maybe 50k some even 30k..Its gonna take alot of work..best of luck to you.hope to see you on top chef or the likes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfreeman420 Posted December 3, 2009 Report Share Posted December 3, 2009 20 is not too late to start. I too once wanted to be a chef. I worked at several restaurants between the ages of 19 and 21. These were the worst jobs I ever had. I never had a culinary degree but worked along side people who did for the same hourly rate. The hours are long, the kitchen is hot, the work is hard and you are constantly scrutinized. It takes many years of grunt work to be promoted and most executive chefs don't even make $100,000 per year. I know the head chef of Mortons. He works 70 to 80 hours per week and with his bonus makes around $80,000. I guess I have never been a manual labor type of guy but it seems like such a small fraction of chefs ever get their own restaurant. Most want to work in a corporate setting for benefits and security. The restaurant business is very risky and many fold their first year. Sorry to be a downer, but if this kind of reality is appealing to you go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken fingerlove Posted December 6, 2009 Report Share Posted December 6, 2009 Most of these restaurants are not big money makers. Gordon Ramsay (as well as most of the other 'celebrity' chefs here in London) has had to close several restaurants, and there seem to be quite a few going bankrupt. GR's profession is as a celebrity, not a chef or restauranteur. I'd say starting with $500k would be a good way to make $100k :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arminvanbuuren Posted December 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 thanks for the replies guys.. so if the restaurant business isn't really a good option.. what industry do you think is making high growth at the moment? i just finished my uni degree and i really want to start somewhere but in a way im still doing some research into where i should put my money into atm thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paneristi_man Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 thanks for the replies guys.. so if the restaurant business isn't really a good option.. what industry do you think is making high growth at the moment? i just finished my uni degree and i really want to start somewhere but in a way im still doing some research into where i should put my money into atm thanks guys hi, do what you enjoy doing and have a passion for. what did you do in the uni anyways? is that something that you can apply? if you have money then put it in real estate. i don't think anyone is saying you should not go into working in a restaurant if that is what you like;just go in with your eyes open and know what you're in for. don't think you should chase any high growth industry; in any industry there will always be ups and downs. today's growth may be tomorrow's basket case. just me two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinguru Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Agreed, you should always follow your passion. If you a unsure about pursuing a career as a chef, read a few books, follow a few real life courses and see if a local restaurant needs help this season. Even as à waiter you see what it is about. I personally work in e-business (online marketing and optimization) which is booming in the Netherlands. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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