>Working as a Chef Anyone actually have a career as a chef?

So you want to ruin your life?

>>8754782
There's a reason why many chefs end up doing drugs or becoming heavy drinkers. It's a tough business to be in.

>>8754782
Never too old

never too old to start, but don't give up a decent career for it, you won't 'continuously improve' and it's not a pleasant way to spend your life. maybe go part time and volunteer on your days off for a bit, see how you feel.

>>8754782
Just take up cooking as a hobby. My father and brother are chefs and they each look a decade older than they are.

>>8754782
You have to not just be passionate but dedicated to cooking and working your ASS off every single day for the rest of your foreseeable life unless you get lucky. Do some kitchen work for a little bit, maybe even talk to some chefs about their experiences. Dip your toes in before jumping in head first.

Can't I just get a nice easy job as a chef where I don't have to do anything and can basically just stand around all day on my phone or w/e/?

Chef and dentist are the most depressing careers

>>8754902
Family dollar my friend.

>>8754782
Got a family, wife and kids? Then dont.
Being suicidal... go for it.

Speaking about that, how do i acquire chef type knowledge about cooking and cooking in general without ACTUALLY entering a chef course type of studies ? Is there any kind of school or courses for amateurs but really teaching how to cook in details ?

I don't give a shit about the cooking carrer in general, it's shit and there's way too much stress, i just want to cook well for myself and myself only. Personal knowledge.

>>8754968
There's usually a few good cookbooks that get mentioned on here from time to time. I can recommend anything coming from cooks illustrated, but it's also rather generic and assumes you have limited access to ingredients. https://americastestkitchen.buysub.com/cook-s-illustrated-cookbooks.html
Also the king arthur's flower baking book it is very comprehensive and covers just about everything.
My personal recommendation is to learn to bake first then roast then saute

Why is being a chef so much harder than other professions? I hear that a lot.

>>8755045
in germany for example people dont give a fuck about good food, so even if you work the entire day for mediocre money you have a hard time. even michelin star chefs have problems finding staff to keep their kitchens going.

>>8754782
if you are really good there are dream jobs like dish designer for things like vapiano, where you get your money from having a good idea during a walk in the park and experimenting at home. other than that being a chef is hard as fuck and its very difficult to feel rewarded for what you do.

>>8755045
Most restaurants have small margins so they can't provide better working conditions or equipment for staff. Plus the hours are rough because of the nature of restaurants needing to be open so long.

>>8755060
Not true. Noma here got plenty of free staff. You know. Nice to put on cv.

>>8755045
You work from 10 am to 1030 for less than $12 an hour as fast as you can as exactly as you can in a 95+ F room. If you want to get paid more then be even faster and more exact.

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>>8754782
this is you after 1 month in the industry

>>8755074
How come most restaurants don't have two shifts? Is it an issue with consistency of the meals?

>>8755081
It's hard to find people willing to work that hard for less than $12 an hour so with less workers available, the good ones get more work. Also a general lack of education and other job prospects makes for lousy staff in general. You can actually get by pretty well if you make it past $10, but that's usually after a year.

>>8755139
you're not a chef

>>8755074
you're not a chef

>>8755076
you're not a chef

>>8755070
you're not a chef

If you're trying to be cheeky by focusing on how chef and cook aren't the same, I assume you these same issues exist for high end chefs even in the best places.

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>>8755194
i was a dishwasher and prepper for a year, i saw and heard enough

>>8755045
For me, cooking is a hobby. I enjoy creating dishes that I have full control over. I enjoy cooking for AND serving directly to people I genuinely care about. I enjoy sharing my talent with people who will offer honest feedback. Frankly, I enjoy the power.

Monetizing my talent would completely remove my power. I would be at the mercy of the entitled. Don't get me wrong; I don't mind catering to a person's dietary restrictions, but the first time I see "Sauce On Side", I'm fucking out of there.

So, to answer your question, I don't think the actual job is "harder." I think the hardest part is stifling your creative and artistic expression.

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>>8754786