Chef 101: How to Get a High-Paying Job in the Kitchen

Bull trype

I love cooking, doing it for a living is absolutely terribly. Even on the high-end dining side of it your working with all immagrants and people that are coming and going constantly cause the pay sucks and the work is very hard and demanding. Never try to persue outside goals as a line cook. A- you dont make enough money B- you meet tons of other people in your life that seem to make waaaaaay more money than you working 8am to 4pm answering phone. Culinary School is a waste of time, as soon as you finish you get a job at place were the guy next to you doesn't speak english, didn't go to culinary school, and cuts a million coners per second to make his own job easier and gets away with it. All i'm saying is, for example if you want to work 1 job and make enough money to live fine while working stable hours DO NOT COOK OR DO ANYTHING RELATED TO A RESTARAUNT HOTEL OR ANY PLACE THAT SERVES FOOD.

I speak from 6 years of experience

Norman of MA @ Jul 02, 2009 16:08:53 PM

Dear Chef Peter Hofstetter

I got so much respect for you word! ;)

I'm in Australia doing my apprenticeship. Yes there are fulltime bollockings. Yes the pays arent as good. (wait staff gets paid more!)

anyways. if you got the passion and just stay focused i know oneday not so long after you'll get there. ;)

STAY STRONG!

JK @ Apr 09, 2009 07:49:33 AM

In debt after culinary school...

Yes culinary school is great. I quite enjoyed it. graduated with 3.44 gpa. Then theres life after culinary school. working for 10 dollars/hr barely making enough for rent, insurance, other bills and utilities while at the same time being hassled by Sallie Mae to pay 800 dollars/month or go into "Forbearance" which compounds the interest into the principal amount at the same time raising the already astronomical interest rate. I am actually looking for help to pay this. a job offer for those 50k/year salaries that was promised to be easy to obtain after school by my admissions officer or generous donations by people.

I agree with this article. I feel like I am a slave now who cant make ends meet no matter how hard i try. In my opinion: Skip culinary school and work your way up the chain at a restaurant of your choice.

Christopher of UT @ Jan 31, 2009 17:43:16 PM

Culinary School

I am currently enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York, and for those of you who have considered culinary school as an option, best bet GO FOR IT. Here at the culinary we have THE WORLDS MOST concentrated Certified Master Chefs AND Bakers. So whoever wrote this article should look into that a tad before he speaks. There is a difference between working at your local TGI Fridays and working at the French Laundry... look it up some time. I choose the tuition.

Anthony of NY @ Jan 30, 2009 02:30:30 AM

different idea

Jion the Military as a cook, there you can learn the basics. When your done you have money for school or you can do what I did I cook for a prison and made over $70,000 the last five years in a row..........Teaching inmates how to cook and watching them prepare meals...

of @ Jan 23, 2009 09:39:27 AM

crossroads

I have one more quarter left and don't know what to do know I live in Lincoln Nebraska and there is not too much demand for a chef that would pay good. I would like to move out of town but how would I know what state would be the best for me, and pay enough.

Ms Avery of NE @ Dec 18, 2008 23:49:39 PM

Culinary School

This is a very interesting article!

I have less than 2 years of high school left and i am still undecided whether i am passionate about cooking or not.

I do plan on going to college but culinary school sounds like an awesome experience that i would like to pursuit after i graduate from college.

Amy of KS @ Nov 26, 2008 15:12:30 PM

food

My name is Adrionna Jones I am 9 years old in the 4th grade is ther a good cooking job for 9 years old gels. that pays money.

Adrionna Jones of TX @ Sep 29, 2008 21:39:25 PM