Overrated Career: Chef

By Marty Nemko

Posted: December 11, 2008

The Appeal: You envision yourself concocting delectable delights for a clamoring clientele at the newest and hottest restaurant. Maybe you'll even become a celebrated chef on the Food Network.

The Reality: Most chefs don't work in froufrou restaurants or even blaze trails in the kitchen. Instead, they're assembly line cooks, cranking out dozens of the same items, night after night. And those are the executive chefs. For each executive chef, a few assistant chefs—the most typical job—spend much of their time chopping ingredients and assembling salads. Plus, chefs typically work until the wee hours, especially on weekends, while most people are enjoying themselves. As a result, chefs often end up hanging out with the same restaurant staff after the patrons have finally left.

An Alternative: Personal chef, cooking for busy or wealthy families.

Learn M ore: American Personal & Private Chef Association.

Hard but Fun

I have worked in as a Chef for 30 + years, it is hard on the family, and your social life, for the last 5 years I have taught as a Culinary Instructor.

If you know and are into the job, you see that you have to produce under harsh circumstances, when every one else plays, you work, the thanks are far and few. But you are creating and are doing something that you love, (hopefully).

We have to follow standard recipes, so we have the same quality, and portion size on each and every dish (Portion), our customers demand and deserve this, but at the same time we can create, a new dish, present it in a new way, and have the ability to be a creative artist!

The job is hard, it needs dedicated people who love to cook, and give up their life, so others may enjoy a good meal, ( hopefully a great meal)

Not everyone can be a chef, you have to be a great cook, a good leader, and most important a good manager. Knowing how to make money....$!

Brian McCormick of TX @ Oct 02, 2009 17:59:32 PM

BECOMING A DIETARY AT YOUR PLACE OF BUISNESS

I WOULD LOVE TO WORK FOR YOU, BECAUSE YOU TREAT YOUR CLIENTS WITH THE SAME AMOUTH OF CARE.I ALSO LIKE HOW YOU MAKE SURE THAT TE FOOD IS HOW THEY WAT IT SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHY THE FOOD IS TO HOT OR TO COLD, OR MAYBE EVEN TO DRY;OR NOT ENOUGH SALT OR PEPPER.

DELISASHA McCRALEY of IL @ Jun 11, 2009 13:06:49 PM

multi chefs

Thanks for the article but it is simplistic.

As a chef you have many choices in relation to hours of work , type of food you cook and in what type of establihment.

It could be a lunch cafe, a hospital, a wealthy home, an elite restaurant, a caffetaria,a social institution or any where food is needed to be prepared, like the armed forces....

This flexibility creates a balanced and knowledgable person who is well equipped to help people all through life.

The profession is a calling, beyond the criticisms of intellectuals, because of its'intrinsic deep relationship with the act of feeding a child from birth.

Chefs ultimately care about people,

Ricky @ Feb 27, 2009 13:49:50 PM

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