Anyone working in "culinary arts"?

[TurboSN95]

Ever since I was young I wanted to be a chef, own my own restaurant, recently was thinking of a cigar bar/restaurant, etc... I love to grill and I am on my grill just about every night.  Sometimes I cook but I need to learn a lot on the stove.  Usually its the wife on the stove while i'm grilling.  

Anyways, I'm just wondering if anyone in here is a chef.  I assume the hours are late and you work holidays and weekends?  Although I'm sure there's lots of different routes one can end up in....  Catering is another option.  I am now 32 years old and just went to a local Culinary Arts school for a tour.  They have night classes, 15 months and its 3 nights a week, and I'd end up with an ACF certification.  But with a stressfull IT job and a baby due in March, things are going to get even more stressfull.   Although the school approved my special request, to start in Oct, stop in March, baby is due and i'd take about 5 months off, then continue in July or Aug, and finish up with the courses.  That will give me 5 months to get used to the baby situation.

So, if anyone has any comments/suggestions i'd love to hear what you have to say...  Anyone watch Hell's Kitchen?  LOL  -  Love that show!

 

[DaCol.]

I'am by no means a Chef, but my wife and I have owned Restaurants for over 25 years ! And if working on Holidays, Weekends and LONG Hours don't bother you (or your wife) ; then if that's what you want ---- GO FOR IT ! We were first partners in a Chain Restaurant and then developed our own (well Wife was heavyly involved -- IF NOT IT WILL NOT WORK) Restaurants. For me I was in the Military when my wife and I first got involved. It has been a very Profitable and Fullfilling time. And it allowed me to continue working with my Military Background in other areas while my Wife Ran the stores ! That of course required Great Management though, and THAT'S another story ! We wish you the Best  

. Because if your a Restaurant Person, NOTHING else will make you HAPPY

 

[el stumpo]

Hours are very long, you work weekends and all the holidays (think about it, people *prefer* to eat out on holidays! The pay is not that great. Kitchen is hot, many of the employees are so low paid you get average employees. It sucks.

But if you love restaurants and serving people, it's a very fulfilling job.

You need to outline what your goal is - cook? sous chef? exec chef? They all have different issues and it's not always fun and glamorous as you see on TV..

Oh, and are you ready to spend all that time at work and not see your new baby? Think hard about it, restaurants are a tough business.

 

[BlueHaya]

You need to pm NoFearSpear...he is a 5 star.

 

[VaBusa]

Hubby's the chef in the house...I hate cooking, yet watch Top Chef and Hell's Kitchen religiously to remind me of just how much I hate cooking

I've tried to encourage the hubby to follow that career path as well, but he's always got some excuse. I've been collecting his recipes for years, telling him they're going to be a book some day...I say follow the dream and see where it takes you...best of luck!

 

[nitrousjunkie]

Good luck in your endeavor,its not easy....I know several chefs and 1 sous chef.The food service industry is a very stressful environment,I would suggest keep working your IT job,get the course under your belt and apprentice under a chef for a year or so to get the feel of what you might want to do and get a feel for the business and ALL the mechanics.

 

[jessup]

My family has owned restaurants and catering businesses... IT is rough rough rough... That being said it can be extremely profitable and fun. You really work your ass off. I personally would run screaming from it... It is a hard business to be really succesful in ...

 

[NoFearSpear]

About to go workout and go for a ride...Will post when i return.
Richard Spear C.E.C

 

[Revolution]

looking forward to that post after the work-out. i'm a cook hobbyist. intreresting thread.

 

[TurboSN95]

That's a long work-out!

Yeah, very interesting thread. Why I make such interesting/complex decisions in my life is beyond me. But this thread is starting to scare me away from the culinary field, i'll tell you that! Or at least it's making me think about it even harder.

 

[TurboSN95]

I gotta give Richard / NoFearSpear kudo's.... he PM'ed me, asking for a link to the school I was thinking about, and then gave me his # and asked me to call him up this weekend.  Talk about a stand-up guy!!!!  I really appreciate his efforts!