Being a Chef as career.

[Amarok]

Honestly I don't see why anyone that is serious about cooking as a career should be alive.

Uhh...what?

[Vedder]

Honestly I don't see why anyone that is serious about cooking as a career should be alive.

Uhh...what?

@Amarok

Lynchburg, VA ftw. Damn, I miss the T-room... I bet nothing like that happens there. >.>

[Remyo]

Honestly I don't see why anyone that is serious about cooking as a career should be alive.

Uhh...what?

Uhh...what? indeed

[Quixotic]

When i think of someone trying to be a chef as their career, I think they mean to work at a higher class private restaurant, not your local Olive Garden (I hope anyways). I wouldn't know for sure, but I'm betting working at a chain restaurant doesn't really require culinary school.

[Daydreamer]

When i think of someone trying to be a chef as their career, I think they mean to work at a higher class private restaurant, not your local Olive Garden (I hope anyways). I wouldn't know for sure, but I'm betting working at a chain restaurant doesn't really require culinary school.

Exactly. If I did this my plan would be, culinary school, 'intern' at smaller, but well known places for a while to slowly make my way up, sous chef eventually, then executive chef, all while saving what little money I'd earn to eventually open my dream restaurant/bar. And for people who have read other threads by me, you know how seriously I take my drinks...

[Elcura]

When i think of someone trying to be a chef as their career, I think they mean to work at a higher class private restaurant, not your local Olive Garden (I hope anyways). I wouldn't know for sure, but I'm betting working at a chain restaurant doesn't really require culinary school.

Exactly. If I did this my plan would be, culinary school, 'intern' at smaller, but well known places for a while to slowly make my way up, sous chef eventually, then executive chef, all while saving what little money I'd earn to eventually enter Hell's Kitchen.

That should be your course of action! :D

[Artemas]

If you get a moment, read Kitchen Confidential or The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain. He writes of his own coming of age in the kitchens and he doesn't glamorize it at all. Interesting reads.

And this quote from Elesirdur:

"you reek of the kitchen (a tantalizing mix of sweat, grease, and personal suffering)."

describes it perfectly. I dated a cook that worked at a Japanese steak house. I cannot forget the hideousness that is miso saturated into sweaty skin.

[Mizango]

If you get a moment, read Kitchen Confidential or The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain. He writes of his own coming of age in the kitchens and he doesn't glamorize it at all. Interesting reads.

And this quote from Elesirdur:

"you reek of the kitchen (a tantalizing mix of sweat, grease, and personal suffering)."

describes it perfectly. I dated a cook that worked at a Japanese steak house. I cannot forget the hideousness that is miso saturated into sweaty skin.

I am glad you mentioned Kitchen Confidential, I had totally forgot about that. Anthony Bourdain is the man, I saw a special he had on the Travel Channel while he was filming No reservations, where he describe the books as..."If you like eating out, don't read these books, because ignorance truly is bliss".

Good catch by mentioning those.

[Bagel]

I was a chef at Macaroni Grill for half a year. No awesome stories involving jizz, shit or dirt, but I definitely reiterate the "sweat, grease and personal suffering" thing.

[Daydreamer]

Bump:

Got a job at a semi fine dining place in town. First day is tomorrow. This makes me happy. It's an open air kitchen so I think it will be a good first cook job because it won't be too terribly hot compared to other places.

Here is the place I'll be at: http://www.chucksfish.com/about.htm

They have the most random menu: seafood, pizza, and sushi. Their fish is amazingly fresh though. They have a shipment every day from their fish market in the gulf, and it's freaking cheap for what you get. Yay.

[Remyo]

hmm thats not far, I have the day off I may just drive up their and heckle you on your first day.

[Daydreamer]

You live near Tuscaloosa? Gah. I had this amazing 1920's party last weekend and I was thinking of inviting BG'ers, but I didn't think anyone lived near t-town.

[Elesirdur]

Oh man, from experiences of friends open air kitchens can either be a godsend or a hellhole. It's nice because people can't goof off when in view of customers like they would in the back, but if you need to curse really loudly that's rather frowned upon lol

GL with the job

[Artemas]

I also really recommend: Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany, by Bill Buford.

This author was a cook in Mario Batali's Babbo.
Extremely interesting.

[Daydreamer]

I also really recommend: Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany, by Bill Buford.

This author was a cook in Mario Batali's Babbo.
Extremely interesting.

I actually saw that one on Amazon. People said it's really not that good and really just a praise of Mario Batali, whom I really don't like.

Currently though I am reading "The Making of a Chef" about a journalist who goes through the CIA program and well...tells about it. Interesting read.

[Norelco]

Take a look at the Anthony Bourdain books.

[Remyo]

You live near Tuscaloosa? Gah. I had this amazing 1920's party last weekend and I was thinking of inviting BG'ers, but I didn't think anyone lived near t-town.

I live in tuscaloosa county yes, zip 35444.

[Daydreamer]

You live near Tuscaloosa? Gah. I had this amazing 1920's party last weekend and I was thinking of inviting BG'ers, but I didn't think anyone lived near t-town.

I live in tuscaloosa county yes, zip 35444.

Good grief? You go to UA? Or in college? If so I may invite you to some parties.

[Remyo]

You live near Tuscaloosa? Gah. I had this amazing 1920's party last weekend and I was thinking of inviting BG'ers, but I didn't think anyone lived near t-town.

I live in tuscaloosa county yes, zip 35444.

Good grief? You go to UA? Or in college? If so I may invite you to some parties.

I go to UAB, quite a few friends go to UA.

[levish]

after reading a few posts I think I may give up eating out at all