Careers in food: Alternatives to being a chef?

[Kipper is King]

Here's the deal for me: I'm 23 and I love cooking. Nothing gives me more pure happiness than to pick out a recipe, get the best ingredients, try making it, and then enjoying the results. I love cooking for others, and seeing their happiness when they enjoy something. When I go to restaurants, it's an epiphany to discover a new flavour combination or technique.

Even when I was little, I loved cooking. My mom would often put James Barber's "The Urban Peasant" on TV, and I would delight in the colourful overhead shots of something simmering away in a pot. My mom recounts that the only temper tantrum I ever had in a store was over one of those toy kitchen sets!

You would think taking culinary arts is an obvious choice for me, right? But, I have read "Kitchen Confidential," and I know that realistically, life in a professional kitchen would kick my butt. I have an utter lack of fine motor skills. So, I probably can't work with the speed or dexterity required in a busy kitchen.

When I think aloud about taking culinary arts, my folks speak to me as if I have just told them I will spend the rest of my life homeless! My mom tries to acknowledge my passion for food, but there's no hiding the shame and despair in her voice. My dad talks about how "not everyone who wants to make the NHL gets drafted- sometimes, dreams have to end." Yeah, but not end without even trying. My parents mean well, though.

Realistically, it seems probable I would not do well in a professional kitchen. But I can't come home every night from work feeling like I've done nothing. My bank account may grow, but my soul feels near empty at times.

Is there any alternative careers to being a professional chef that can ignite my passion for food? What do you think I might want to consider?

[stacey]

Sandwich Artist?

[ShaolinFlame]

I used to feel the exact same way (even after spending some time in a kitchen).

Just go get a job in a kitchen and see how you like it. It's not like you a need a culinary degree to start out.

But I can almost guarantee you will throw that dream out the window. Nothing will ruin your passion for food like working full time in a kitchen.

Sorry to paint such a bleak picture, but I found I was way better off working in another field and just cooking for friends and family.

[Northendzone]

How about something with a grocery store chain?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by stacey

Sandwich Artist?

You're the worst.

As for the topic. It seems like you haven't worked in a kitchen before. At 23 and if this is your passion, why haven't you atleast worked in an Earls, Moxies etc on line and in the kitchen?

In can be pretty grueling, and basically if you become a Chef I think having a personal life for the first 5 years is out of the question.. but if it is truly what you love, at least give it a go. After the first month you might realize that cooking at home for friends and family occasionally is just the taste you need every now and then.

[rd_aaron]

Rather than working in a professional kitchen, have you considered a catering business? I'm not sure if caterers generally have professional training or not but it's something you could look into. You could potentially get some experience working with a small catering business if you can find someone willing to hire you, and if it's something you like and if you think you have the skills you could try and start your own business. It should be a lot less stressful than a professional kitchen.

[DownhillGoat]

I don't know what the alternative to being a chef is, but an interesting article that's fairly relevant (if you don't find an alternative, do go down the culinary arts route).

http://www.martynemko.com/articles/d...-starve_id1380

If I could go back and say one thing to my high school self, it would be to pick a career you don't hate, and spend your time off following your passion. If I could say two things, the second would be to make a move on that girl on that one ski trip you dumb turd, but that's a different story all together.

Your mileage may vary.

[saskflames69]

Start up your own business. Begin small with a catering company like rd_aaron said, and see where it goes from there.

[afc wimbledon]

If I was 20 again cooking would be probably where I would go, as like you I love to cook, as it is I have always cooked for big groups of people working in group homes and the like, none the less working a resteraunt is a whole different ballgame.

There's always work for a decent cook though, it is largely recession proof, if not stable, and if you are good you can make good money. I would tend to jump in at the deep end if you can afford it and just spend 6 months working in a resteraunt, start off as a dishwasher if you have to and see if you can hack it.

[MarchHare]

Have you thought about catering rather than being a restaurant chef? You still get all the joy of cooking and working with food but without the time-sensitive pressure of being in a restaurant environment.

[Edit]
Beaten by rd_aaron

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Have you thought about catering rather than being a restaurant chef? You still get all the joy of cooking and working with food but without the time-sensitive pressure of being in a restaurant environment.

[Edit]
Beaten by rd_aaron

There is little money in catering though, unless you are so good/busy that you might as well be in a resteraunt. And catering is rarely cutting edge, you tend to end up making a lot of chicken or fish dinners.

[Northendzone]

What about being the person that cooks up the tacquito samples at Costco, the bring nothing but joy to people's lives. Also you get a safe front row seat to the member on member violence as people jostle to get the samples.....

[Kybosh]

In the street vernacular, makers of contraband drugs are called cooks. Have you considered breaking bad?

[KelVarnsen]

Become a personal chef? I went to high school with a guy who is a personal chef.

http://ourdailybrett.tumblr.com/

[afc wimbledon]

Theres always....

[saskflames69]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

What about being the person that cooks up the tacquito samples at Costco, the bring nothing but joy to people's lives. Also you get a safe front row seat to the member on member violence as people jostle to get the samples.....

You mean the lady that stands at the table, puts only two taquitos in the microwave, and says they'll be ready in 10 minutes? By then you've already moved on to the next sample.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Become a personal chef? I went to high school with a guy who is a personal chef.

http://ourdailybrett.tumblr.com/

At what point did he start wearing tiny jean shorts?

[Pizza]

without any knowledge in the industry, how about:
Food critic, Baker, food sculptor

you may not find some really specialist jobs in calgary, but there are plenty out there in the food industry in a non chef role

[ShaolinFlame]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Have you thought about catering rather than being a restaurant chef? You still get all the joy of cooking and working with food but without the time-sensitive pressure of being in a restaurant environment.

[Edit]
Beaten by rd_aaron

It can be a lot more time sensitive. In a restaurant you only have so many people eating at the same time (unless it's a special event - Dine Out Vancouver can suck my....).

Catering events means feeding hundreds of people at the same time. No matter how much you prepare it usually tends to be a gongshow. Check out Mark Macewan's old reality show from the Food Network if you are interested in catering, it paints a rather realistic picture.

When you factor in all of the other crap you have going on all the time (smaller orders, lunch platters, etc) it can actually turn out to be incredibly stressful. Most of my longest days in the kitchen involved catering.

One great part of catering for a good chef though is that you get to learn how to cook something new all the time, rather than just pumping out the same crap for months on end.

EDIT: Sommolier may be more up your alley, but you'd be kind of floofy...

[malcolmk14]

I've been in the same place as you, Kipper is King, probably at around the same age as well. There's nothing that makes me happier than cooking for people and discovering new things. I love the culinary arts.

Got the exact same reaction from my parents when I wanted to pursue it, too. The attitude that it is not a real career and that I need to do something that will yield tangible benefits was what I was faced with.

Eventually I came to the realization/acceptance that it was just not likely to happen for me. Culinary school is expensive and prohibitively so in my case, I was already up to my knees in student loans and couldn't afford it. I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that my involvement with food will probably be limited to personal rather than professional, but I still take it very seriously and do the best I can to learn everything about it. When I cook at home I really put my heart into it and I've actually become quite good, in my opinion.

Have you thought about taking a course towards being a sommelier? Perhaps your involvement with food in a professional capacity can begin with wine. Something like an international sommelier course coupled with a degree in hospitality management would put you on the right path.

Edit: All that being said, you can probably learn just as much about cooking on your own as a hobby, at your own pace, as you could learn in a culinary school, with the right investment in proper equipment and books and whatnot.