im an aspiring chef..

[Kiet]

im a junior in high school, im taking culinary arts class...and i was wondering what are the things i need to be prepared for as i walk this road?

[Fincher]

hours and hours of hard work just to get an ounce of the joy you'll think you'll get when you become a chef.

[cheztom]

Low pay, little recognition and grinding long hours.
It's pretty sweet, actually.

[Fincher]

I don't think I've seen any proffession like ours. I meet some of the most inteligent people ever who are chefs. With talents and interests on a very broad spectrum. Many of us love to grasp the art of taste and cooking while studying the science behind the chemical reactions that happen on our stove tops, tables and ovens. We strive to master leadership and people skills, while also dabbling in small motor repair, carpentry, pluming and electricty. We learn about planting crops, the seasons, weather, raising pigs, cows, chickens etc..

We study health, nutrition and diets. We know that a gram of protein has four calories, and that turkey breast is best cooked only to 165.

we can work 12 hours on our feet without taking a break,

we often work for years working and spend oodles of money on a culinary education to call ourselves chefs.

when we are young in our career we can look forward to graduating from culinary school with a degree. and with a 40, 000 debt to repay we can look forward to our first job making a whopping $8.00 an hour.

Its a bundle of fun, I can't wait for work tomorow. Heck even when I get home from work I still talk about work.

but dont' worry about the money, eventually you start making as much money as the servers.

have fun!

[lebelage]

"and i was wondering what are the things i need to be prepared for as i walk this road?"

depending on what side of the road you choose to walk on

poverty, addiction, ignorance, slovenliness

self sufficiency, ego, selfhood, pride

what do you what? what do you bring to the table?

[Fincher]

poverty, addiction, ignorance, slovenliness, self sufficeincey, ego, pride....

yep I took a grand helping of all of those. I've weeded them all out I think.

[cheztom]

Well, I'm still holding onto ego a little. One has pride you know.

And of course, on the odd day off, I let slovinliness have free reign.

But seriously, Thomas Keller had something to say about that oft used word "passion" in connection with our biz. He said he'd rather have an employee with a desire rather than a passion for cooking. You see, passion is fleeting and can easily be extinguished amongst the vagaries this industry can throw at a person. However, if one has a desire, a need to cook and please people then that will stand one in good stead for many many years behind the line.

[lebelage]

Honestly I believe "the need to please people" is the beginning of the true death of the soul... no offense intended, CT

[garball]

Cirrhosis.

[lebelage]

naw, mate... that is true death of the liver
people pleasing is death of the soul

[Kiet]

omg..does that mean when im 40 years old..thats when im considered a chef?

[cheztom]

None taken, J. You please me by just being you. So there - you've pleased someone and now I have a tiny piece of your soul.

Hmmm, it's kind of flinty and sharp. Black as night, too. Ow! It burns! Like cold fire...

[lebelage]

Ahhhhh.... Agent Smith... you've taken the bait... by ingesting me you have become me... and by becoming me...


aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah bollocks!

Tom likes to please people and I don't!
So there!
Um... Tom.. now that it is public shall I buy you that extra mouthwash...?

Maybe it's just being a chick but on the rare occassions I've gone into the realm of being user friendly...

Well, anyway...

[garball]

No, If you try with genuine chef gusto, you can get cirrhosis before you're 40.

[Fincher]

40 believe it or not is still young