Careers in food other than being a chef

[GB]

OK I hate my job and I have been thinking more and more about a career with food as it is obviously something I love. The problem is I don't want to be a chef I don't think. I do want to cook, but I don't want to work in a restaurant. I want to work a normal schedule (as normal as possible) and I would prefer to now have to work holidays. I know that working in a restaurant means crazy hours and working all of the holidays. What I would really like to do some day is own my own place where I sell prepared foods for people to take home for dinner, but I have no food experience yet and zero business skills so that dream is not something that is going to happen any time soon.

What I want to know is what jobs are there out there that would have me working with food (cooking, prep, etc.), but not in a restaurant?

[texasgirl]

There are catering services, but, those can be crazy hours also.

[SierraCook]

What about working in a deli? Working in a deli would allow you make sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts, etc. I know some deli's that even make lasagnas and other entrees that can be purchased to take home.

My mom works in a restaurant as a prep cook and her hours are not that bad. She works from 7:00 am to 2:30 pm. Every once in awhile she will work some odd hours if the restaurant is catering a party or some other function. But the restaurant that she works at is only open for breakfast and lunch.

[Ishbel]

What about supplying dishes to a restaurant? You make them, they serve them? Or supply cakes/puddings etc to a bakery?

[SierraCook]

Originally Posted by Ishbel

What about supplying dishes to a restaurant? You make them, they serve them? Or supply cakes/puddings etc to a bakery?

Ishbel, that is what a friend of mine does. She makes cheesecakes for a bakery in return for kitchen time.

[Home chef]

GB, it's like you have read my mind. I do some catering. Mostly small jobs of 10 people or so but once in a while I have a BIG job where the corp asks for me by name. I just did a gig for IBM here in CHicago for 300 people. It was at a hotel and they were a bit miffed that food was being brought in from outside the hotel. Oh well, right LOL

I don't do enough catering to justify doing it full time. I get maybe 1 or 2 gigs a month. What I would really like to do is give cooking demonstrations for the 'spatula challenged'. Kinda like have a little shop with a few kitchen stations and sell some wines, cheeses, coffee and maybe higher end cookery. Maybe host a wine tasting once a month and a cooking class once a week specializing in contemporary California cousine or possibly French inspired dishes. Perhaps a class devoted just to making sauces and another class on soups & stews. Maybe even have a class on making food oriented gift baskets. Not that I have knowledge in all that. It's just something I've been thinking about for a while.

[Dina]

GB,
I've heard that owning your own restaurant may possibly be a 24/7 job with lots of sleepless nights. Some people who begin this type of business are barely making ends meet without a profit for the first few months, or even years simply because they lack something unique about their business. Brainstorm what you really KNOW that would make a difference in your restaurant and that's when you'll catch customers' attention. Customers go for the uniqueness you offer in your business. If you're selling prepared foods for dinner, what will be that special niche that will make your customers come back for more? Target your market as close as possible - location, location, location is the way to go as well. I truly wish you all the luck in the world. I like teaching kids but I would absolutely LOVE having my own food business one day too.

[mudbug]

geebs - get a job as food critic for the newspaper! You are articulate and have a sophisticated palate.

Think of all the new places you get to try..............

[GB]

Originally Posted by mudbug

geebs - get a job as food critic for the newspaper! You are articulate and have a sophisticated palate.

Think of all the new places you get to try..............

Mudbug that would be a dream job for me, but don't you usually need a degree in journalism for that?

[kadesma]

GB,
there is a place here that does dinner "my way" You go in, and look over the menu of what is being made up for any given day and meal.You then place your order/s This place will then bag up each thing you need, seasonings, meat, pasta, etc and you take it home and put it together, for a little more money they will also put it all together for you and you just heat and serve..It seems to be doing well..Both my daughters have used them and say the food is really very good...
kadesma...