Commercial cooking.

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Bmhughes89

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Messages
29
Just curious, but as you guys know I'm new here, I was wondering everyone's experience in the kitchen. Be it commercial cooking, a foodie, or just dabbling with " the joy" cookbook.
 
I've cooked in private kitchens as a caterer, in a bakery and restaurant kitchens and even a stint in the kitchens of a University cafeteria. I am currently a home cook, ever since I got my Nursing degree.
 
PrincessFiona60 said:
I've cooked in private kitchens as a caterer, in a bakery and restaurant kitchens and even a stint in the kitchens of a University cafeteria. I am currently a home cook, ever since I got my Nursing degree.

I LOVE baking. What style bakery? Breads, desserts, pre-ordered?
 
I LOVE baking. What style bakery? Breads, desserts, pre-ordered?

I've worked in a scratch grocery bakery and a Mom & Pop bakery. Usually working the front end, but I married the baker...:rolleyes:

We did everything...I do not decorate cakes. All thumbs.
 
I love decorating. That's one of the things that attracted me to cooking. I was going to school for architecture but my passion lied with cooking. The creation of food and the style and techniques intrigues and fascinates me.
 
I enjoy the prep and cooking, I'll let someone else make it pretty. Even as a caterer, I told my clients to expect home cooked meals and they would look like home cooked meals.
 
Pretty serious kitchen commando. When there's something I want to explore, I usually read up and study the natures of the ingredients and the physics of the method. For example, I spent a fair amount of time studying the physical nature of potatoes and how their cells were affected by heat, to work up to the best cooking sequence to produce the best mashed potatoes. But maybe my most satisfying challenges are seeing what I can create out of what odds and ends happen to be in a pantry. Strictly for family and friends. I don't think I would enjoy real-time commercial kitchen work, but I don't mind five hours of work on a dish.
 
I have cooked in a University cafeteria/private dining room kitchen, a diner (no drive-ins or dives ;)), several restaurants and a summer camp cooking for special diets (average 30 people with different needs per day). I was also a technical writer and web developer. After 10 years owning a web business we sold it and at 46 I went to culinary school. I then apprenticed in a catering company and opened my own.

But my arthritis made me give it up and I went back to my favourite passion, baking and decorating cakes. I had done it since I was about 12 and am pretty well self taught. I am also teaching some young people the trade which is almost better than doing it myself.

As for the baking part, I have always had a knack for it, tweeking recipes, combining flavours. I learned so much at school even though I didn't end up taking the pastry course. Instead I hung out in the pastry kitchen any spare moment I had, watching, listening and going home to practice! :)

But I am really happy just cooking for my dh and I and that keeps me busy because besides celiac he has several food intolerances such as egg, soy and dairy!
 
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I have never cooked professionally/commercially but I usually have the TV on in the kitchen while I'm cooking and continue to cook right through the commercials. Does that count?
 
Yes, it does.

I worked at a fast food place in high school, and was a bartender at several restaurants in college and grad school. Didn't really start cooking till I got married. I did learn a lot from my grandma and great aunt.
 
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I worked in my parents' restaurant, at a university as part of the food service team, in a hospital kitchen, and worked at various restaurants in the kitchen or as wait staff. At one time, I considered becoming dietician.
 
I still thinking about formalizing a dietician degree. I've done enough and I'm already a diabetic educator.
 
I've been in a kitchen for 11 years (I'm 25), as well as helping my family run a soda/ice cream parlor from 9 to 17 years of age. I've never had a job outside the food and bev world besides a little ranching and music. Worked in all kinds of places from corporate pizza (Hate working the corporate food scene) to michelin star food. I love this work and as tough as it can be, I believe it loves me back. I also love the fact that I can go anywhere in the world and find a job with the skills I have acquired as well as acquire new ones. Love learning everything I can about the food world's past, present and future. I still have so much to learn. All I have to show from this lifestyle is my knife roll and scars. It's not much to show but it means enough to some. All I hope of my future is making good food in small cafe with my family and good friends, a garden and some dogs. A simple way. I don't think I'll ever stop doing this. :)

"A chef's life is a damn waste of a good life. But it's a damn good way to waste it." - William C.A.
 
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