Chef's Hours

[Dave Hutchins]

My father wanted me to be a engineer, I worked one sumer with him at a local factory and I neve seen so many robatized men in my youn life. Standing at one machine all day day after day, I said no way am I going to do thatso I got a job cookin and followed thru with it till I became a executive chef. some of the places worked me like a rented mule with low paw but I worked just to get enough experience to move on. I never went to culinary school, mine was the school of hard knocks. It paid off I made very good money
before I retired, had many honors and a great career. So make your choice and then give it all youve got

[quicksilver]

Women often have this dilemma. Passion or passion. We're told we can make both work. To follow your heart, to follow your head.

You need a career that can carry you. You may have a career that can carry you anywhere in the world. But like atheletes - there's only so many bests. That's at best. At least, you will make a living, but not fullfill your all.
The lady - you say, "right now", is not supporting you. What does that mean? What are her goals? Does she have a career? Working at school to be the best of the best? What are her financial dreams? Is she looking to you to fill her dreams? Are you doing the same?
You are so young, but I'm glad to hear you're thinking. You have a heart and a head. What I've found is they have to match or it doesn't work. It may for the day - but what of tomorrow? Spend some time, allow yourself to figure out your dreams. As people always say umteen years down the road..... I never dreamed of being this when I was ____ years old.

Live as though your parrot will do the same! -CLF

[Little Italy]

I guess not supporting me isn't the best way to put it. Every time we talk about something she always says "do what you want to do, we can make it work," or "What ever will make you happy." and to me those are open ended answers as in, if you really want to do it we can make it work, but id rather you not. She is double majoring in Chemistry and Biology and wants to go to med school, and she is trying to be the best in her class. We go to two separate colleges that are about an hour apart, so when we see each other time is very limited. Lately she has been stressed because she has made her first B in her life, I personally see no harm in this but whatever. So, I do not really talk to her about much of my problems to not cause any more stress than what she needs. She is not worried about money and I do not care about money. To be honest i have no idea what my dreams are. Someday they are to become a teacher and have a family, others they are to be a chef. I do not stress very easily and do not worry about a lot of things that are not important, but it seems that i have to worry about this because not only does it affect me, but it might affect her also.

[GotGarlic]

Little Italy, you might want to have a talk with a career counselor at your college. They have questionnaires and such that can help you figure out what is important to you, what your strengths and weaknesses are, what kind of environment you would be happy working in, etc. They might be able to help you figure this out. HTH.

[ironchef]

Originally Posted by Little Italy

"do what you want to do, we can make it work," or "What ever will make you happy."

That's how a female says, "Go ahead and do it if you want, but I'll think that you're an idiot if you do."

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by Little Italy

... She is double majoring in Chemistry and Biology and wants to go to med school, and she is trying to be the best in her class.

Does she know what kind of medicine she wants to specialize in? There can be a huge variation in their hours. A family doctor will generally work regular business hours with call days, but usually, if they can't handle a problem after hours over the phone, they refer patients to the emergency room. An emergency room doctor, OTOH, will work long, unpredictable hours - evenings, weekends, sometimes overnight. And other specialties have hours in between those extremes.

Also, I mentioned some time back that there is such a thing as a personal chef - you're in business for yourself, working for individual families to prepare and deliver dinners to them. This would generally have regular business hours. HTH.

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by Little Italy

What are the normal hours for a professional Chef? I was thinking about pursueing this path before but I also wanna start a family and wanna be there for my family and wife. I always heard chefs work long nights and long days.

There are no such thing as "normal" hours for a chef in a restaurant or catering company. You have to be there from start to finish, whatever that is. It differs from time to time.

If you work in a hospital/nursing home, educational institution or corporate research and development, you might have more "regular" hours, but there will still be holidays that must be worked...

Not a great job for someone who wants to spend time with their kids.

[Fisher's Mom]

Originally Posted by ironchef

That's how a female says, "Go ahead and do it if you want, but I'll think that you're an idiot if you do."

(Of course it may mean go ahead and do what you want, but if you do, I will make your life completely miserable. Maybe that's just southern women, though.)

[VeraBlue]

Consider working for a dining service then. If you can land a corporate account, you will usually work M-F, 6am to 4pm (ish), with holidays and weekends off.

[quicksilver]

THE REAL WORLD: Most of us do what we have to to do what we want to. ie; we choose a living, if we're lucky, that affords us the means or opportunity to do what we want to.