Matthew Gibney

Thanks for the responses guys. In answer to your question ermintrude I'm only 14 in seventeen days but at school we were recently asked to write up what we wanted to do when we left and I said a chef. My academic skills are just based on good exam results and being placed in the higher stream of my year for some subjects.

Having thoroughly loved my first meal at a truly great restaurant (Hostellerie Berard) in the summer I am seriously considering getting into the restaurant industry once I leave school (in the UK by the way). My father is however strongly against me pursuing a career in the industry saying it is a waste of my academic capabilities and that I would have to work relentlessly for potentially very little pay. Do any people have any opinions on it (especially chefs training at restaurants now)? Also would starting my career at eighteen rather than sixteen hold me back or put me behind others and is catering college worthwhile? Cheers, Matt.