Laying Down the Knives...

[Brian B]

Have just handed in my notice in the restaurant I am working at and intend to stop working in restaurants to concentrate on the business I set up on the side. Having worked as a chef from the age of 19 to 31 am wondering if it is possible to give it up,would love to hear from anyone who has made the step away from the stove.

The business I set up is selling organic olives at markets in North Holland so still feel quite connected to food and produce but am wondering how much I will miss the buzz of a busy good service. I will be helping out a friend who has a catering buisness and am importing cheese into Holland from Ireland so keeping busy is not a problem but have a bit of a fear about becoming a civilian and no longer a cook. Advice appreciated.

[hathor]

Adrenaline is a drug and you are angsting about withdrawal. It's normal. Either cheese and olives will make you happy or they won't. You have to just wait and see.

[rooftop1000]

Brian at least you are staying in the food business...after 20 years I am now in "document management"

Its not always the actual cooking you miss its the exchange of ideas with people who have the same passion and interests as you. And you will still have that in your life

I had to listen to the women next to me tell a young co-worker how to cook a steak....now dont turn the oven over 350 and just lay some slices of butter on the meat and bake it till its not oozy anymore.

Tracey

[Brian B]

Funny thing is the restaurant that I just handed in my notice too has just offered to double my hourly rate,have told them i can only work two days a week and they said that was fine and were just happy that I can help them out of a bad situation they have got themselves into.

This comes after I recently found out how much a friend for whom i had done some catering was charging for my labour,just under 2.5 times what he was paying me. This is one of the reasons I am giving up cooking for a while,chefs do not get paid a rate that is realistic for the work they do and if you are good enough play hardball and you will be suprised what could happen,I certainly was, and for the first time feel in control of what is happening to my career and relatively guilt free.Am already planning on cooking for friends that have been neglected due to work and it is the best thing one can do with your passion;share it with those you care for.

[JeanneCake]

I had to listen to the women next to me tell a young co-worker how to cook a steak....now dont turn the oven over 350 and just lay some slices of butter on the meat and bake it till its not oozy anymore.

Tracey

←

Seriously? That's how they cook steak?!

How could you resist not jumping in to that conversation?!!!

[Alchemist]

I think that if you loved the service industry, cooking, bar tending, waiting tables, you will never really get it out of your system. Like a recovering Gambler/Alkie the memories of the rush, (and the feeling that you are god after slamming through a Sat night balls to the wall and everything coming out perfect, or close to it) are hard not to go back to. The camaraderie of a restaurant is another thing that you will miss. Working all those stressful hours with people forge friendships that are deep and true.

What's the hardest thing to give up when you get out of the service industry? The inhuman hours, The wicked stress, the pain, the heat...

Toby

[Joisey]

I tried getting out twice and came back both times. I've resigned myself to the fact that it's in my blood and evidently what I was put here to do. I agree that it's the cameraderie and the pride of doing something that not a lot of people can do well that gets its hooks into you.