Question

[Umar Abraham]

Good Day everyone,

 

I would like to ask since i have no expierence in the restaurant and only in a culinary school, I wanted to ask when do chef start work and what time does it end?

[liuzhou]

That very much depends on many different factors.

What type of restaurant? What cuisine? What opening hours? How many covers? How much prep is required? Is the chef also responsible for purchasing and stock control etc? Is the chef responsible for any other areas?

 

I'm sure others can think of more variables.

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Umar Abraham]

Thank you I didn't really thought about those factors

[pastrygirl]

You start when you get there and finish when you're done. 

 

It is very rare to have set or consistent hours in an independent restaurant.  Weekends are usually busier than weekdays and you have seasonal ups & downs too, depending on your draw for tourists and holidays.  As a pastry chef, I've mostly enjoyed that.  The super slow and super busy times are challenging in different ways but otherwise I don't mind balancing a few longer days with a few shorter days.

 

And if you are the head chef or owner there is much more than just cooking.  Money management, people management, business management ...

 

That said, there are some sectors that are more stable.  Retirement homes, schools, and hospitals should be much more predictable and able to offer a set schedule.  Big hotels somewhat too.

[Umar Abraham]

1 hour ago, pastrygirl said:

You start when you get there and finish when you're done. 

 

It is very rare to have set or consistent hours in an independent restaurant.  Weekends are usually busier than weekdays and you have seasonal ups & downs too, depending on your draw for tourists and holidays.  As a pastry chef, I've mostly enjoyed that.  The super slow and super busy times are challenging in different ways but otherwise I don't mind balancing a few longer days with a few shorter days.

 

And if you are the head chef or owner there is much more than just cooking.  Money management, people management, business management ...

 

That said, there are some sectors that are more stable.  Retirement homes, schools, and hospitals should be much more predictable and able to offer a set schedule.  Big hotels somewhat too.

Thank you

[MokaPot]

10 hours ago, Umar Abraham said:

Good Day everyone,

 

I would like to ask since i have no expierence in the restaurant and only in a culinary school, I wanted to ask when do chef start work and what time does it end?

 

@Umar Abraham, since you're in culinary school now, are you asking about work hours for line cooks or chefs?

 

Others can chime in, but a line cook would probably have more predictable hours (than a chef) and would be paid hourly. A chef is more like a manager and would probably be on salary. A chef would also probably work way longer hours.

 

On top of that, there are different kinds of chefs, e.g., sous chef, etc.

 

Good luck.

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We were referred to a small restaurant in a secluded pocket of the Languedoc in France.   The room was simple but well conceived and chic.    Husband and wife cooked and served a room of maybe 30 seats.    The food was brilliant and plated beautifully.    The room was packed on a Saturday night.    it was seemingly very popular and wildly successful.    The next year we looked forward to returning but found it locked down, the couple moved to a city and the husband having accepted the position of head of food at a retirement home.    Being a chef and your own boss is an enormous undertaking.   

Edited August 2, 2021 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[Umar Abraham]

10 hours ago, MokaPot said:

 

@Umar Abraham, since you're in culinary school now, are you asking about work hours for line cooks or chefs?

 

Others can chime in, but a line cook would probably have more predictable hours (than a chef) and would be paid hourly. A chef is more like a manager and would probably be on salary. A chef would also probably work way longer hours.

 

On top of that, there are different kinds of chefs, e.g., sous chef, etc.

 

Good luck.

 

Thank you