Breaking into the food biz in Seattle

[tsquare]

When times are tough, they can afford to be picky about who they choose. When the opposite happens, they take anyone. Hang in there - restaurants appear to be getting busy again. You may have to work in a place you might not eat, just to get experience. And, well, age does matter, but there will be someone who can get past it.

Edited March 12, 2004 by tsquare (log)

[Steve Ramsey]

When times are tough, they can afford to be picky about who they choose. When the opposite happens, they take anyone. Hang in there - restaurants appear to be getting busy again. You may have to work in a place you might not eat, just to get experience. And, well, age does matter, but there will be someone who can get past it.

it's not so much a matter of being picky. It's getting past owners, screeners, and HR departments.

Chefs I can deal with.

All they want is everything they want.

The rest don't seem to have a clue as to what they want.

Age matters? I out work, and out cook every youngster in the class, and everyone else for that matter.

If it's an issue, it's an issue for the deluded.

I got into this business because all my research indicated that outside of professional sports, cooking is the purest form of meritocracy in the working world.

I came to compete. And win.

Getting on the playing field has been the only problematical part.

Edited March 13, 2004 by Steve Ramsey (log)

[tsquare]

Age matters? I out work, and out cook every youngster in the class, and everyone else for that matter.

If it's an issue, it's an issue for the deluded.

It's the battlefield mentality of chefs - they think a younger body will last on the line longer, forgetting the stability, skill, and experience etc that you might bring. Also, they may be threatened by the idea of working with someone fresh out of school who is older than them. Hey, women (and the rare man) face this going back into the work force after staying home and taking care of babies. Welcome to the world of the deluded.

If you think the chefs would be more responsive than the screeners - why not try the places with chefs as owners? Crazy smaller businesses with no benefits, but it's a start.

Farestart places a lot of recently trained people into the food industry - while they are geared for a targeted population, have you tried asking them if they can help (and keep you from being out on the street)? And what about your school - don't they have a way to help with placements? Any good tech should. (On this, I am speaking from experience from a long time ago.)

I'm not trying to make you mad - though I have a knack for it at times. I do wonder if you come across in person as strong as you do on-line? Confidence is one thing, aggression is a whole different game.

Anyway, I'm sure the egullet community will look forward to hearing of your success soon.

[Steve Ramsey]

I am motivated, by nature, and by necessity.

It can be mistaken for agression.

I've watched one career outsourced and 9/11d away. This is pretty much it for me.

Failure is unthinkable on a number of levels.

My chef has an ear to the ground for placements, but I'm running out of time. My school has no formal placement system.

[chromedome]

NOBODY dares refuse a turn in the dish pit, or neglect to empty the greasetraps.

My chef is the owner of the restaurant, twenty-four years and counting. On Saturdays after service you'll see her on her hands and knees behind one of the prep islands, scrubbing the floors. She frequently chases our dishwasher out of the pit and *orders* her to sit down and eat with the rest of the kitchen staff once service is over (which, of course, is the busiest time for the dish pit).

Lead by example, anyone?

It's worth noting that she's got no formal culinary training (she's a mathematician and an engineer); though of the three other cooks two are certified journeymen and I'm two-thirds of the way down that path.

Hang in there, Steve, and keep plugging.

-Chromedome <========== (40-year-old culinary student)

[Steve Ramsey]

It's part of the sometime bad reputation culinary students have.

I've heard the stories.

The don't want to clean or scrub, want too much money etc.

I can see where that attitude comes from.

Many enter the training with the wrong mindset. A fantasy view of kitchen work.

The watched Emeril holler "BAM!" and Jamie say "off you go the darling, there's a good girl" too many times.

Some are simply kids who have yet to learn the axiom "you don't work, you don't eat".

Some can even cook pretty well.

But they cannot focus. They cannnot cope with the pace, physically or mentally.

This is difficult work physically. But the mental game is the key. Focus, concentration, attention to detail.

And thats why I like it. It's impossible to think about anything else while you are doing it. It's living in the present moment at it's best.

It's meditation for me, abeit of a hot and sweaty variety.

[cookingwithamy]

Nice post. Your comment about "meditation" struck a chord. I recently wrote an article for http://www.spooncore.com called "Kitchen Meditation"

I've always thought culinary schools should require students to go do some real kitchen grunt work before they show up for classes.

[Steve Ramsey]

Nice post. Your comment about "meditation" struck a chord. I recently wrote an article for http://www.spooncore.com called "Kitchen Meditation"

I've always thought culinary schools should require students to go do some real kitchen grunt work before they show up for classes.

At my school, 98% of the time is spent in the kitchen. Classroom is 30 min/day at best.

We serve breakfast and lunch to all comers, and cater as well.

Class size is 20, but on any given day it's 12 to 15, with a single Chef/instuctor. (CIA trained 30 years exp in industry).

This is what I mean when I say you get out what you put in.

Nobody is trying to cram your brain.

More time is spent on real world type situations and little on theory.

You have to be switched on and ready to learn, ready to absorb everything.

If you miss days, you probably missed something crucial.

It's up to you. You will still get your certificate at the end unless you completely blow it (yes it happens but you really have to try).

My school does not teach charachter and discipline.

You bring that with you or develop it on your own.

It CAN teach you to exist in a professional kitchen if you are willing to put the work in.

I have no idea of this is atypical of culinary programs in a broad sense. Not just the high end schools.

We aren't accredited by the ACF.

But I'm proud of what I have accomplished.

We'll see what it amounts to.

Sous in 3-4 years hopefully, exec in 10....maybe wishful thinking, I don't know.

The job market is weird right now, with the local unemployment rate in Washington at #4, and Oregon at #1.

[tsquare]

Steve,

I'm glad to read your report saying you like the discipline of cooking. I was thinking about your earlier posts and wondered if you actually like the work/art of it or just thought it a safe vocation. Since you found this site, and from some of your other posts, I thought you must have some love for it.

Also glad to hear that chef is trying to assist in placement - when I went to a sorry tech school a million years ago, it was my two instructors who connected me with a good placement (whole different field) and got me out of the program in record time.

Have you tried talking with cooks/chefs in local restaurants "networking"? You catch them on off hours, or if you can spot them, when they are eating - not necessarily in their own place. I've never chatted with them in hopes of finding a job, but I've talked to a bunch over the years.

It may seem crazy, and I haven't used it as a resource for many years so I don't know if they would be helpful, but the State Unemployment office used to have employment assistance too. They may have job listings, or connections - if you catch the right person and impress them, they might go out of their way to help. It's a pretty thankless job, and when they have an opportuniity to actually help someone succeed, it is rewarding for them. (This insight comes from listening/observing my Mom almost a million years ago.)

Edited March 14, 2004 by tsquare (log)

[tanabutler]

From inquiry to cheese star:

Amir!

Wonderful piece of news. Congratulations, Amir, on your climb upward.

[Steve Ramsey]

Steve,

I'm glad to read your report saying you like the discipline of cooking. I was thinking about your earlier posts and wondered if you actually like the work/art of it or just thought it a safe vocation. Since you found this site, and from some of your other posts, I thought you must have some love for it.

Also glad to hear that chef is trying to assist in placement - when I went to a sorry tech school a million years ago, it was my two instructors who connected me with a good placement (whole different field) and got me out of the program in record time.

Have you tried talking with cooks/chefs in local restaurants "networking"? You catch them on off hours, or if you can spot them, when they are eating - not necessarily in their own place. I've never chatted with them in hopes of finding a job, but I've talked to a bunch over the years.

It may seem crazy, and I haven't used it as a resource for many years so I don't know if they would be helpful, but the State Unemployment office used to have employment assistance too. They may have job listings, or connections - if you catch the right person and impress them, they might go out of their way to help. It's a pretty thankless job, and when they have an opportuniity to actually help someone succeed, it is rewarding for them. (This insight comes from listening/observing my Mom almost a million years ago.)

Iv'e join the local chapter of the ACF, and after I get over that little cash hit, I'll be rubbing elbows with chefs monthly.

My best shot so far is a job at a large casino. I'm waiting to hear from them. And waiting.....

Yeah, I'm working with the state too, thats how I was put in contact with the casino in question.

I also have an advisory board member, who is also a purveyor, making inquiries for me.

As for the "love" of it:

I suppose it's not something I am conciously aware of.

Food is important to me. I don't know why, it just is. It's the same when I walk into the kitchen. I feel like I belong there, and sorely regret not finding my way into one 25 years ago.

I'm satiisfied for reasons unknown by making good food, and pretty plates, and doing it fast, clean, and smooth.

At the end of a sixteen hour banquet day, I'm beat down quite a bit physically, but come away with a sort of twisted "runners high".

I don't consider myself an artist. I think of myself as a cook as more of a "supplier of good stuff". A magician in the sense that there is no real magic, just cleverly crafted illusion and slight of hand. A deftness of movement, and at least minimal understanding of whats good. Insofar as my training and instincts go,

I think I have pretty decent instincts, and a fair pallete that will get better over time.

I have all sorts of excuses from a logical standpoint, for getting into this business, but those sort of ring hollow.

I've decided not to question my own motivations too much, it feels right and I am gonna go with it.

If I fail, it won't be the industry's fault.

It will be mine, and I don't intend to EVER have to have that conversation with myself.

Edited March 14, 2004 by Steve Ramsey (log)

[Steve Ramsey]

I have an interview on the 24th at a fairly nice hotel near sea-tac airport.

Prep cook.

A step I had hoped, but never expected to skip.

But Hotel jobs look very good on a cooks resume and I aim to take the job if offered. It would leave me sufficient time to work a second job if need be. And it probably will be necessary at some point.

But Hotel kitchens tend to be ( but aren't always) arenas where serious cooking occurs. Therefore I intend to look past the shortcomings of the position.

I'll do the prep and work my way up from there.