Being a chef is glamorized with so many TV shows nowadays showing off the glamorous side of being a chef. However, being a chef can be very time-consuming work, and the passion for cooking must be there or you will burn out. What the TV doesn’t show is the number of chefs who crash and burn in this tough industry.
Holidays are for working
As a chef, you can expect to skip holidays to keep working. Working in a restaurant means that you will be expected to work often during holidays and that sometimes won’t be appreciated by your friends and family.
You don’t just only cook
Working at a serious restaurant, you need to be able to also act like a butcher, filet fish, as well as know the cooking knowledge behind a wide variety of different animals. From rabbits to sea urchins to pigs, you must know how to cook and serve them all.
There’s always something that goes wrong
Whether one of your employees doesn’t show up, there’s an emergency, the product doesn’t come in, etc. there is always something that goes wrong in a chef’s line of work. Couple this with the stress that is working in a kitchen, and you get a recipe for a nervous breakdown and disaster.
The hours are very long
If you haven’t figured it out yet, the hours for a chef are very long. You have so many things to do, starting from before the restaurant is even open, to preparation, then service then after service. It’s normal to see chefs working 10 – 16 hours a day all on their feet.
In summary, being a chef is about working very long hours and a lot of stress from external factors and the environment. If you are passionate about food and cooking, you will be able to push through these tough conditions to pursue what you truly love to do. You will be expected to give your all every day, and sometimes it can get very tough and stressful, but ultimately it will be worth it.
