Cook for a living??

[inkjunkie]

How many of you folks do?  And in what fashion? Catering Company? Restaurant?

 

[pc farmer]

I would love to cook for a living.

 

[welshrarebit]

I do. Hotel restaurant.

 

[culinairezaken]

I do too, catering company.

 

[wolfman1955]

I live for the cooking!! LOL
Keep Smokin!!!
Wolf

 

[chad martinell]

I have been a part owner of a sandwich shop in the past. It failed (never partner with 5 other people, particularly if at least 3 of those people are not trustworthy).

I would love to be in the culinary world full time. I have toyed around with starting a chocolate company, a cheesecake company, and most recently, a charcuterie. Sometime in the future it will happen. For now, gotta pay the bills and buy the culinary toys.

 

[majorroon]

Head chef at our local café. Dealing with cakes and pastries mostly nowadays.

 

[chef willie]

Cooking again now was a fall back & regroup for me after a stint at Sysco ended with extreme prejudice...lol. My main $$ making was in telephone company & cable TV work although while doing those I also owned food establishments.....one a small 50 seat cafe and the other one, at another time, was a very early U-Bake before they exploded in popularity. Did well in both but always moved on. Now, retired mostly but still cook weekends at a retirement villa for about 85 heads. Been there 9 years now, winding down from full time to relief cook on weekends. No glamor, hard on the body, money sucks, reality bites <grin>......stay in school & get a real job. I'm aware everybody has a different story...Willie

 

[hickorybutt]

I'd love to own a bbq restaurant and cook for a living.  But I also like that I have weekends off, paid vacation, and a decent work/life balance.  Those are things that may have to be sacrificed by owning a bbq restaurant.  Then again, if you're doing what you love then that may be the most important thing.  I know one thing, I would love to cook bbq everyday.

Part of what seems so difficult about owning bbq restaurant is that it takes such a long time to cook.  It's not like throwing a made-to-order burger on the grill.

 

[gary s]

One of the members Ribwizzard  quit what he was doing and started a BBQ business From his post I think he likes it. Lots of hard work and long hours.  I was I the food business back about 40 years ago I really enjoyed it, but long hours and lots of work 80 hour weeks were not un-common

Gary

 

[chad martinell]

When I owned the sandwich shop I was the one making cheesecakes. From start to fridge takes approximately 4 hours for a batch. I was also holding down my 40+ hr/wk engineering job at the same time. I worked 5 days a week at my regular job, and weekends plus at least one weeknight at the sandwich shop. There were also times when we were out of cheesecake, and I would go in after hours to make them. Arrive at 7 or 8, leave around midnight or 1am, then get up to go to my regular job.

It will be long hours the next time I get into the culinary world... but it will be the only job I have. 

 

[hickorybutt]

When I owned the sandwich shop I was the one making cheesecakes. From start to fridge takes approximately 4 hours for a batch. I was also holding down my 40+ hr/wk engineering job at the same time. I worked 5 days a week at my regular job, and weekends plus at least one weeknight at the sandwich shop. There were also times when we were out of cheesecake, and I would go in after hours to make them. Arrive at 7 or 8, leave around midnight or 1am, then get up to go to my regular job.

It will be long hours the next time I get into the culinary world... but it will be the only job I have. 

You gotta do what you gotta do. Much respect.

Outside of the long hours, I'd love to work in the culinary business. Would be much more fulfilling than what I'm doing now

 

[inkjunkie]

Long hours...I remember what that was like. The last 5 years of my sentence, I mean employment, with the USPS I averaged right around 78 hours a week....don't miss that one bit. I always thought that once I was no longer employed that I would have all the time in the world to do things I wanted to do. Between several parts of me falling apart all at once and the necessary doctors visits etc that is far form the truth. My new frame for my motorcycle has been sitting in the garage since October or so, still have not gotten it up on the bike lift to try and figure things out. I volunteered to trim the trees on the sides of our roads as they are privately maintained. So far I have been out there a total of 3 times this winter..

 

[welshrarebit]

I've been a kitchen rat for 35 years! I've never done anything else...

I get great pay, great benefits, great food, and work with awesome people!

 

[gary s]

If my health would allow, my wife and I have talked about opening a Steakhouse/BBQ  place for years. I just don't think I could hold up to the time and work required. I am pretty picky and want things done right.

Gary

 

[inkjunkie]

My old stomping buddy worked in a kitchen on & off for a while. He just could not deal with the pressure. He does regret not sticking it out, the one place he was at was willing to send him to school but school and Joe were like fire & water.

 

[medic92]

Outside of KFC in high school I haven't worked in any restaurant business.  I've got a two year plan right now though to quit driving a big truck and start my own food truck selling barbecue here in town.  It's a small town with a large warehouse facility where the employees only get a 30 minute break for lunch.  I figure I can sell pulled pork, brisket, ribs and sides out of the truck and do pretty well with it.  As a veteran I can qualify for a grant that can pay for everything I need so I won't have big loans or the overhead of a brick and mortar restaurant.  I figure on two years to get everything to come out consistently right every time so people can know what they're getting.  I'm also test-marketing, taking my food up to the shop and warehouse and giving it away so I already have people talking about my barbecue.

 

[noboundaries]

 
Outside of KFC in high school I haven't worked in any restaurant business.  I've got a two year plan right now though to quit driving a big truck and start my own food truck selling barbecue here in town.  It's a small town with a large warehouse facility where the employees only get a 30 minute break for lunch.  I figure I can sell pulled pork, brisket, ribs and sides out of the truck and do pretty well with it.  As a veteran I can qualify for a grant that can pay for everything I need so I won't have big loans or the overhead of a brick and mortar restaurant.  I figure on two years to get everything to come out consistently right every time so people can know what they're getting.  I'm also test-marketing, taking my food up to the shop and warehouse and giving it away so I already have people talking about my barbecue.

I'm impressed.  Nice plan.  A brick and mortar restaurant lends itself to long hours and all the hassles that come with employee management.  A food truck can offer greater control over time and location, plus autonomy.  Good for you M92!

 

[inkjunkie]

 
Outside of KFC in high school I haven't worked in any restaurant business.  I've got a two year plan right now though to quit driving a big truck and start my own food truck selling barbecue here in town.  It's a small town with a large warehouse facility where the employees only get a 30 minute break for lunch.  I figure I can sell pulled pork, brisket, ribs and sides out of the truck and do pretty well with it.  As a veteran I can qualify for a grant that can pay for everything I need so I won't have big loans or the overhead of a brick and mortar restaurant.  I figure on two years to get everything to come out consistently right every time so people can know what they're getting.  I'm also test-marketing, taking my food up to the shop and warehouse and giving it away so I already have people talking about my barbecue.

Best of luck to you....and Thank You for your service...

 

[chad martinell]

Outside of KFC in high school I haven't worked in any restaurant business.  I've got a two year plan right now though to quit driving a big truck and start my own food truck selling barbecue here in town.  It's a small town with a large warehouse facility where the employees only get a 30 minute break for lunch.  I figure I can sell pulled pork, brisket, ribs and sides out of the truck and do pretty well with it.  As a veteran I can qualify for a grant that can pay for everything I need so I won't have big loans or the overhead of a brick and mortar restaurant.  I figure on two years to get everything to come out consistently right every time so people can know what they're getting.  I'm also test-marketing, taking my food up to the shop and warehouse and giving it away so I already have people talking about my barbecue.

That sounds like a great plan. Just be aware of all the restrictions and such that food trucks face. Here in CA it is rough. The truck has to pass more tests than a B&M, you have to have a commercial facility at which to park the truck and store food, each county and city has its own restrictions on when and where you can park. You have to have the proper permits and licenses to operate in each town and county, etc...

I don't want to take any wind from your sails, just passing along info I've found out. Good luck!