Career Change Advice -Chef with No Confidence

Llette on 27/12/2015 - 19:27

Hi,
Haven't posted before, but you lot seem pretty level headed and informative ^_^
Anyway. I'm a 26 year old female chef, recently I had a shoulder injury that took me out of work for about 6 months. Before that, I had worked mainly casual dining, pizzerias, fasta pasta, italian function center, although did a stint at one greek fine dining place and have a reference from Celsius. I got back into work say, 6ish months ago, although sporadic, first job, head chef of a vegan cafe, ended up leaving after 3 months because the owners didn't exactly know what they wanted and were running the business poorly, dodging his supplier bills, oven had 3 working burners. We clashed, alot. On my separation certificate he wrote incompetence, kind of cut me.

Anyway, moved on to a stadium (won't say which one, theyre anal about privacy, although its a fairly new one). Completely screwed up the first four shifts I got, with general mistakes and seemingly asking too many questions and managed to have words with two different sexist sous chefs, although do not blame myself for that. Was my general polite, helpful, happy self otherwise. I'm not doing shifts there anymore.
I have no problem getting jobs, because of the greek place and my reference, I usually at least get the interview/trial. I just, I do't know, have no confidence left. Sometimes I can't even bring myself to go to the interview it freaks me out so much. I got offered a job as the head chef of a new meatball place in the city, but made an excuse to not take it because I didn't think I could do it. They then came back at me, offering me sous chef, with same pay. I still made excuses, because I was freaking out. I hate it. A fellow chef said this happens to him, but he offered no real advice on how to fix it. He just moved to Peru instead >.>

My issue is, I don't feel I have any skill(and to be honest, my skill level is so much lower than it used to be, think cook level now) or confidence left and on top of that I really can't take the sexism and abuse as well as I used to. I don't think I want to work in a kitchen anymore. I think the bullying and the shoulder have just killed any love I had for it. The only place that even seems remotely okay is Fasta Pasta and that's because it's not even real cooking. I'm not sure what to do, I can't really ask my parents for advice, because I dropped out of civil engineering at the end of my 3rd year to cook. They still hate that and I will not go back to engineering. I still love to cook, I just don't know if I can do it anymore.

I've thought about a career change, iinet were recruiting for help-desk, but because of work I missed the cuttoff date. I liked the idea of that, because it was flexible in the way you could train and move into different departments(software, web, marketing, etc). I don't know what I want to do now, but I just know I have to do something. I'm happy to go back and study something else, but I don't have any clue, it's just such an overwhelming thing to think through. I also don't really feel like I have any real transferable skills, except for basic customer service, menu planning and inventory control.

Not even entirely sure what I'm asking for here, some general advice on how a chef does change careers? What careers would suit me? Not that you really know me.. Or maybe a completely different solution/advice for my problem.

Thanks for listening/reading

Education & Work

Comments

  • timli on 29/12/2015 - 10:37
    +2

    Have you ever tried looking for a job in Aged Care?

    Chefs/Chef Managers there get paid 55-70k annually. Your skills in menu planning, inventory control and customer service could be utilised.

    You could still enjoy your love of cooking. Would be a lot less pressure as meal times often have set times. And I've never heard of any sexist remarks in Aged Care Facilities: Predominantly the staff are female (due to nursing etc.) so you'd be in the majority.

    I still believe you need to stick it through. You dropped out of civil engineering because of your passion for cooking.

    Just need to reignite that passion!!

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:41

      I did work at err..clayton church homes a while back. It was quite easy work and the people were super friendly. The head chef there was an ex navy cook, top bloke. The dishy, wee bit of a whiner, but she was nice anyway haha.

      • timli on 31/12/2015 - 01:50

        Sounds like you enjoyed that time.
        Just read more though that you're a gamer.
        If nothing else, would recommend you try going pro. That would require you to dedicate your life to video games…
        But there's some big money in e-sports these days!

  • Warface on 29/12/2015 - 11:44
    +2

    I was/is still a Chef, I started to get sick of the trade about the age of 26, late nights, weekend work etc. I ended up going to Uni and becoming a teacher (food technology), 2016 will be my 10th year of teaching, absolutely love teaching. That way you can still cook and share the passion with the students.

  • nikkirose on 29/12/2015 - 14:16

    What do you do in your spare time, what skill do you have naturally that others work hard for or envy you for. Get a job doing something you love, and you will never work a day in your life. You may respond with "but I like cooking" - being a chef is a hospitality service position, it is about serving and pleasing people, not about cooking what you want. Only go into hospitality if insults roll of you like water off a ducks back, and if you can smile and stay level headed when the world is falling apart. Get to know yourself a little better, try new things, and don't be afraid to study for your "dream job". If all else fails, check the skills shortage list - we are in dire need of certain trades and are importing workers for them. You could actually do your country a service if you took one up as a trade.

  • ahly92 on 29/12/2015 - 14:50
    +2

    Hi OP. I wish the best for you. Onna lighter note, if you are to open a food truck, A Chef with no Confidence is a good name ;)

    • apey2000 on 29/12/2015 - 22:47

      comment withdrawn

    • [Deactivated] on 30/12/2015 - 13:01

      I give it the Chef Excellence approval. ;)

  • peterw1 on 29/12/2015 - 17:57
    +1

    have you thought about going on holiday? It sounds nuts but sometimes seeing things personally from a different perspective brings perspective. A holiday in a developing country really puts into perspective the saying first world problems. You are 26, average lifespan for no smoking woman in oz is 83. You will look back on this time of your life as a mere blip on your pathway to your final destination. a short break at a cheap destination won't damage the finances but will give you a big picture view on life. If you do this option, please write back on your return about what you have decided to do. Good Luck.

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:47

      As of earlier today, yes. I havent actually ever had a holiday before. I mentioned it in an earlier reply, but my parents dragged me around Europe to places like Serbia, Turkey, Hungary, etc for months on end, sorry fi that sounds entitled or spoiled, but it really wasn't much fun on a 6-12 yr old who just wanted to read, play playstation and make star wars models. It kind of ruined the idea of holidays for me, but it's something I've obviously gotten over. Seeing my mate in Peru constantly move around(he started in Berlin, like a year ago) while working in lil burger bars n cafes makes me kind of want to. Not with him, haha, he err, has a very partying lifestyle..to say the least… A friend keeps mentioning Brazil, and hes a big scary ex bouncer, so if I were to go somewhere like that it would be with him, haha.

  • cryptos on 29/12/2015 - 21:33

    What about working as a chef on a cruise ship for a while?

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:49

      I had horrid experiences on the great southern rail trains, since then the idea of being a chef stuck on something that if I want to quit I can't leave, scares the heck out of me. Also, don't ever work on the trains for GSR. It's not worth the exorbitant paycheck.

  • msmart85 on 30/12/2015 - 09:13

    I was a chef for approximately 8 years (including apprenticeship) and unfortunately I was never overly passionate about it. Out of school I did a few odd jobs (nothing of note) and then decided I would take off to the Whitsundays to work on the islands with whatever work I could find.

    I landed a job as dishy on one of the islands which eventuated into the beginning of my apprenticeship and I guess I took this on due to convenience ?

    Anyway fast forward to about 4 years ago I was working as a Sous Chef / Function Manager for a Hospital here in Brisbane working Monday-Friday 6-2 (doesn't get much better then that for hospo hours) however was repetitive work I wasn't enjoying. I didn't have the passion to go and find a job in a "reputable" Restaurant or anything like that so I knew it was time for a change. What I did enjoy about my job however was the logistics side of the work and and face to face dealings with reps etc.

    I decided I wanted to be a Sales Rep or an "Account Manager" if you will from here so I started applying for jobs within the food supply industry.. had 3 different interviews to which I made the 2nd round for each but never past. I then stumbled across and opening for an importer and manufacturer of commercial cooking equipment (one of Australia's biggest) - one thing led to another and I got the job!

    I spent 4 years at this company learning this side of the industry and enjoying every minute. I am quite good at building relationships which is quite a benefit in this side of work (a lot of my customers I now consider friends now).

    Around 5 months ago an opportunity presented itself with a company still in the hospitality industry but on the finance side of things (once again a very large and reputable company in the industry) so I took this. While I certainly enjoyed the last role this is something I find much more personally fulfilling. I am able to call on the experience from my previous two roles as well as helping people with plans for their dreams etc etc.

    I guess the point of the above is if these kind of roles are something you are interested in your experience on the tools and knowledge of the industry can be a great stepping stone into another career so don't feel limited !

    Feel free to shoot me a msg if you have any questions etc.

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