Posted by Karen Bruner Uprigh on June 19, 1997 at 20:07:55:
In Reply to: Re: Really Confused...Like Others posted by Gerard on June 14, 1997 at 18:20:42:
Okay, instead of letting frustration get the best of you, I have two suggestions:
1. Sell your intelligence. No, you don't have kitchen experience, but you are well educated, so sell that to a prospective employer. I landed my first job in the industry with a chef who needed help with some administrative duties. I had been an executive assistant before leaving my job to pursue a culinary career, so I fit right in with what he needed. He was an older French chef and was not computer literate at all. I spent about 1/3 of my time in paperwork, menu costing, planning/productions sheets, inventory, purchasing paperwork, tracking food costs, etc. The other 2/3, he taught me the old-fashioned way, 50# of onions at a time. I stayed for a year and a half, learned a lot, and now miss Chef Michel terribly. But the next job was a sous chef and the next, chef, and the next? My own place.
2. Go for the apprenticeship program the ACF offers. It's three years, you go to school and you work (for MONEY!) at a job. When you graduate, you have education AND experience, and you'll be ready for your first level of certification. If I had it to do over again, that's what I would do. I'm in the Northeast Florida area, and I think The Cloisters in Georgia has a nice program that includes some sort of living space, as do some other resort-type properties. Contact the ACF national office in St. Augustine for further guidance. I'm sure they would be happy to help.
I find my job difficult, challenging and very fulfilling. I wouldn't rather do anything else. And that includes washing dishes and floors, dealing with customers and waiting tables when I need to.
Karen
P.S. One of the finest teachers and finest chefs I know had a B.A. in French Literature from Wellesley, but changed tracks in her life and went to a pastry school.