My aim is to be a head chef

Question

I am 25 years old and manage a bar/restaurant, but I'm looking to become a head chef. I appreciate, though, that my natural ability to whip up small masterpieces at home is nothing like the experience I need to change career.

As I live with my partner, I need to contribute towards the bills and so I need to have a decent salary. I have looked at taking evening classes, but can't find any in my region. Are there any "learn and earn" ways of gaining the experience I need to pursue my chosen career? I'm sure my sheer enjoyment of food would far outweigh my lack of experience in this field.

I previously worked as a conference and banqueting manager in a four-star hotel, but had to move for personal reasons. I also worked at McDonald's for five years, where I progressed to restaurant manager. I think this is quite a lot of experience for a someone of my age.

What the expert says

David Goldfarb, director, MaydayExec

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I have seen a number of people successfully change their career to become a chef. However, without exception they have started at the bottom or near the bottom end of the scale and have had a strong mentor. Additionally, they have all pursued some formal craft qualification. If there is a will there is always a way, but to achieve success you need complete commitment. As an example of a success story, one of my clients is an executive chef for a major organisation who changed careers in his mid-twenties. I have also advised someone who moved from social work to cheffing last year. He started out as a commis chef for a contract caterer on a salary of between £12,000 and £13,000 and then was promoted to chef de partie with a salary of £16,000-£17,000. Take a look at Caterer.com's article about [becoming a chef. This will give you an idea of the different routes you can take, such as apprenticeships and courses.