Parents say chefs don't make money

01 October 2003 by
Parents say chefs don't make money

Question

I have wanted to be a chef for years, but was talked out of it by my parents, who argued that chefs don't make any money. They persuaded me to go to university in Bristol, but now I am desperate to leave and do what I always wanted.

Since being in Bristol I have been working as a part-time line chef in a busy Mexican restaurant for six months. I have never had any formal training and although I am certain I want to leave university for a career as a chef, I donÁ¢Â€Â™t know what the next step is. Is it a good idea to go to college and get NVQs? Are there many opportunities for apprentices?

What the expert says

Neil Savage, director, Kitchen Connections

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Becoming a chef is actually not as daunting as it sounds. The hours can be long and unsociable, but very rewarding all the same. You seem to have started the ball rolling by taking a part-time job in a professional kitchen and this should at least give you a little insight into how kitchens operate. Á‚ There is a shortage of both skilled chefs and school-leavers entering the industry and itÁ¢Â€Â™s always good to hear about people who want to take up a career in any form of hospitality. What I would suggest is that you contact your local college to discuss your options with a career advisor, who would be able to go through all the possible options with you. Should college not appeal to you, you could always try the direct approach and contact employers to ask if they run an apprenticeship scheme. You can also read Caterer.comÁ¢Â€Â™s article about [becoming a chef, which discusses different routes to take, such as taking a college course or getting an apprenticeship.
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