Today's Trib Article about Biz of Cooking in 2015

Blows my mind. 21K a year with a college degree in Chicago, ten bucks an hour?

"Where have all the Cooks Gone?"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

There's a ton of other industry facts and figures. Also does anyone else think it's hard to grasp how many people are working in Eatly's kitchen? Wow.

in case the pay wall trips anyone up:

http://redd.it/3fpp2u

kenji wrote:in case the pay wall trips anyone up:

http://redd.it/3fpp2u

Thank you for that! Really not surprising - grueling hours + demanding conditions + crap pay doesn't exactly add up to dream job. And don't forget that Ramsay guy always yelling at you.

Hi- I don't know why professional chefs ever try out for Hell's Kitchen especially or any of the shows like Top Chef? I can't see why there would be any advantage unless maybe you win the thing. I know the person who wins Hell's Kitchen, gets a job at one of Gordon's restaurants, but how much do they get paid once they start working at the restaurant. Don't forget that most of those people that are making $10 an hour, also have student loans to pay off. I( just saw the tale end of Master Chef tonight, and they are sponsoring a cruise with some of the people who competed on Master Chef in previous seasons doing cooking classes I assume.

kenji wrote:Blows my mind. 21K a year with a college degree in Chicago, ten bucks an hour?

"Where have all the Cooks Gone?"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

There's a ton of other industry facts and figures. Also does anyone else think it's hard to grasp how many people are working in Eatly's kitchen? Wow.

No offense but who would WANT to work in most restaurant kitchens? Long hours, low pay, little in the way of benefits or recognition or career advancement.

Personally, if I had a culinary degree, I would look in two directions.

I would go into a corporate feeder, hospital, or university setting where the pay might not be great but I would have good benefits and a pretty reasonable schedule.

Or I would go to one of the more progressive supermarket chains like HyVee or Krogers Marketplace where you will make more money and have good benefits.

Even from the outside, it's easy to see that it's a grueling life. It's understandable why folks, especially those with degrees, would be hesitant to sign on to such a tough life. But the article actually doesn't list the quality of life the job so often provides as a reason for the shortage of qualified restaurant cooks -- at least not directly. Several other reasons are listed, though.

It would be great if more people who chose the profession understood exactly how difficult it was going to be for them. It does seem like a significant percentage of those who choose to cook professionally are primarily seeking to become stars (and have no idea how hard and thankless the work can actually be). Given how many cooks and chefs there are and how many of them ever actually acheive celebrity status, that's a fairly unrealistic goal. Best to choose this path only if the path itself is compelling. Otherwise, disappointment and disillusionment seem inevitable.

Meanwhile, for those who love the life, work hard and take their responsibilities seriously, it seems that jobs, at least in major markets like Chicago, are plentiful . . . as is the case with many other professions, as well.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Even from the outside, it's easy to see that it's a grueling life. It's understandable why folks, especially those with degrees, would be hesitant to sign on to such a tough life. But the article actually doesn't list the quality of life the job so often provides as a reason for the shortage of qualified restaurant cooks -- at least not directly. Several other reasons are listed, though.

It would be great if more people who chose the profession understood exactly how difficult it was going to be for them. It does seem like a significant percentage of those who choose to cook professionally are primarily seeking to become stars (and have no idea how hard and thankless the work can actually be). Given how many cooks and chefs there are and how many of them ever actually acheive celebrity status, that's a fairly unrealistic goal. Best to choose this path only if the path itself is compelling. Otherwise, disappointment and disillusionment seem inevitable.

Meanwhile, for those who love the life, work hard and take their responsibilities seriously, it seems that jobs, at least in major markets like Chicago, are plentiful . . . as is the case with many other professions, as well.

=R=

Ronnie, well stated. I spent some years as a cook in various establishments, years and years ago. Surprisingly the profession has not changed much in all the years. Long hours, low pay, etc. One of the often unmentioned drawbacks is the complete lack of time for any type of social life. You are always working evenings, weekends, etc. which precludes you from doing what the rest of your peer group usually is. Relationships are hard, doubly so if your partner is also in the business.

I am amazed at how many kids coming out of culinary school these days have absolutely no idea of what the industry really entails. Yes, they watch TV and all want to be the next great celebrity chef or TV personality and never realize what it actually takes to get there. Sure, there are some great Chef's that catch a break and are discovered early, but they are far outnumbered by those who have slogged thru the long hours, low pay and obscurity.

I worked the long hours for low pay and still harbored dreams of going to culinary school. Thankfully, at the time, the wait to get in to trade schools was almost 2 years, and that put me on a different path, towards a different occupation entirely. Now I cook at home for enjoyment and ironically even less pay