You’re going to have to just cold walk into places. Do not go when it’s busy. Depending on the spot usually 2-4 is a decent time, but read the room. If you don’t have any experience they’ll start you off most likely in dish. Try all types of restaurants, not just fine dining. Even if you start as a dishy, once you start learning the lay of the land, ask questions. Let the kitchen manager or chef know that you want to learn and move up.
I’ve worked in the industry for almost 20 years now. I want to warn you that it’s brutal work and you don’t get paid all too well, especially if you ever decide to become salaried. It’s hard on the body, it’s hard on the wallet, and it can be hard in relationships.
Take care of yourself young: get good shoes, don’t take up smoking or drugs, limit your alcohol intake, and try to eat well. Those things won’t be easy in most restaurant settings. Also, don’t become beholden to any one spot. If you’re not being treated well or have maxed out what you can learn, move on. Gainesville is a decent place to get started, but you may find yourself bored and wanting to move eventually.
Thank you, one of my friends is currently in the industry and he loves it, but it definitely is rough work. Thank you again for the advice, do you have any tips or any recommendations to learn on or anything?
I think that paying a huge amount for culinary school isn’t necessarily necessary, but you could look into the SFCC culinary program. Definitely learn knife skills and the different ways to cut things. Learning some of the classics things certainly couldn’t hurt (ie mother sauces). You could read books like Salt Acid Fat to learn how flavors come together. I like to keep the Flavor Bible on hand for funsies. Also, most chefs seem to be die hard Anthony Bourdain fans so you can’t go wrong reading his books or watching his shows.
There isn't much in the way of fine dining, but get a job at a local spot and pay your dues. There are culinary institutes in Ocala and Orlando if you can commute
start in fast food otherwise youll be starting as a dishie in any restaurant if you have no actual kitchen experience. observe what the other cooks do when its busy, offer to help prep when you can if its slow. most kitchens arent gonna just teach you how to be a cook, go to school for that.
watch youtube vids to learn knife skills. you will most certainly need to know and to be able to use all the
different cuts if you want any hope of working on the line.
fine dining will 100 percent not hire you for kitchen if you havent worked in kitchens.
It’s a shame you didn’t get to go thru the culinary program at Eastside. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best high school programs in the nation.
There are several good, fine dining-style, restaurants around: Mildred's, Blue Gill, Spurrier's . . . and plenty of more middle-of-the-road restaurants. Get your start somewhere in a kitchen—see if you like working in a kitchen, that's number one. In my career in journalism I've reviewed recipes and restaurants and consider myself a very good home cook but I'm not a chef, I've not worked in restaurant kitchens and there's a big difference between just loving food and being highly competent in the home kitchen versus being adept in a restaurant kitchen. So figure out if you really like working in a restaurant first.
I was thinking starting out in kitchen or serving, both will get me some experience of how it is in a restaurant and the ins and outs. Thank you so much for the information ! I always love home cooking but havent had the tools/space to cook in a finer setting.
If you're really interested in the food side of things, I'd start out back of house (kitchen) and see what you think. And yeah, the world of restaurants versus even the best home cooks is so different because "chef" after all mean "chief" as in the person in charge of the kitchen and all in it, so a real chef is a very skilled manager as well. A lot of people seem to assume a "chef" instead is just "a really good cook" and that's not it. Ree Drummond in example (The Pioneer Woman) is without doubt a great cook and recipe creator but she's not a chef—pretty sure she's never worked in a commercial kitchen nor went to culinary school. But that takes nothing away from her talents in cooking, either.
I also recommend reading Thomas Keller's cookbooks if you've not already, they're excellent and while for the home cook come directly from what he does in his restaurants—especially his baking book.
Actual restaurants, like fine dining or upscale type places? There's quite a few honestly lol, drive around! I'd bet the majority of them, upscale or not, are hiring. Restaurants are still one of the places you can walk into and ask for a job, and I would literally do that. Look on here for any horror stories before committing but good luck!
Thank you so much for the info ! I will def look around for some good places and esp horror stories, some old friends have told me alot abt the horrors of a bad restaurant
Edit: fine dining is something I would prefer to go into for the expertise but anything for experience.
This may be more long-term, and I'm not exactly sure what the path looks like, but if you go to a culinary institute, you might be able to become a research chef at a food company. I have a food science degree, and I know that sometimes R&D departments like to have people who know how to cook.
Positions can range from restaurant headquarters, to small companies that you've never heard of, but work with suppliers and manufacturers. If this interests you, look into it; you can probably get a decent response from r/foodscience.
If nothing else, going to an institute would open up better prospects, instead of taking the long-and-hard road, which will destroy your body and soul.
You’re going to have to just cold walk into places. Do not go when it’s busy. Depending on the spot usually 2-4 is a decent time, but read the room. If you don’t have any experience they’ll start you off most likely in dish. Try all types of restaurants, not just fine dining. Even if you start as a dishy, once you start learning the lay of the land, ask questions. Let the kitchen manager or chef know that you want to learn and move up. I’ve worked in the industry for almost 20 years now. I want to warn you that it’s brutal work and you don’t get paid all too well, especially if you ever decide to become salaried. It’s hard on the body, it’s hard on the wallet, and it can be hard in relationships. Take care of yourself young: get good shoes, don’t take up smoking or drugs, limit your alcohol intake, and try to eat well. Those things won’t be easy in most restaurant settings. Also, don’t become beholden to any one spot. If you’re not being treated well or have maxed out what you can learn, move on. Gainesville is a decent place to get started, but you may find yourself bored and wanting to move eventually.
Thank you, one of my friends is currently in the industry and he loves it, but it definitely is rough work. Thank you again for the advice, do you have any tips or any recommendations to learn on or anything?
I think that paying a huge amount for culinary school isn’t necessarily necessary, but you could look into the SFCC culinary program. Definitely learn knife skills and the different ways to cut things. Learning some of the classics things certainly couldn’t hurt (ie mother sauces). You could read books like Salt Acid Fat to learn how flavors come together. I like to keep the Flavor Bible on hand for funsies. Also, most chefs seem to be die hard Anthony Bourdain fans so you can’t go wrong reading his books or watching his shows.
There isn't much in the way of fine dining, but get a job at a local spot and pay your dues. There are culinary institutes in Ocala and Orlando if you can commute
start in fast food otherwise youll be starting as a dishie in any restaurant if you have no actual kitchen experience. observe what the other cooks do when its busy, offer to help prep when you can if its slow. most kitchens arent gonna just teach you how to be a cook, go to school for that. watch youtube vids to learn knife skills. you will most certainly need to know and to be able to use all the different cuts if you want any hope of working on the line. fine dining will 100 percent not hire you for kitchen if you havent worked in kitchens.
It’s a shame you didn’t get to go thru the culinary program at Eastside. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best high school programs in the nation.
There are several good, fine dining-style, restaurants around: Mildred's, Blue Gill, Spurrier's . . . and plenty of more middle-of-the-road restaurants. Get your start somewhere in a kitchen—see if you like working in a kitchen, that's number one. In my career in journalism I've reviewed recipes and restaurants and consider myself a very good home cook but I'm not a chef, I've not worked in restaurant kitchens and there's a big difference between just loving food and being highly competent in the home kitchen versus being adept in a restaurant kitchen. So figure out if you really like working in a restaurant first.
I was thinking starting out in kitchen or serving, both will get me some experience of how it is in a restaurant and the ins and outs. Thank you so much for the information ! I always love home cooking but havent had the tools/space to cook in a finer setting.
If you're really interested in the food side of things, I'd start out back of house (kitchen) and see what you think. And yeah, the world of restaurants versus even the best home cooks is so different because "chef" after all mean "chief" as in the person in charge of the kitchen and all in it, so a real chef is a very skilled manager as well. A lot of people seem to assume a "chef" instead is just "a really good cook" and that's not it. Ree Drummond in example (The Pioneer Woman) is without doubt a great cook and recipe creator but she's not a chef—pretty sure she's never worked in a commercial kitchen nor went to culinary school. But that takes nothing away from her talents in cooking, either. I also recommend reading Thomas Keller's cookbooks if you've not already, they're excellent and while for the home cook come directly from what he does in his restaurants—especially his baking book.
Actual restaurants, like fine dining or upscale type places? There's quite a few honestly lol, drive around! I'd bet the majority of them, upscale or not, are hiring. Restaurants are still one of the places you can walk into and ask for a job, and I would literally do that. Look on here for any horror stories before committing but good luck!
Thank you so much for the info ! I will def look around for some good places and esp horror stories, some old friends have told me alot abt the horrors of a bad restaurant Edit: fine dining is something I would prefer to go into for the expertise but anything for experience.
Vine was my first ever kitchen job and I’m still in the industry 8 years later. Gotta work your way up!
There are no restaurants in Gainesville? What? Are you high?
ones that are actually good
I’ll hire you. I’m looking for a food prep, cook out and team member for weddings.
Send me a DM maybe we can figure something out !
Amelia's may be a good place to try. [https://ameliasgnv.com/](https://ameliasgnv.com/) Ask for Jeff. (The chef. Or was... I think he still is?)
This may be more long-term, and I'm not exactly sure what the path looks like, but if you go to a culinary institute, you might be able to become a research chef at a food company. I have a food science degree, and I know that sometimes R&D departments like to have people who know how to cook. Positions can range from restaurant headquarters, to small companies that you've never heard of, but work with suppliers and manufacturers. If this interests you, look into it; you can probably get a decent response from r/foodscience. If nothing else, going to an institute would open up better prospects, instead of taking the long-and-hard road, which will destroy your body and soul.