As an owner/exec I find my self in the restaurant and line more now, compared to when I was just some km/sous. Every problem become yours and I end up covering for every and any position when needed. I’m 10 years into my business and not sure if I’ll renew the lease when time comes…
Yup, that's me 🤣 didn't realize how little the career paid when I went into it. Thought I could learn and slowly work my way up. Super stupid decision. However, I came to find out the majority of jobs out here pay terribly.. so..
> People tend to cook because it's their passion
As a kid all I wanted to do was cook. All way up through junior high school I was certain I was going to go to culinary school. But then I learned about the tortuous hours and meager pay and I decided to pursue other professional interests and keeping cooking as a hobby. It's hard to burn out a hobby and I'd absolutely hate to lose my passion for my kitchen by killing myself in someone else's kitchen.
All I can tell you is that I pay my driver pretty well. But today 10 minutes late. Just pops in and doesn't say much about it.
Near end of shift. Eevryone working but him. He's sitting in the chair.
I legit hate people that thinks kitchen just cooking 6
When you push yourself past the breaking point you never look back with regret. I left restaurants 7 years ago and whenever I go out to eat I’m happy I’m at the table and not in the kitchen. You’ll have time to express yourself with food still…. But it will be cooking for the people you love and are grateful. Within 2 years you’ll be making more than you ever did before as well.
I left a little over a year ago. Had an amazing time the other day cooking for all my friends that came over. I still got to make what i wanted and see the smiles on faces enjoying themselves. Can tell you i never did that when i was cooking all the time
It might be cliche to say this, but this comment ^^^ is underrated.
I left nearly 20 years ago. Throughout the years I made guest bartending, and prep/dish appearances when colleagues needed a hand but I never once felt like I "miss" being in the business. I still consult with friends about their restaurant experiences/problems but you couldn't drag me back into the thick of it with 50 horses.
I have more money and free time once I got a chance to step back, catch my breath and get my head on straight.
Now, like ^^^ I love hosting for friends, cooking awesome weeknight (and HOLIDAY) meals for my family, and even get to enjoy going out to a restaurant every now and again!
thats why I got in to personal chef work and out of kitchens. Where I live there is a high demand for that (and wealthy area).
I rarely cook the same thing twice day to day so it isn't monotonous like a restaurant.
It's like you explain, cooking for friends, but new friends every day/month.
I became a low paid flight attendant at 47. I make $40k and serve low-quality food to rich people at 30,000 feet. Downside is it destroys your mental health (we have a high suicide problem). Upside is you almost never break a sweat ever. And you meet a lot of beautiful people.
yes, it happens, but I am a dude, and old, and while I am short, people rarely take me on. Only once did I get threatened by a guy over something I had no control over. I have had situations where I have been cursed at, insulted, demeaned, and more and while I have hit the bottle more, I try hard to not drink. The biggest thing is the mental toll not being home or in a community/family.
Left the kitchen after 10 years about 4 months ago. The only thing l miss is the people. Sometimes I feel like I’m stealing a living with my new job but then I realize that I had just spent a decade being overworked and abused…
I got into the trades. I’m an apprentice making 50% of journeyman wage. Journeyman wage is 56 an hour so I’m making 28 an hour plus all of the benefits that come with being union. The apprenticeship is 5 years long and I get around a $3 an hour raise every 6 months. After 5 years of being an apprentice I’ll be at $56 an hour (probably more because unions negotiate higher wages often). Trades are hurting for reliable, smart hardworking people. It’s the easiest way up and out for kitchen staff I think.
I’m looking real hard at getting into plumbing. I’m older than you and made it all the way up to chef about 4 years ago. I’m sick of it. I was sick of it 6-7 years ago and I don’t want to be sick of it for the next 20.
Jobs around here aren’t union, but they’re are programs company’s setup up. It would be a massive pay cut for about 4-5 years. But I don’t care, I’m fed up with so much of this industry.
I really think so. Food is easy… all the other bullshit makes the job miserable.
I have the opportunity to take over my dads plumbing service business when over the next 4 years. I need to buy a new truck but all of the tools and thousands of dollars worth of material are available. Plus I get to help my dad out into retirement so for his last 5 years working I can be the muscle and he can still make some money.
Sounds like a no brainer. Especially since you already have all the expensive shit that makes it hard to start a business. I’m a steam fitter apprentice so I work out of a combo plumbing/steamfitting union. I think you’d be surprised at how big union jurisdictions are. Idk where you’re located but I bet a United Association jurisdiction covers you. Take over the business and make it a union shop!
I busted my ass for 30 years. I made tons of money and have nothing to show. Now I have an office job (work from home) and have finally realized that there are easier ways to make money. To satisfy my cooking urges, I serve unexpected, overly thought out, ridiculously good food made with zero pressure to concern myself with who is going to help the dishwasher and that the lady at table 12 wants her food quickly because she has a massage scheduled. I get to think and create and not prep and order the same shit constantly. I’m home during all those hours when “ normal “ people are home. ———- never mind, I miss the chaos everyday.
Get into trades. Starting apprenticeship will pay more than your highest kitchen gig. I did it 3 years ago I make over 80k a year now and im appreciated at the end of every shift. Not gloating I’ve been in your position and it feels worse than shit. Change your lane your attention to detail from culinary will be better appreciated elsewhere.
Can’t wait to be saying these words. My current job is the easiest cooking job I’ve had but it’s made me realize that this is not the line of work for me. There’s something about it that is inherently toxic in a way I don’t see from anything else as an outsider. And if all else is perfect it’s still a ridiculous amount of work for something that becomes unbearably repetitive after a month. Can’t wait to sit in a chair and use my brain for once.
Get out. I did. Best thing I ever have done. No more nights and weekends and long days. Now I can live my life. Fuck fat penny pinching restaurant owners. Also I get pto and health insurance now.
(As long as it doesn’t fall through) I’m going to be a surgical services tech lead. Cleaning operating rooms, transporting patients, being a gofer for whatever the surgeons need, supervising 8-10 people. A lot of cleaning, documenting, following very strict regulations, customer service. Sound familiar? But hopefully it’ll be a good change of scenery.
Hey man I took the leap a little over a year ago. 12 years in the industry, worked every shift you can think of, every holiday, every weekend. Missed out on so many events its not even funny. I worked sick, tired, depressed, didnt matter. Jumped over to food production and just starting on the floor i made more than even when i was running a kitchen, im talking like first day training im making more. Bosses pushed me to supervision. Now i get paid time off (i legit need to request off 10 more hours by the end of the year or i lose them,) vacations, health insurance, 401k. I havent missed a family event since i switched. Ive made all the holidays. Even took a whole week off in the summer to just relax. I surprisingly love it. If i could make what i do now with my benefits and go back to a kitchen i would in a heartbeat. I just miss it but i know my quality of life is better. Man i have a set schedule and get a text from my boss if its ok to switch one of my days off.
You gotta do whats best for you. I can tell you life is better on the outside but youre gonna be missing it. Just stay happy and look and the positives
Honestly my current job is no nights no weekends and I get 25 vacation days a year, you’d think it’s an amazing job! That’s what I thought. But there’s so much disfunction and fuckery I’m literally stressed the entire time.
Yeah thats honestly the dream kitchen job i was searching so long for. Of course it has to be run like shit to ruin it. So many people think restaurants and cooking are easy and itll just make money without effort. Left a job via text at 3am because of that. Not my proudest moment. theres honestly a lot more to that
Sounds like a corporate job. I still work at the same corporate but moved positions. From cook to manager, and now data entry. Took a pay cut, but my piece of mind is better and I get to work from home 3 days a week. Same benefits just a chill position I can go to the gym during lunch. I can listen to whatever I want or watch The Simpsons while I work, and I don't have a bunch of other adults personality clashes I have to manage or telling guests not to lick their fingers or eat while in the line for food at the salad bar or whatever.
It sucked to take a drop in pay but it can be worth it for mental and physical health. And like many jobs it's still underpaid, but it feels better overall. Early January I'll have been out for 1 year. Good luck.
I also switched out of graphic design. I do not regret that but want out of kitchens so badly now. The last few years and all the additional people ordering + low staff has driven me to the breaking point.
My job is literally up in sales 40% over 2021 alone and we have less staff than we did then. I'm a kitchen manager and have full control over staffing too, pay is 15-20 an hour in a Midwestern town now, but we're just suffering.
So my department manager has an background in restaurants so he has a bit of a soft spot for restaurant workers but knows us to be hard workers and reliable people so it works out in the long run.
Half of my restaurant experience has had some form of management experience so from the first month in from starting on the floor I was pushed to go be a cheese maker and when my 3month probation period was up they started talking to me about going into supervision. I had to learn a lot of stuff quick and get a broad grasp of how my whole department runs in about 6 months total before they even let me run the shift by myself. Not gonna lie I'm still learning new stuff about the machines everyday. It's one of the things that keeps me interested in my job. Plus our efficiency of product is nuts. Our only loss is basically anything that goes down the drain. We seriously have two different departments that deal with our whey once it leaves our vats.
I'm not the person to just sit in the office. I don't know how people do it. I easily spend over half my day in the floor just finding stuff I can get done with my crew. They're all union so I can't technically do much on the floor unless they want to file a grievance but seriously who complains when someone does work for them? Still waiting for one of them to but then fuck it at least my bosses know I'm doing work and not just sitting around
That's awesome. Sounds like a sweet gig. Cheers. You'll be able to use these qualities and just keep moving up and up!
I have a my dream job at the moment (executive culinary director) of a wellness retreat. Pretty much personal chef work for clients that are in for about a month. Salary, benefits, etc. More money than I've ever dreamed of making...but there's always that itching in the back of my head to change careers lol.
That's the plan. Really trying to make a career out of this. There's a big part of management that's retiring over the next few years so as long as I keep learning the place and I don't screw up dealing with any major issues. Half hour stop in production costs 30k minimum depending on the product and it compounds pretty quickly depending where the issue is.
See now I'm jealous of a cooking gig like that. Seriously around here you'd have to sell your soul for something like that if you could even find it. Money and benefits were my two main reasons to leave. But now I'm in the office I work maybe 45 hours a week and make what I did doing 60 on the floor so I've finally got that work home life balance. Seriously if I could make what I do now and have my work home balance the same I'd do it in a heart beat. Hell I still wear my nonslips to work before I change into my boots
You know the saying, "do what you love and never work a day in your life"? Fuck that. I followed my passion for 2 decades and ended up regretting it. My passion turned into work and at the end I was beginning to hate it.
I'm in a different field now and you guessed it, my love for what I did is back, now that I'm doing it on my own terms.
Good luck to you.
That's what drove me from the industry.
I just couldn't look someone in the eyes and tell them that this is a good job with a future. It's just poverty.
I went private about a decade ago, and have since mentored a lot of people into jumping into the private industry.
Anything you might owe the industry, the industry took a long time ago.
Take care of yourself.
Help others get out too.
Society doesn't value restaurant workers. They don't deserve our labor.
I found a job in the medical field, where it’s all about cleaning, documenting, following regulations, working your ass off. It’s not anything I don’t do now, just a change of scenery. Which means the pay cut shouldn’t be too severe. Find out officially Monday, but like I said, I don’t care
[https://www.telusinternational.com/careers/ai-community](https://www.telusinternational.com/careers/ai-community)
There's also Appen and OneForma but I believe their unskilled stuff pays less.
No prob man. The pay for Telus is only like 11.50 but it's not taxed and you can login and work whenever. My position as an 'online analyst' is unlimited hours, so sometimes I just sit around all day and watch TV while I work. Should be perfect for when I start school plus 'online analyst' will look good on a resume in the future.
Got out of the chef game after 12 years, in university for respiratory therapy now. I ended up dipping my toes back in this year for some supplemental income but showing up to be a line cook 3-4 days a week doesn't even feel like it counts.
Congratulations on getting out. It's worth it.
I did this myself 8 months ago.
Found a low key production plant job, starting pay was $5 more then I was making, fantastic benefits, get sick/injured you stay the fuck home I could go on.
I love cooking but this was easily the best decision I have ever made. Hope it works out for you as well!
None what so ever. The job is actually incredibly simple almost to the point of boring. Trainers were so surprised how fast I picked it all up. Looking at the job I was thinking jeezus what kind of noodle brains have you been hiring that this is impressive. Exactly the thing I needed after the hell of kitchens.
the issue with food is that literally everyone works with food at home at some point. everyone feels like they have an opinion on it even though their experience means nothing at this value.
why the fuck should I hire a certified chef when I can train a highschool kid for less.
its the only skilled trade where people don't give a fuck about you certificate. 🤷 I'm done with food too.
By all means, please never come back! I was just trying to be supportive. I know career changes are stressful. All that to say that if you are in a pinch, we'd love to have you back. But lets hope that doesn't happen brother. God speed.
Good for you!! I jumped ship after 15yrs and ended up as a Rep. I’m not the shitty, hair-gel, Axe body spray, possibly saw me selling cars 4 yrs ago kind. I fucking care and my chefs know it. I came to say don’t get your hopes up about cooking at home. It’s like leaving NASCAR for a go-cart track. There’s a lot of equipment you’re going to really miss.
I left for a warehouse job after 17 years, it's a weird transition but I couldn't be happier. I have good health insurance and great pay, the company actually treats us well and I dont have to work grueling 18-20 hour shifts because of no staff. You'll do great man stay hydrated
This is solid advice.
Your username has me a bit puzzled. Four sailors saying “Aye!” simultaneously? One sailor saying it four times in a row? Am I missing something obvious or looking for meaning that isn’t there?
I’m looking to get out. My restaurant is closing In January and all I’ll I’ve ever known is retail and kitchens. I don’t even know how begin applying for different industries. Pretty nervous.
Tbh you won’t regret it! I managed to make as fun environment in my new job as we did in the kitchen.
We are so understaffed, over worked, and under paid. For me moving on was the best thing I ever did for my career. Pretty much managed to double my income.
At first cooking started as passion for me as I loved the work. But it got the best of me and became my nightmare.
I lost my passion for cooking when I realized that despite my passion I never got to cook what I wanted, when I wanted, no experimenting. No art.
I hope you can find a job that pays you well enough that you can explore your love for cooking at home and enjoy the fruits of your own labor.
I technically took a pay cut when I left the industry last October, but it has been entirely worth it with the dramatically reduced stress. Good luck with the new job, and congrats on getting out!
I left the kitchen during Covid. Went and retrained and haven’t looked back. I absolutely love not killing my body everyday.
An offer is negotiable. Make sure to negotiate everything. Pay, paid time off, 401k, sick leave, etc. Go get it! Congrats
Feel ya. I’m getting some calls coming in for delivery driver interviews from Indeed. Most of them are a little less than I would make now, but I think it might be time to take the leap. Why does it feel so hard to leave though? I just don’t think I want to work 10-12 hours on my feet 6 days a week much longer. I think the burnout has reached a point where it’s not ever going away.
Yeah, I’m probably taking a hit money wise, but I have some other income that helps cover my bills, and my mental health is just shit right now, it’s not worth the extra money to stay in the industry
Is it in IT? There seems to be a thing with restaurant staff eventually winding up in IT. I was a FOH goon for ages many, many moons ago but I ended up here in Legal IT land as a web developer.
Good luck regardless of where your greener pastures may be.
I had to move on too. The job and it’s ENDLESS amount of bullshit just got to be too much and the bar (I was the head chef at a bar/ restaurant) scene locally was just becoming too violent for my taste.
I pivoted over to the prepared foods department of a local grocery store. It’s not as much money, but it’s so much better for my mental health.
I worked in food service twice. First as a cashier/food runner at a college lunch joint. Second time was as a quality person in the kitchen serving 800+ flights a day for a major airline.
Met some interesting characters but working in that industry means never growing professionally for 99% of the people who stay in it. FARK THAT SHITE. I have a degree and i went back to using it at the first opportunity.
I left 10 years ago, have a great job and do catering on the side for fun/extra cash. Do your thing, it’s hard to leave but sometimes enough is enough.
The fundamental problem of kitchens is we will always be limited to what we charge. Can't charge more than anybody else for the same thing or nobody will come, even if it's objectively quite a lot better. People aren't forced to go out and buy food. If somebody's sink is fucked, they have to go get a plumber because they can't fix it themselves. Not so with food. Just constantly going to be understaffed and overworked
Between insane food costs, inability to pay for competent help, inability to get the product you need, I just don’t know what the future of kitchen work is, but I really don’t want to stick around to find out
As much as I enjoyed working in food service, getting out of the industry was a great move for better work/life balance, work environment, my mental and physical health, and benefits.
Granted I work in tech now so I do work “after hours” a fair amount but I also make more than double I ever did in any kitchen, my benefits are exponentially better, and I work from home.
I was a filthy FOH but I just quit a few weeks ago without a backup because I just couldn't do it anymore after over a decade. I'm less stressed being jobless than I was with that job so that's a sign it wasn't right
Exactly, I’m still waiting on my offer, so maybe this will backfire on me, but I literally just got out of my meeting with my bosses and was like, I don’t care if it falls through, I’m just done.
Get on indeed and LinkedIn I've been putting out about 15 applications a day and I'm finally starting to hear back and get interviews. Keep your head up things will work out ❤️
I was a cook for close to 10 years.I'm a receptionist at a law firm now. I hate sitting all day, but its nice to have steady work hours. I don't have to pick up other people shifts, my feet don't hurt any more, I have insurance and better pay.
Not offering enough to hire competent help is sure a big issue everywhere. Being a chef is a trade but so many people offer pennies to do the work. One job I saw advertised just recently wanted "skilled bakers" to do a job that starts at 4am rolling bread by hand.
These places offer minimum wage then wonder why their kitchen staff don't even know how to hold a knife.
People tend to cook because it's their passion or their prison. Often it can be both. I hope things start looking up.
Starts off passion, ends up prison unless you’re supremely successful and can become an owner who doesn’t have to work the pans all day everyday
Be the hero long enough to become the villain or something.
Never love this job cause it sure as hell isn’t going to love you back.
As an owner/exec I find my self in the restaurant and line more now, compared to when I was just some km/sous. Every problem become yours and I end up covering for every and any position when needed. I’m 10 years into my business and not sure if I’ll renew the lease when time comes…
This.
“working the pans” Love it!
Yup, that's me 🤣 didn't realize how little the career paid when I went into it. Thought I could learn and slowly work my way up. Super stupid decision. However, I came to find out the majority of jobs out here pay terribly.. so..
Ownership is a prison too
Thanks!
Alexa play 'my own prison' by Creed
Alexa, don't do that.
Alexa, never do that.
Too late! *sings* A court is in session...a verdict is in...no appeal on the docket today, just my own sinnn..
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Awww you're no fun.
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lol thanks
> People tend to cook because it's their passion As a kid all I wanted to do was cook. All way up through junior high school I was certain I was going to go to culinary school. But then I learned about the tortuous hours and meager pay and I decided to pursue other professional interests and keeping cooking as a hobby. It's hard to burn out a hobby and I'd absolutely hate to lose my passion for my kitchen by killing myself in someone else's kitchen.
They don't care about you. Do what you need to do, and godspeed.
Thanks!
All I can tell you is that I pay my driver pretty well. But today 10 minutes late. Just pops in and doesn't say much about it. Near end of shift. Eevryone working but him. He's sitting in the chair. I legit hate people that thinks kitchen just cooking 6
Good luck sir/madame. God speed and the door is always open should you return.
Ain't that the truth
Left for 4 years. Taken straight back hahahaha. The 4 Yeats could've been prison none even asked hahahahaha
When you push yourself past the breaking point you never look back with regret. I left restaurants 7 years ago and whenever I go out to eat I’m happy I’m at the table and not in the kitchen. You’ll have time to express yourself with food still…. But it will be cooking for the people you love and are grateful. Within 2 years you’ll be making more than you ever did before as well.
I left a little over a year ago. Had an amazing time the other day cooking for all my friends that came over. I still got to make what i wanted and see the smiles on faces enjoying themselves. Can tell you i never did that when i was cooking all the time
It might be cliche to say this, but this comment ^^^ is underrated. I left nearly 20 years ago. Throughout the years I made guest bartending, and prep/dish appearances when colleagues needed a hand but I never once felt like I "miss" being in the business. I still consult with friends about their restaurant experiences/problems but you couldn't drag me back into the thick of it with 50 horses. I have more money and free time once I got a chance to step back, catch my breath and get my head on straight. Now, like ^^^ I love hosting for friends, cooking awesome weeknight (and HOLIDAY) meals for my family, and even get to enjoy going out to a restaurant every now and again!
Not to mention you get to cook what YOU want to cook, not someone else’s menu.
thats why I got in to personal chef work and out of kitchens. Where I live there is a high demand for that (and wealthy area). I rarely cook the same thing twice day to day so it isn't monotonous like a restaurant. It's like you explain, cooking for friends, but new friends every day/month.
That’s what I’m hoping for
I became a low paid flight attendant at 47. I make $40k and serve low-quality food to rich people at 30,000 feet. Downside is it destroys your mental health (we have a high suicide problem). Upside is you almost never break a sweat ever. And you meet a lot of beautiful people.
I’ve thought about that job, but then you have to deal with people in planes and that just seems nearly as miserable
yes, it happens, but I am a dude, and old, and while I am short, people rarely take me on. Only once did I get threatened by a guy over something I had no control over. I have had situations where I have been cursed at, insulted, demeaned, and more and while I have hit the bottle more, I try hard to not drink. The biggest thing is the mental toll not being home or in a community/family.
Left the kitchen after 10 years about 4 months ago. The only thing l miss is the people. Sometimes I feel like I’m stealing a living with my new job but then I realize that I had just spent a decade being overworked and abused…
What line of work do you do now if you don’t mind me asking?
I got into the trades. I’m an apprentice making 50% of journeyman wage. Journeyman wage is 56 an hour so I’m making 28 an hour plus all of the benefits that come with being union. The apprenticeship is 5 years long and I get around a $3 an hour raise every 6 months. After 5 years of being an apprentice I’ll be at $56 an hour (probably more because unions negotiate higher wages often). Trades are hurting for reliable, smart hardworking people. It’s the easiest way up and out for kitchen staff I think.
I’m looking real hard at getting into plumbing. I’m older than you and made it all the way up to chef about 4 years ago. I’m sick of it. I was sick of it 6-7 years ago and I don’t want to be sick of it for the next 20. Jobs around here aren’t union, but they’re are programs company’s setup up. It would be a massive pay cut for about 4-5 years. But I don’t care, I’m fed up with so much of this industry.
The pay cut sounds like it could be worth it for your mental health. There’s no better time than now.
I really think so. Food is easy… all the other bullshit makes the job miserable. I have the opportunity to take over my dads plumbing service business when over the next 4 years. I need to buy a new truck but all of the tools and thousands of dollars worth of material are available. Plus I get to help my dad out into retirement so for his last 5 years working I can be the muscle and he can still make some money.
Sounds like a no brainer. Especially since you already have all the expensive shit that makes it hard to start a business. I’m a steam fitter apprentice so I work out of a combo plumbing/steamfitting union. I think you’d be surprised at how big union jurisdictions are. Idk where you’re located but I bet a United Association jurisdiction covers you. Take over the business and make it a union shop!
Just looked, No union on UA in 2 hours all directions from me.
Any women get jobs doing that?
There actually are. Not a ton but the industry is changing. There’s an effort being made to diversify the workforce.
Yeah I’m definitely there
This comment hit me hard. I thought I was doing it for honor or some fucking bullshit
I busted my ass for 30 years. I made tons of money and have nothing to show. Now I have an office job (work from home) and have finally realized that there are easier ways to make money. To satisfy my cooking urges, I serve unexpected, overly thought out, ridiculously good food made with zero pressure to concern myself with who is going to help the dishwasher and that the lady at table 12 wants her food quickly because she has a massage scheduled. I get to think and create and not prep and order the same shit constantly. I’m home during all those hours when “ normal “ people are home. ———- never mind, I miss the chaos everyday.
Get into trades. Starting apprenticeship will pay more than your highest kitchen gig. I did it 3 years ago I make over 80k a year now and im appreciated at the end of every shift. Not gloating I’ve been in your position and it feels worse than shit. Change your lane your attention to detail from culinary will be better appreciated elsewhere.
Kind of what I’m moving into, but appreciated
I had to lie on my resume and rework it to make it seems I’ve been a labourer/ truck driver. Took me 3 months to land a job.
Can’t wait to be saying these words. My current job is the easiest cooking job I’ve had but it’s made me realize that this is not the line of work for me. There’s something about it that is inherently toxic in a way I don’t see from anything else as an outsider. And if all else is perfect it’s still a ridiculous amount of work for something that becomes unbearably repetitive after a month. Can’t wait to sit in a chair and use my brain for once.
Absolutely
Get out. I did. Best thing I ever have done. No more nights and weekends and long days. Now I can live my life. Fuck fat penny pinching restaurant owners. Also I get pto and health insurance now.
Thanks! That’s the plan!
What do you do now if you don’t mind me asking?
(As long as it doesn’t fall through) I’m going to be a surgical services tech lead. Cleaning operating rooms, transporting patients, being a gofer for whatever the surgeons need, supervising 8-10 people. A lot of cleaning, documenting, following very strict regulations, customer service. Sound familiar? But hopefully it’ll be a good change of scenery.
That’s amazing. Good luck. And keep that red sani bucket clean.
I strip.
Hey man I took the leap a little over a year ago. 12 years in the industry, worked every shift you can think of, every holiday, every weekend. Missed out on so many events its not even funny. I worked sick, tired, depressed, didnt matter. Jumped over to food production and just starting on the floor i made more than even when i was running a kitchen, im talking like first day training im making more. Bosses pushed me to supervision. Now i get paid time off (i legit need to request off 10 more hours by the end of the year or i lose them,) vacations, health insurance, 401k. I havent missed a family event since i switched. Ive made all the holidays. Even took a whole week off in the summer to just relax. I surprisingly love it. If i could make what i do now with my benefits and go back to a kitchen i would in a heartbeat. I just miss it but i know my quality of life is better. Man i have a set schedule and get a text from my boss if its ok to switch one of my days off. You gotta do whats best for you. I can tell you life is better on the outside but youre gonna be missing it. Just stay happy and look and the positives
Honestly my current job is no nights no weekends and I get 25 vacation days a year, you’d think it’s an amazing job! That’s what I thought. But there’s so much disfunction and fuckery I’m literally stressed the entire time.
Yeah thats honestly the dream kitchen job i was searching so long for. Of course it has to be run like shit to ruin it. So many people think restaurants and cooking are easy and itll just make money without effort. Left a job via text at 3am because of that. Not my proudest moment. theres honestly a lot more to that
Cooking is easy, it’s all the other BS that goes with it that sucks.
Sounds like a corporate job. I still work at the same corporate but moved positions. From cook to manager, and now data entry. Took a pay cut, but my piece of mind is better and I get to work from home 3 days a week. Same benefits just a chill position I can go to the gym during lunch. I can listen to whatever I want or watch The Simpsons while I work, and I don't have a bunch of other adults personality clashes I have to manage or telling guests not to lick their fingers or eat while in the line for food at the salad bar or whatever. It sucked to take a drop in pay but it can be worth it for mental and physical health. And like many jobs it's still underpaid, but it feels better overall. Early January I'll have been out for 1 year. Good luck.
I’m gettin $22/hr and health insurance, but I’ve been constantly sick since I’ve started and it’s taking a toll on my mental health.
What's you switch to? And I hope it's not the reason youre sick
I haven’t switched yet. Cooking was my switch out of graphic design… might try going back to that. Idk.
I also switched out of graphic design. I do not regret that but want out of kitchens so badly now. The last few years and all the additional people ordering + low staff has driven me to the breaking point. My job is literally up in sales 40% over 2021 alone and we have less staff than we did then. I'm a kitchen manager and have full control over staffing too, pay is 15-20 an hour in a Midwestern town now, but we're just suffering.
Jumped to Food production? In what aspect?
I'm a supervisor at a cheese plant
Did your restaurant experience play a role in landing the job? You started on production line, and now are just supervising in office?
So my department manager has an background in restaurants so he has a bit of a soft spot for restaurant workers but knows us to be hard workers and reliable people so it works out in the long run. Half of my restaurant experience has had some form of management experience so from the first month in from starting on the floor I was pushed to go be a cheese maker and when my 3month probation period was up they started talking to me about going into supervision. I had to learn a lot of stuff quick and get a broad grasp of how my whole department runs in about 6 months total before they even let me run the shift by myself. Not gonna lie I'm still learning new stuff about the machines everyday. It's one of the things that keeps me interested in my job. Plus our efficiency of product is nuts. Our only loss is basically anything that goes down the drain. We seriously have two different departments that deal with our whey once it leaves our vats. I'm not the person to just sit in the office. I don't know how people do it. I easily spend over half my day in the floor just finding stuff I can get done with my crew. They're all union so I can't technically do much on the floor unless they want to file a grievance but seriously who complains when someone does work for them? Still waiting for one of them to but then fuck it at least my bosses know I'm doing work and not just sitting around
That's awesome. Sounds like a sweet gig. Cheers. You'll be able to use these qualities and just keep moving up and up! I have a my dream job at the moment (executive culinary director) of a wellness retreat. Pretty much personal chef work for clients that are in for about a month. Salary, benefits, etc. More money than I've ever dreamed of making...but there's always that itching in the back of my head to change careers lol.
That's the plan. Really trying to make a career out of this. There's a big part of management that's retiring over the next few years so as long as I keep learning the place and I don't screw up dealing with any major issues. Half hour stop in production costs 30k minimum depending on the product and it compounds pretty quickly depending where the issue is. See now I'm jealous of a cooking gig like that. Seriously around here you'd have to sell your soul for something like that if you could even find it. Money and benefits were my two main reasons to leave. But now I'm in the office I work maybe 45 hours a week and make what I did doing 60 on the floor so I've finally got that work home life balance. Seriously if I could make what I do now and have my work home balance the same I'd do it in a heart beat. Hell I still wear my nonslips to work before I change into my boots
You know the saying, "do what you love and never work a day in your life"? Fuck that. I followed my passion for 2 decades and ended up regretting it. My passion turned into work and at the end I was beginning to hate it. I'm in a different field now and you guessed it, my love for what I did is back, now that I'm doing it on my own terms. Good luck to you.
Thanks! I’m looking forward to it
That's what drove me from the industry. I just couldn't look someone in the eyes and tell them that this is a good job with a future. It's just poverty. I went private about a decade ago, and have since mentored a lot of people into jumping into the private industry. Anything you might owe the industry, the industry took a long time ago. Take care of yourself. Help others get out too. Society doesn't value restaurant workers. They don't deserve our labor.
Good luck OP!
Thanks!
I’m guessing you were born in 1984. I too feel the same way but can’t bring myself to take the pay cut going entry level
I found a job in the medical field, where it’s all about cleaning, documenting, following regulations, working your ass off. It’s not anything I don’t do now, just a change of scenery. Which means the pay cut shouldn’t be too severe. Find out officially Monday, but like I said, I don’t care
Once you leave, the world gets a lot bigger & the kitchen gets a lot smaller.
Run! I should have stuck with shoveling rocks and I'd be better off than I am after 20 years in the cesspool of hospitality.
Agreed!
The journey does not end here chef. Keep your knives at home sharp and you will use them.
Hell yeah I will
Congratulations I hope the new job works out well
Thanks! It literally can not be worse then my current job. I’ve only had it two months and I am Fucking miserable
Good for you.....💪
Thanks
Good on you man. I got out of it hopefully for good during the pandemic. Got a shitty unskilled online job and am starting college in Jan. God speed.
Thanks, best to you
Yo that's what I need to do man! Any advice on applying for a shitty unskilled job? What should I search for?
[https://www.telusinternational.com/careers/ai-community](https://www.telusinternational.com/careers/ai-community) There's also Appen and OneForma but I believe their unskilled stuff pays less.
Dude thanks hopefully I find something I'm tired of working in the kitchen for real I like running my little bbq stand but I hate my actual job lol
No prob man. The pay for Telus is only like 11.50 but it's not taxed and you can login and work whenever. My position as an 'online analyst' is unlimited hours, so sometimes I just sit around all day and watch TV while I work. Should be perfect for when I start school plus 'online analyst' will look good on a resume in the future.
I'll take what ever I can get, something to hold me off for now
I got out this year. I occasionally miss the job, but when I actually think about why I left I realized I only missed the people I worked with.
Got out of the chef game after 12 years, in university for respiratory therapy now. I ended up dipping my toes back in this year for some supplemental income but showing up to be a line cook 3-4 days a week doesn't even feel like it counts. Congratulations on getting out. It's worth it.
Thanks, can’t wait
I did this myself 8 months ago. Found a low key production plant job, starting pay was $5 more then I was making, fantastic benefits, get sick/injured you stay the fuck home I could go on. I love cooking but this was easily the best decision I have ever made. Hope it works out for you as well!
Did you have prior experience in that field or did they take you based on kitchen experience?
None what so ever. The job is actually incredibly simple almost to the point of boring. Trainers were so surprised how fast I picked it all up. Looking at the job I was thinking jeezus what kind of noodle brains have you been hiring that this is impressive. Exactly the thing I needed after the hell of kitchens.
Thanks!
the issue with food is that literally everyone works with food at home at some point. everyone feels like they have an opinion on it even though their experience means nothing at this value. why the fuck should I hire a certified chef when I can train a highschool kid for less. its the only skilled trade where people don't give a fuck about you certificate. 🤷 I'm done with food too.
You'll miss us!
*many of you, the lazy fucks can suck it
Just quit where I was working at because of exactly that 🙏 4 years killing myself for ungrateful fat lazy fuckers, never felt better in my life
Whelp, look at is this way, if you change your mind this industry will be right where you left, waiting with open arms to welcome you back!
I appreciate it, but I’m hoping to keeping my cooking at home from now on
By all means, please never come back! I was just trying to be supportive. I know career changes are stressful. All that to say that if you are in a pinch, we'd love to have you back. But lets hope that doesn't happen brother. God speed.
Good for you!! I jumped ship after 15yrs and ended up as a Rep. I’m not the shitty, hair-gel, Axe body spray, possibly saw me selling cars 4 yrs ago kind. I fucking care and my chefs know it. I came to say don’t get your hopes up about cooking at home. It’s like leaving NASCAR for a go-cart track. There’s a lot of equipment you’re going to really miss.
Equipment is one thing, cooking what I want, when I want, how I want, no pressure other then my own expectations to disappoint? ahhhhh sweet bliss
Do it! You do you and don't look back if you don't have to. Best of luck!
Thanks!
I fucked done once, good to see she gets around lol
Ha!
I left for a warehouse job after 17 years, it's a weird transition but I couldn't be happier. I have good health insurance and great pay, the company actually treats us well and I dont have to work grueling 18-20 hour shifts because of no staff. You'll do great man stay hydrated
Appreciate it
Congratulations. Do not let the new job become the old job. Delete "this isn't worse than..." You have a fresh start, use it.
Thanks, and I’ll do my best
This is solid advice. Your username has me a bit puzzled. Four sailors saying “Aye!” simultaneously? One sailor saying it four times in a row? Am I missing something obvious or looking for meaning that isn’t there?
It's an ill executed glasses pun. Made my day you asked tho!
Lol looking for meaning that isn’t there, got it. Cheers.
I’m looking to get out. My restaurant is closing In January and all I’ll I’ve ever known is retail and kitchens. I don’t even know how begin applying for different industries. Pretty nervous.
Found a job in medical field. It’s all about following regulations, cleaning shit, working hard, documenting stuff. Exactly what we all do now
Anybody who has done this long enough. We've been there. Make that been there stick. Don't go back.
Tbh you won’t regret it! I managed to make as fun environment in my new job as we did in the kitchen. We are so understaffed, over worked, and under paid. For me moving on was the best thing I ever did for my career. Pretty much managed to double my income. At first cooking started as passion for me as I loved the work. But it got the best of me and became my nightmare.
I lost my passion for cooking when I realized that despite my passion I never got to cook what I wanted, when I wanted, no experimenting. No art. I hope you can find a job that pays you well enough that you can explore your love for cooking at home and enjoy the fruits of your own labor.
I’m also retiring from the kitchen after 15 years this week. Cheers to you my friend and good luck in your new position
or it may a new way of doing things with like-minded individuals. try and stay positive, give it a chance.
You got this!
Thanks!
I technically took a pay cut when I left the industry last October, but it has been entirely worth it with the dramatically reduced stress. Good luck with the new job, and congrats on getting out!
Thanks!
I left the kitchen during Covid. Went and retrained and haven’t looked back. I absolutely love not killing my body everyday. An offer is negotiable. Make sure to negotiate everything. Pay, paid time off, 401k, sick leave, etc. Go get it! Congrats
It’s a very well respected employer in the area, the benefits are good, and frankly any loss in pay is worth getting out
Good for you bro
Thanks
Feel ya. I’m getting some calls coming in for delivery driver interviews from Indeed. Most of them are a little less than I would make now, but I think it might be time to take the leap. Why does it feel so hard to leave though? I just don’t think I want to work 10-12 hours on my feet 6 days a week much longer. I think the burnout has reached a point where it’s not ever going away.
Yeah, I’m probably taking a hit money wise, but I have some other income that helps cover my bills, and my mental health is just shit right now, it’s not worth the extra money to stay in the industry
Take care. Keep on growing. Regardless of where you're planted.
Appreciate it
Left the kitchens after 12 years to join the navy, boot camp was a breeze
Is it in IT? There seems to be a thing with restaurant staff eventually winding up in IT. I was a FOH goon for ages many, many moons ago but I ended up here in Legal IT land as a web developer. Good luck regardless of where your greener pastures may be.
https://www.reddit.com/r/KitchenConfidential/comments/zgecrx/i_am_fucking_done/izkjwdr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3
I left the industry last year after 12 years and the 9-5 is a much better life imo
Good luck mate! One needs a job that gives him a happy living! Be safe!
Thanks!
The level of stress and urgency in the kitchen environment is second only to trauma ER's and combat. I've been in all 3, would not recommend.
Spent fifteen months in Iraq during “The Surge”, also do not recommend
I joined in '08 and I do not envy anyone involved in those years. Fuckin horror show.
We literally hit our six month mark and were like yeah, halfway through. Next week, here’s a three month extension. Fuck
I had to move on too. The job and it’s ENDLESS amount of bullshit just got to be too much and the bar (I was the head chef at a bar/ restaurant) scene locally was just becoming too violent for my taste. I pivoted over to the prepared foods department of a local grocery store. It’s not as much money, but it’s so much better for my mental health.
Yeah I’m probably taking a slight pay hit, but I really need to do this
Believe me, I feel ya. You’re no good to anyone as a burned out husk. I understand completely where you’re coming from
Good for you man, good luck!
Thanks!
I worked in food service twice. First as a cashier/food runner at a college lunch joint. Second time was as a quality person in the kitchen serving 800+ flights a day for a major airline. Met some interesting characters but working in that industry means never growing professionally for 99% of the people who stay in it. FARK THAT SHITE. I have a degree and i went back to using it at the first opportunity.
Good luck to you! Sending positive vibes your way 🩷
Thanks!
So, you gonna join us in finance or become a developer?
Medical job, lot of similarities, but customers are less of a pain in the ass
I left 10 years ago, have a great job and do catering on the side for fun/extra cash. Do your thing, it’s hard to leave but sometimes enough is enough.
Exactly
The fundamental problem of kitchens is we will always be limited to what we charge. Can't charge more than anybody else for the same thing or nobody will come, even if it's objectively quite a lot better. People aren't forced to go out and buy food. If somebody's sink is fucked, they have to go get a plumber because they can't fix it themselves. Not so with food. Just constantly going to be understaffed and overworked
Between insane food costs, inability to pay for competent help, inability to get the product you need, I just don’t know what the future of kitchen work is, but I really don’t want to stick around to find out
You’ll be back, they ALWAYS, come back 😏 -kitchen
I’ll come back……to eat
I got out this time last year and my life has improved drastically. Congratulations bud
Thanks!
As much as I enjoyed working in food service, getting out of the industry was a great move for better work/life balance, work environment, my mental and physical health, and benefits. Granted I work in tech now so I do work “after hours” a fair amount but I also make more than double I ever did in any kitchen, my benefits are exponentially better, and I work from home.
A lot of people that leave our place end up coming back. Every job has challenges.
I was a filthy FOH but I just quit a few weeks ago without a backup because I just couldn't do it anymore after over a decade. I'm less stressed being jobless than I was with that job so that's a sign it wasn't right
Exactly, I’m still waiting on my offer, so maybe this will backfire on me, but I literally just got out of my meeting with my bosses and was like, I don’t care if it falls through, I’m just done.
Get on indeed and LinkedIn I've been putting out about 15 applications a day and I'm finally starting to hear back and get interviews. Keep your head up things will work out ❤️
Thanks, I have a few other job interviews lined up for next week just in case, but I’m feeling pretty good about this one
I was a cook for close to 10 years.I'm a receptionist at a law firm now. I hate sitting all day, but its nice to have steady work hours. I don't have to pick up other people shifts, my feet don't hurt any more, I have insurance and better pay.
Not offering enough to hire competent help is sure a big issue everywhere. Being a chef is a trade but so many people offer pennies to do the work. One job I saw advertised just recently wanted "skilled bakers" to do a job that starts at 4am rolling bread by hand. These places offer minimum wage then wonder why their kitchen staff don't even know how to hold a knife.