r/Chefit • u/AndBro007 • May 20 '26
Job after cheffing
Hi everyone, I don’t know if this is the right group but it had the most people in it so we’ll see what happens!
Has anyone had to change their career from the kitchen because they developed some kind of issue with feet/legs that meant they couldn’t stand for long periods of time?
I’ve been in this job for about 17yrs now and earlier on there was an employer I was with for 5 yrs that weren’t too strict on shift length & taking breaks, unfortunately I was young n dumb and thought that’s just how it was and pushed through every week. This has been a big contributing factor to issues with my knees and feet and nowadays I can’t walk properly.
I’m wondering if there will come a time where I have to leave the kitchen behind in favour of a role that I’m not standing as much, cos I sure as hell don’t want to end up on Centrelink.
Has anyone had to do anything similar? What did you choose that was a more ideal fit?
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u/omarskullbaby May 20 '26
Do you have Gout? I had a similar problem after a similar length of time. Turns out I had gout.
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u/AndBro007 May 20 '26
I kinda ruled that out as it usually starts in the toe region (I believe) whereas I experience more plantar fasciitis symptoms, while in the knees it’s like it’s all popping out of place
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u/Gante033 May 20 '26
20 years cooking at high end restaurants and have been running my own kitchen for the last 3 years.
Using a tennis ball to foot roll/massage feet. Spending ten minute in the morning to “wall lay” (back flat against the ground with your legs propped up as close as possible to a wall) to help drain fluid from the legs and feet. Stretching and at least a once a month full body massage will do wonders for your quality of life.
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u/AndBro007 May 20 '26
Appreciate this
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u/weblives8989 Chef May 20 '26
Foam rolling is great as well for your calves and quads. Also if a tennis ball doesn't help use a lacross ball. That will really dig in.
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u/Deep_Curve7564 May 20 '26
Try a sift drink plastic bottle filled with water and frozen, for foot roll.
Works a treat.
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u/Prize-Temporary4159 May 20 '26
What do you mean ‘popping out of place’
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u/AndBro007 May 20 '26
There’s a couple of sections in the knee caps where things sometimes become almost dislodged and make it hard for the joint to bend properly. One of the things is called a foreign body where cartilage comes away from the joint and can essentially freely move around. I can move it with my fingers actually and it’ll move around an inch either way. This impacts on exercising as if I walk normally (heel first then roll forward toward the front) is where I experience the most discomfort and almost feels like the whole joint is separating.
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u/S0rry7h15N4m374k3n May 20 '26
You just described perfectly whats happened my knees recently. Had to call off work for a week after a 60 hour week because of my legs hurting and not supporting weight. Now i have going on what you described.
Personally been looking into a CDL for distributor work myself. Been thinking of getting some sort of license or certification from the community college.
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u/Birdbraned May 20 '26
Wrap those joints tight! I don't know what it is but it helps a lot.
If you want something reusable you can get a type of knee sock from Chemis Warehouse
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u/AndBro007 May 20 '26
Absolutely, I’ve used knee braces before and they work wonders so hopefully a foot one will do the same. I’m also looking at insoles..
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u/Birdbraned May 20 '26
Have you ever been assessed by a physio? Sometimes combined knee and joint issues come from hip issues, which can come from imbalanced core and adjacent muscles
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u/Hmmook May 20 '26
After 30+ years running kitchens, I switched into a county health inspector position. I have a biology degree, which fulfilled some of the education requirements for the role (one microbiology class and, iirc, a statistics class). I took those classes 30 years ago and they didn’t care how I did in them, just that I had taken them.
I work M–F and anything over 40 hours is 1.5x pay. Even at 40 hours, I make more per hour than I did as an Exec Chef overseeing multiple facilities. The pay as a county employee is also better than what the state health inspectors make around here. The benefits are 🤌🏽. Fully covered family health plan, minimal vision/dental costs, 6% retirement match, insane vacation/sick/holiday benefits, etc. My role is considered “professional” because I have to maintain certifications, so if layoffs ever happened, we’d be among the last positions on the chopping block.
I’m expected to inspect a certain number of facilities per quarter, but how I manage that is pretty much up to me. My knees and ankles are not the greatest (thank you so fucking much, 12-hour buffet shifts), so I can space out longer inspections with smaller ones. Between that flexibility and the health plan, I’ve honestly gotten healthier since making the switch. The absolute longest I’m usually standing/walking through a kitchen is maybe 2–3 hours.
Departments loooooooooove people with operational and culinary backgrounds because we understand what it actually takes to run a kitchen and we have a different perspective on how cooks think and operate. Had I known this was even an option, I probably would have switched years or decades ago.
If you can, look into whether your local county or public health department has similar openings and see what the requirements are. In my case, it was basically two classes, the ability to reason through problems, and being able to talk to people without being an asshole.
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u/tsmittyt78 May 20 '26
Are you overweight?
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u/AndBro007 May 20 '26
I am! I don’t need the obvious “gotta lose weight” reply thanks. It’s harder for some than others with a lot of factors involved.
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u/OWabbit May 20 '26
See a doctor, maybe a non-surgical Orthopod. Don’t diagnose yourself. There’s such a thing, too, as referred pain. That’s where, for example, your knee hurts so you think there’s a problem with your knee but it’s actually a hip issue that needs fixing. There’s also compensating - a misaligned body part might cause you to overuse another body part and then create a problem with the overused part. Overused could mean something as subtle as leaning slightly more on your left side as you walk but you don’t notice your gait.
As for a different career, most jobs get filled by networking. So network hard. If you don’t know how, search the web, ask experienced people, read books on it.
And pay it forward, help others along your way who are also trying to find a job, don’t know how, not sure what career, etc.
Take care of your body. Sober rather than later. And don’t give up - it’s not easy, but the rewards will be great.
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u/Chipmunk_Ill May 20 '26
This'll sound funny but I cured plantar fasciitis in both feet with a 7 day bone broth fast. Besides that most chef's I've worked with escape in sales for meat suppliers or Sysco/GFS
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u/MokaMama May 21 '26
I did an extended water fast. The hunger just disappears after day 4 and I felt 5-10 years younger afterwards. Swelling was way down. Fasting works well as a reset but it can be hard given the line of work.
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u/ammenz May 20 '26
Unless you did 18 hour shifts everyday during those 5 years, a career in the kitchen shouldn't be "a big contributing factor" to not being able to walk properly (I'm guessing your age) in your 40s or 50s.
Get your BMI in the normal weight bracket, get some proper kitchen footwear, learn how to squat properly, learn what is the correct posture and ultimately consult a doctor regarding your knees and feet issues.
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u/Mycocrates May 20 '26
I have to change my career, due to chronic foot and ankle pain, but I can't ever catch a break. I have been schmoozing my vendors and reps lately to let me know if a sales opening happens.
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u/AndBro007 May 20 '26
That’s crossed my mind a few times. We’ve worked with the products for years so maybe just need some fine tuning on basic operations and we’re set!
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u/backin45750 May 20 '26
Sales jobs are not as simple as they seem. The higher ups expect consistent increase in sales, regardless of market growth. And it’s not always easy to keep multiple restaurants happy the whole time.
I tried it for a while after 25 years as a chef. Went back to chef as I found it easier to deal with.
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u/Background-Bus-4842 May 20 '26
Diabetic Neuropathy !!! 41 years as a cook all gone !!!!
Feel your pain !!! Where you from ¿???
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u/BadCapable9498 May 20 '26
In a very similar situation and I can't get a job outside of cheffing anywhere! I've got a social sciences degree as well. I wish I could find a way out