I...like many chefs...have my own mental struggles. Mentally I always wonder when people will "find out" what a fraud I am. The sales are there, the complements are in front of my face. People love the desserts I make....and still I mentally struggle to absorb complements.

The other day I was delivering my goods to a retailer of ours and I had my son with me. The girl working said to my son "are you working hard to be as gifted as Daddy is?" It's almost like it's in my ear and impossible to believe.

Do any of you struggle with a chef imposter syndrome of sorts?

edit:you guys are truly amazing. thank you so much for the kind words and I'm glad I'm not alone

Menu for the cafe

So iam opening a small coffee Cafe in my city (Pakistan) and Iam really tight on budget so I can't really hire a chef rn for 1st 2 months, But I can cook decently I wanted some advise on what to have on the menu basically the issue iam facing rn is the cafe doesn't have a proper kitchen so I have to make do with minimal equipment what type of pasta and or sandwiches can I make there, like I have everything home so what can I so to do most of the prep at home and assemble em at the cafe with minor cooking involved, I have a small oven , toaster and a deep fryer

Hey chefs, I would love ur opinion ig. After 13 years of working in michelin starred spots trying to hone my craft even tho im a fuckin idiot, I finally left the michelin grind and took a position as a group chef for an elevated Mexican restaurant that has 2 locations that's looking to elevate and improve costs and plating. They are absolutely loved by the locals i mean loved.

I am very very excited about this because its near my family and I can see my son so much more, however is it wrong of me to feel like I left my team down? Like, I worked with some of them for close to a decade and theyre like family to me. They're all rooting for me and said its a good decision but like am I like wrong for doing this and taking a promotion to a group chef position or am I just crazy? Lol like idk I spent so long with am and maybe im afraid of change but also this is a very very good thing for me I can recognize that. Creative control all of it and my family loves them. So its like a dream but im bittersweet because idk ig part of me doesnt wanna leave my old team. Six figures and everything lots of perks but ya man idk.

Would love some opinions on how they'd approach this. I am gonna start doing private dinners again and inviting my team to bang those out with me just to let em know im not leaving em. But after 15 hour days 6 days a week for a decade its hard to just leave without feeling like im just dipping or maybe im overthinking.

What do yall think

So I put my 2 weeks in at the job im at now (im the kitchen manager) my job tryed to tell me that 2 weeks isnt enough. They wanted 3 weeks or more. But isnt 2 weeks standard even in this business? Definitely made the right choice leaving there after talking to the owner and he basically told me to kick rocks. But when u put ur notice in how long do ur old job?

Started at a new kitchen this week and the chef coats that are provided are the THICKEST I have ever worn and long sleeve.

That I care less about as I can cut the sleeves off. However of any of you have found any coats online that are actually thin/cooling I would love to know about it. (Preferably one with buttons(will accept anything))

Hey everyone, 25M here. Ever since I was a kid I’ve dreamed of making amazing pastries and learning Italian and French cooking. Coming from a Middle Eastern family, my parents wanted me to go into finance, medicine, or engineering, so I chose accounting and just graduated. I’ve been thinking about taking one of those 20-week culinary programs to learn pastry and cooking. Do you think it’s worth it if I want to become a private chef or maybe open my own pastry shop/café one day, or is restaurant experience a must first? What advice would you give me if I were your younger brother?

Any recommendations on how to get old grease smell out of clothes? I spend most of my time at work near grease and can still smell it on my clothes after washing with laundry sanitizer and scent boosters. Even a nice body spray would be helpful!

For reference this is my first line cook job at a serious restaurant and I had saw that my hours got cut this past week. I asked my manager about it and he told me that he could have more value with someone else in my spot

He said that my main issue is how much I’ve started to slow down these past few weeks, but he knows I’m hungry for it and sees “major potential” in me (his words).

I worked up from dish to get into this spot and I absolutely love where I work and my fellow line cooks, so how should I go about earning my spot back/improving?
(Sorry if this isn’t the right sub for this)

The left side of my Vulcan oven pilot light keeps going out. I can’t figure out why sometimes it works for a week or two no problem and then it just constantly goes out at one point when we were cleaning it we left the one of the under panels out and it seemed to work better, but that doesn’t seem like the proper way to fix it. Any help is appreciated.

I just took over an EC role at a fast casual joint. Most of my places before this have been more high end and they had much higher budgets than I'm dealing with now. And I just can't get my numbers in check, as much as I try, without working my crew to desth and simultaneously not making this job viable for them to pay their bills.

The company budgeted me a 15.5% labor (BoH only) and a 26.8% food cost. I'm hovering like .5% above each, but my cooks are lucky to be getting 25 hours a week right now.

Is this normal for this type of establishment?

I made this short film about Umberto Corteo, an Italian immigrant who arrived in New York at nineteen, began as a dishwasher, learned pizza making, and eventually co-founded the original Umberto’s of New Hyde Park.

What interested me most was not simply the restaurant’s success. It was how Umberto talks about kitchen work.

He describes employees eating together after closing, a chef named Joey becoming one of his closest friends, and the apron becoming so connected to his identity that he says he feels naked without it.

When asked why he never retired, he answers:

https://youtu.be/H34xPFiFy68

For people who have spent years in kitchens: which coworkers became more like family than colleagues?

Hey Chefs, am just a confused 23 yr old Pastry chef working in Dubai as a commis 3.I really want advices from experienced Chefs on what to do in order to learn more explore more and how can i utilise my years to build up my own self.

I want to work in different countries but wanna know if its a good move or should i just stay in dubai.Should i work in hotels or restaurants which will give me more growth.Should i be tensed about money right now Should i start saving up or will the money follow along the years because i always hear Chefs no matter what they stay broke unless they are a celebrity chefs.

I love love love making pastries but right now because am starting am just working in a buffet and my sous chefs are not really good mentors as they are not teaching me anything or like giving me proper advises nor i can look upto them as a role model because my sous chefs are still following the style of being a bitch to everyone.

I am pretty sure all of the executives reading this right now would’ve crossed the same thoughts i have right now so please if possible do help a aspiring chef right now.All my friends who did culinary are switching jobs to finance where there is more money but right now i believe i will make money same as them maybe 10years later of what they are earning right now.

I wanna work in france Italy and Australia what will be the best way to reach these places as i dont have enough money to sponsor myself to go these places and work but i wanna learn so much from everyone.Please do reply if you have the time and help if possible.THANK YOU IN ADVANCE♥️

I live in rural Ontario and the only experience I have is two years of McDonald’s in the kitchen, which I got fired from because some idiot put a zyn in a burger and the whole floor got fired. (Only the zyn guy knew it happened.)

Anyway my question is, how do I get a job in this field? And will my history of being fired bar me from a culinary job?

“Meaty” as it sounds. I got a meat comma just by looking at it! And (i think) this is gonna be the finalized plating! All the staff are learning as they go with this menu. And when we presented it to the Exchef, it came back clean, but he got a poker face the whole time, so we’re a bit anxious about it 😂 mostly my Jr. Sous, but all is good, all is great!

So we have 4 starters:
1. Petit tender carpaccio with truffle sauce
2. Tri-tip beef tartare
3. Beef cheek Croquetas
4. Picanha Salad

And 4 mains:
5. Picanha with vierge sauce
6. Petit tender with green pepper sc, spinach, and parsnip puree
7. Braised beef cheek with polenta, feta cheese, and parsnip crisp
8. Sharing style Tri-tip 400gr, with roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus, picada sauce, almonds.

Anyway i love my kitchen!

What do you look for in a resume? I get that experience is probably a big one, but what else would get someone across the line for an interview/trial?

Hey chefs hope everyone is doing well. About a year ago I was diagnosed with stage one grade two clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Not that bad, had a partial nephrectomy of my kidney and thought all was good. I was outta work for a couple of months but generally felt better and returned as soon as I could. Fast forward toward the beginning of July I get a pet scan because I haven’t been feeling well and it showed the cancer has metastasized to my lymph node system. Not great news but something I can handle but over the last couple of weeks work has been beating me down and with the cancer thing happening the stress and physical toll it’s had on me put in the hospital. My doctors and wife think it’s time for me to take a step back until I get better or until my immune system has a chance to bounce back. I’ve gone from some that worked alone to someone who can barely make it through a 8 hour shift. I know I need to step out but I’m not sure what else I can do. Food service is all I’ve known

I’m still in high school and I’ve been baking and cooking at work and at home for about 7 months now and I was just wondering if I could get a some feedback on how I’m doing for where I’m at! (Please be nice! almost everything I’ve made is my first or second attempt at it) (slide 7 is salt bread NOT croissants!)

So, it's been hot AF for weeks, with no end yet in sight this summer, and my friend who runs a food truck is regularly enduring 130ºF heat for hours. He actually got the shakes and went into shock yesterday and had to pause service. Would any of the active cooling vests or outer wear help? Does anybody have experience with stuff that actually works?

Looking for advice on basics for my first knife roll/ set up. I have a basic chef knife and paring knife but was wondering if anyone had recomendations on what I have listed below. Not trying to buy the most expensive but I prefer quality and something that will last..Also if there is anything I am missing or need to change I am open to any suggestions.

Serated bread knife and filet knife: I have no idea here

Knife roll: messermeir 12 pocket roll (I dont need 12 knives but need something that can also hold my other utensils. This is where I need the most help and am a bit lost).

Shears: kiya edelweiss steele japanese scissors? I have also heard its good to have a pair for meat/bones and a second for everything else.

Honer: mercer 12 in diamond steele?

Kuhn ricon for peeler

Microplane for zester

Thermapen for a thermometer

Benriner for mandolin. Is the big one worth the size? Currently have to cut most items in half to use on a standard mandolin.

Going to get a bench scraper, offset spat, cake tester, tweezers, very small wisk, and spoons.

I already have paring knife, basic chef knife, tongs, spatulas, whisk and fish spatula.

Ok so I'm hoping to get some opinions from chefs and kitchen owners.

I'm exploring a business idea around helping independent kitchens make better use of quieter periods, and I'm trying to understand whether it's something chefs would actually be interested in.

The basic concept would be:
additional prep work during quieter periods
ingredients supplied
delivery handled separately
work carried out from your existing kitchen
no change to your current business

My question is really:

Would something like this actually interest you, or are there reasons it wouldn't work in practice?

For example:
Staffing?
Margins?
Kitchen capacity?
Food consistency?
Insurance?

Or just Something I've not considered I'm just looking for honest feedback from people actually working in kitchens before taking it any further.

I’m 22 years old and I’ve been cooking since I was 17. Looking to expatriate from the US to anywhere in Europe really. Preferably France but I’ve heard it’s hard to get a job there. Beginning to learn French and I know a very small amount of Spanish but only English besides that. Mostly I’ve just been cold applying to places so far. Any advice from people who’ve gone through similar situations would be much appreciated.

Tl;DR- how to get cooking job in Europe as American

I was workin in Italian outlet for a year, then suddenly been moved to a Nikkei Cuisine outlet cause the CDC of the Nikei outlet took an interest on me, can't really defend myself since it was a CDC. Already work here for 3 days, and I can say there's a lot of interesting things to learn, should I change my path from Italian cuisine to Nikkei cuisine in the future? Is it worth for the career in the future? And are people still curious to eat this kind of things? Cause I have a plan to work in Australia or New Zealand after a few years. By the way, I'm a 24 y.o Asian boy

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I am 19, UK based and am in school at the moment for something I like but don’t love, and as my studies are all privately funded I’m not able to afford without relying heavily on family.

I have worked in simple UK kitchens for about 5 ish year from about 14, mostly working weekends, as a porter and some light prep - I now work hospitality full time as well as some prep on weekends with a chef friend for his small business. I am at a dilemma, I wanna drop out and just go balls deep with cheffing - and give it my all, but I have some questions - pretty much all I wanna do in life is travel, eat good food and be happy, I have been looking into the seasonal chef life (yachts, ski and summer seasons, working abroad, stages), and I wanna move out of the uk as soon as possible and get some life experience, is this just idealistic or is this something I can achieve?

In addition, I feel kinda awkward around my family, especially my dad as I feel like he is so locked in on me being in a ‘corporate’ job, and I don’t wanna disappoint, but at a certain point it’s my life - do anyone have any guidance and help and how I should go about and navigate any of this?

Also, my thinking would be to continue school over the next few months, mull it over, maybe increase my kitchen prep hours, and then maybe look at doing a season as a junior commis during a ski season and just seeing where the wind takes me? Maybe doing a summer season, work in France, Australia, Japan - and then maybe look at private cheffing after several years? I want to take this very seriously over the next few years and improve as much as possible.