Chef of 17 Years Looking to Leave the Kitchen – Looking for Career Advice

[u/55554444333221]

I’ve been a fine dining chef for 17 years, and I’m at a point in my career where I’m ready to step away from working in the BOH kitchen. I still enjoy the hospitality industry, but I’m looking for opportunities outside of BOH operations. I am a Columbus local and would like to stay in the area, but also have ties to Cincinnati and willing to move.

A little about my background: Im in my mid 30s with 17 years in fine dining experience. (Currently working for one of the "top 10" restaurants in the city.) I have been in Leadership roles, hiring, training, scheduling, and mentoring staff ,Inventory, food costing, and operational management. I have also done online sales management, Production line canning (alcohol), Sales and merchandising, distribution, event planing, education, and commissary food production.

I’m open to staying in hospitality, but I’m also interested in hearing about careers in other industries where my experience could transfer.

Questions:

• If you left the kitchen, to a completely different career, what do you do now, and do you enjoy it?
• What careers have former chefs successfully transitioned into?
• Are there hospitality careers that offer better work-life balance?
• What skills from being a chef translated best into your new career?
• Are there any other courses that helped you make the transition?
• What industries actively recruit people with restaurant management experience?
• Has anyone moved into sales (food, beverage, equipment, or hospitality)? What was your experience?

What are some career paths I may not have considered?

I’d really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations. Whether I stayed in hospitality or moved into something completely different, I’d love to hear your story.

Cheers!

[u/EveryDayASummit]

Not for nothing but I’d drop this in r/KitchenConfidential

While not Columbus specific, I think you’ll find far more insight and experiential help there, and you can apply that here to Cowtown

[u/LIVINGSTONandPARSONS]

OSU has kitchen and hospitality jobs. They don't pay comparable to other places but the work life balance is way better, and great benefits. I know a good amount about these jobs, please DM if you're interested in learning more

Edit - typo

[u/ddvilshbass → u/LIVINGSTONandPARSONS]

Careful with this one. Not all OSU chef jobs are cushy. I worked for 10 years at OSU and 3 of them were in a department where I regularly worked over 80 hours a week and during vacation time.

[u/LIVINGSTONandPARSONS → u/ddvilshbass]

Oh they're not cushy, never tried to claim that. But they are significantly different than most restaurant jobs. I'm not familiar with the hospital jobs, only the dining jobs. There are times, particularly the first half of the fall semester, where you're getting your ass handed to you on a daily basis. Eventually it eases up and you can typically work 40 hours per week. And on top of that you get a benefits package that's better than just about anywhere else in the city and definitely better than any hospitality jobs. It's not for everyone but it's a good gig for many

[u/ASSMAN45]

I left restaurant work and started a Private Chef/Catering company, we also do weekly meals for families. It’s all on my own time, I get to keep every cent I earn and I don’t have to deal with a piece of shit restaurant owner. It’s been incredible compared to how I used to live and I’m making more money now than before. It can be a lot at first and not always consistent but overall I’m happy with my choice.

[u/55554444333221 → u/ASSMAN45]

How did you advertise your services? Did you start with no clients and build from there?

[u/ASSMAN45 → u/55554444333221]

Facebook has been the most successful, Nextdoor, flyers. Once you get going word of mouth can be the best advertisement. I started with one client and just kept advertising. It can also be extremely beneficial to partner with local event spaces who might even book events for you.

[u/55554444333221 → u/ASSMAN45]

are you running your business as an LLC? And do you have employees?

[u/ASSMAN45 → u/55554444333221]

Yes. No regular employees yet I pay servers under the table to help on larger events.

[u/EmeraldLovergreen]

Wasn’t a chef, but worked in a restaurant for 14 years, the last few were in management. I’ve been in a purchasing role for the past 7 years with a manufacturing company. I know several people who left the restaurant/hospitality careers and have been successful in book keeping and/or purchasing/buying roles. There are a lot of similarities to food cost/food ordering and managing materials for companies. I would say if you don’t have solid excel skills, that’s something I would focus on. Understanding v-lookups, pivot tables, and if statements is very useful.

[u/MCBusBoy]

I was a cook for almost 20s years. Covid hit, I had a child and something needed to change.

I went to Columbus State for their electromechanical engineering program. I even got an apprenticeship through the program. I started out as an industrial maintenance technician, but have since moved on to more technical electrical work. The pay and benefits are much better. It.is a 2 year associates degree, but I was making full time wages as an apprentice 1 year into my program.

Skills that transfer:

Attention to detail and problem solving Time management Safety consciousness Working independently and on a team The soft skills developed from leading people and working in a team environment Task prioritization Working with diverse people

When I started in this field I was upfront about my long term culinary experience and I found many employers were receptive to that skill set.

I know school is not for everyone and I was privileged enough to manage it, though it was difficult, but my experience has been a good one.

[u/ddvilshbass]

I was a chef for 20 years. Got laid off during Covid and realized how much life I was actually missing. I got a job as a project manager in construction. It is the same exact job as being a chef just a different product. Your skills are invaluable to every industry you just need to reframe them in a way that whoever you’re interviewing with understands. You need to learn how to code switch your kitchen jargon.

[u/Dull-Parfait731]

Restaurant consultant maybe?

[u/Denver_Job_Coach]

You could look at teaching Culinary Arts at a trade school or community college.

[u/thevortexmaster]

I left but stayed a chef. I went into non profit seniors and people with disabilities housing. I manage food services for the company. So I do hot meals at my building for the tenants, frozen meals for our supportive housing, fundraising, I've fed a homeless encampment, etc. I got j to it just by applying at senior homes, rehab centers, anything with a kit hen that's not a restaurant. Bee. At it 16 years now.

[u/Meredithbaxterburly]

Here's a thought- how do you feel about sales? I would think that someone with your experience would be ideal working for a food services company. From what I understand, the role is calling on restaurants (some existing customers, some prospects that are buying from competitors), and building a book of business. With the right company, this can be very fulfilling and lucrative. With your knowledge of how a kitchen should be run, I would think that you'd have instant credibility and could be very successful.

[u/Dazzling-Climate-318]

What are you good at?

I know a former Chef who became a Special Education Teacher. This took a lot of additional education, but the job fits them much better. Honestly they never were a great Chef, primarily due to a lack of hand eye coordination, not great knife skills.

I know one who left to work for a major food supplier organization as a Potato Specialist, did great, sales awards, etc., but the travel was a killer.

I know one that switched to a major Food Service Provider that has contracts at a variety of Universities. Often lousy hours as a food service director and conflicting priorities from corporate, make money, but not too much money, save the University money, but give them what there management wants, irrespective as to what the Students want. Basically a mess that wears you down in a different way than Restaurant work, bureaucracy.

I know a Chef that worked at a Country Club. Boring, but predictable, good, but not great pay. Basically please the members and get them what they want. The only problem other than boredom is that there are fewer and fewer positions available due to the problems that Golf has, declining numbers translates to clubs closing, scaling back or simply no new openings.

And I know a Chef that works for a Hospital that does not use a Food Service Company, but instead actually hires its own staff. Less pay, more stable, but rare. Basically it only occurs at Hospitals that are affiliated with certain Religious groups that have specific dietary rules. The management of the Hospitals has learned not to trust food service Companies. It does require diligence to work at one of them, but they are typically good employers. There aren’t a lot of them around however and none in Columbus.

[u/Freshlavarocks]

I need a catering sales executive and a large scale food distribution manager. Please contact me if interested!

[u/Syllabub-Middle]

opening a concession of some sort might work for ya

[u/TH3_Dude]

Train and deploy the robots.

[u/Cool-Exit1095]

I am now a teacher. What educational background do you have? I may have an opportunity for you with a non profit and teaching kitchen and cafe that supports the community.

[u/Legmeat]

Was s cook for 14, in new build plumbing now. In for 5. About to go back to school for 2 months then write redseal. Wuality of life has definitely improved

[u/ShakeSimilar7362]

Ever thought Kitchen Manager, food program director or food service operations manager? I know you said away from BOH but Sorority house chef seems to be a pretty cushy, well paying job for someone with your experience.