Being A Chef Good Career Choice? (Explained)

So you might be thinking of switching careers and becoming a chef.

Or possibly considering starting off your career as a chef and want to know if being a chef is a good career choice.

So being a chef a good career choice?

Yes, being a chef is a good career choice, if you enjoy being on your feet, working with your hands, working with others in a kitchen, and have a passion for food then you should consider choosing a career as a chef.

Most chefs choose the profession because they simply love food and being able to share their passion with the customers.

Unlike other professions where you work for money, being is a chef is more about passion.

You can only succeed in this job if you are passionate about food. Being a chef is a rewarding career if you are willing to work hard.

You can either start your restaurant or let your career take you to different venues such as resorts, hotels, top restaurants, corporate events, and catering companies.

You can also take your career to a global level and learn different cuisines.

Most chefs start by learning to prepare all kinds of food and later decide to specialize.

They can either stick to Thai, Mexican, Italian, or choose desserts.

In short, there are lots of options to branch out and challenge yourself.

So now let’s explore the most common questions relating to a chef being a good career choice.

Opportunity to be creative

Being a chef you get there is plenty of opportunities to be creative, by experimenting with dishes.

Few careers offer this freedom. Chefs are able to craft the menu with meals they have created and the restaurant guests will ultimately enjoy eating.

Being a chef you might be successful in crafting your own signature dish that you can become known for.

Plenty of career options, including going overseas

Being a chef there are plenty of career options. From working in fine dining restaurants to golf clubs, restaurants, cruise ships to luxury resorts, the possibilities are endless.

The good news is there are chef vacancies around the world, which means you can easily pick up a job overseas and get paid to travel and experience other parts of the world.

Unlike most careers, being a chef you are always opportunities to learn, from learning to cook Mexican, Greek, French or Australian cuisine.

The options to learn learn and develop the craft of being a chef are endless.

Happy Customers

There is a great sense of satisfaction watching restaurant customers smiling and enjoying the meal you have made for them.

All the passion for food and time spent learning to be a chef pays off when you receive feedback from customers on how much they loved eating the meal you prepared for them.

Do Chefs Work Long Hours?

Chefs might have to work more than 40 hours a week, working between 50 and 70 hours a week. Often working on the weekends.

To be honest, the work can be brutal at times.

Stocking items in the cold freezer, chopping veggies, standing in front of a hot stove, all this could take a toll on a person unless they enjoy the work.

If you are an executive chef, apart from cooking, you would have to take care of the paperwork, scheduling, budgeting, and planning inventory.

Could be working 120 hours per week.

Kitchen needs can arise anytime, and hence a chef can’t leave until the job is done.

They might as well have to cover for a late or absent co-worker. The job is tough indeed, but you will love every second of it if you have a passion for food.

Can You Make Good Money Being A Chef?

The answer to this depends on many factors. Like any job, you might not be making good money when you are just starting as a chef.

A lot of hard work is required, but if you are a fast learner, you are passionate, you might be able to climb the ladder of success faster and start earning decent money.

In the United States, the average salary of a chef is $15.02 per hour.

If you are an executive chef, you could be making twice as much or even more, depending on the type of chef you are and your experience.

Your geography can significantly impact your salary.

For instance, chefs in California and San Francisco could make up to $20 per hour, where if you are in Atlanta, your average salary is $13.66 per hour.

Most chef positions don’t require formal education, but you can increase your chances of making more money if you hold a culinary degree.

You can also increase your worth by signing up for formal training programs through culinary universities.

If you can score an apprenticeship, this could boost your resume as a chef, and you might be able to make good money down the road.

Being a Chef, You Get to Travel

A rewarding thing about this profession is that you get to travel a lot.

This allows you to learn about more cultures, observe how other professionals run and manage their kitchens, try different cuisines, explore new attractions, and make memories.

You can also pick which country or region you want to stick to based on customers’ response, the cuisines you like to cook the most, the atmosphere, and other factors.

Or you could just keep on traveling and cook for different people.

Final thoughts

No doubt being a chef is not everyone’s cup of tea. But for those who are passionate, they love every second of it.

The coolest part of this profession is the rush of the kitchen, seeing your team work together to put great food on the table, and seeing smiles on the faces of your guests when they take the first bite of your food.

It may be stressful but it’s one of the most rewarding jobs out there.