Starting a career

by Joe Armitage
(Whistler, Canada)

I love to cook for my family, I went to school for Business and now work in Marketing.

Cooking has always been a passion of mine and now I would like to make a career out of it.

Without moving 3 hours away from my family to attend culinary school, what would be the best way to get my foot in the door of restaurant.

I live in a small mountain town of about 10,000 residents, but we have over 70 restaurants including some of the top in Canada.

Thanks for your time,

Joe


Chef Todd Says:
Marketing is perhaps the best skill a Chef can have. I'm actually a career-changer myself. I was a Sales Executive and Regional Manager of Radio Stations and Billboard companies before I discarded it all to enroll in culinary school.

Before I made this drastic change, I walked into my local seafood restaurant, told them about my goals and passions, and asked for ANY job for the experience. I steamed oysters at night in the back of a very hot, cramped restaurant, and wore an expensive suit to important meetings the next day.

When I finally made the decision, I moved purposely, laser-focused to my goals. No distractions, no excuses, no second-guessing. I'd suggest you do the same.

If this truly is your passion, nothing should stop you. It may be difficult to be three hours from your family, buy you must invest in yourself to get the best education you can. You'll be trained by people who know how to teach, and have a head-start on those that had to wash dishes or clean fish for a year before they were shown something else.

Either walk into your local restaurant and explain why you'd be a great employee regardless of experience, or make the investment in yourself and your future. You never know where it will take you.

Chef Todd.