Culinary careers UK

i'm thinking of dropping out of university and try getting an apprenticeship in fine dining
would london be a good place to move to if this is what i want to do?
is this a bad idea?
anyone who was in my situation?

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My girlfriend applied to the Tante Marie school, it seemed like it wasn't that hard to get in. I'd definitely recommend looking up a few different places before just moving somewhere

Why do you want to go into it? Because I will promise you it is not the life you expect

Culinary is not a matter of apprenticeship. It is a matter of YOU, and your ability to progress. No renowned chef will take you in unless you have exprience. I doubt you have any knife skills, or know really anything. Everyone thinks it won't be hard, but it is fucking brutal my friend. And you can go to culinary school, and you'll come out with the knowledge, but still very little skills. You might think you are skilled because you went to culinary school, but the second you step into that kitchen you'll realize how out of your league you are. A kitchen is a well oiled machine, in every aspect, and a business; taking you in has no benefit to them.

Progression in this industry is typically moving to a new business, here is a typical progression (assuming you can keep up and get good)
>Corporate prep (probably even dish before that)
>Corporate line
>lower ranking privately owned restraunt, prep
>Privately owned line
>Progress through ranking of the privately owned restraunts
>Make way to finer cuisine
>Slowly grind upwards

The culinary industry holds no shortcuts. You're going to have to fucking grind for it, and you can go to culinary school in there (I did to get a stronger resume) but you will be pulling about 100hrs a week easily.

Many people expect something entirely different when entering this industry and it ends up destroying them because they get stuck. Make an informed decision. If you know what it is actually like, then test it out. But do not jump blindly, especially into this field.

London has has top restaurants of every type of cuisine under the sun.

But please remember this: Despite what college you went to , it's best you understand that you will still get the best experience stating at the bottom.

Do you honestly think that Marco Pierre White learned to chop onions at college?

Top chefs can pretty much do basic veg-prep blindfold, there is a reason for this and despite a yearning for top-tier status, you have to know the basics like the back of your hand.

To put it simply . . .you will never be top unless you know bottom.

i want to get into it because i see cooking as a craft which i enjoy and want to master, i spent countless hours over the past year learning how to cook properly and building a basic understanding of food
i know the professional kitchen is brutal, being able to communicate and function under intense pressure would be good skills to have and the environment would force me to grow a spine

just to clarify, i'm looknig to get a working apprenticeship at a restaurant and not go to culinary school
i know i'll have to climb a ladder but it's a ladder that i feel i'd actually want to bother with

Currently, not many places bother with apprentices and especially not fine dining restaurants. As someone with no previous experience, your best bet is to start as a potwash in a smaller restaurant. Before any chef puts you on a section, he'll have to see that you can actually work! But you might be able to score a prep chef position, with the current severe lack of chefs everywhere in London.

Also, look for smaller places that aren't chains, large restaurants could be overwhelming at first

I have never worked at a top restaurant but I worked at a place in England where we had 2,000 sittings.

The pressure is still the same, I can only advise that you try to be the best at your station . . . kind of like a competition.

You get loads of shit but you need to fall into a 'well oiled machine' mentality . . .that's the only way you will survive.

All the reading and at home practice is fine, but you're still fucking miles away. You're already acting cocky about it, which is a common character trait in this industry, but you're a tad disillusioned as to how it works.

Start low, in a low position and lower establishments and you have to prove yourself to progress. That is how it works, it's not your game to call the shots, this is how our industry works. It's gonna take a few years, and a lot of work.

Just because you see it as a craft, and it kind of is (it's more of a skilled profession), does not mean it functions like you think it does. I'm currently a chef du partie, and have an astoundingly low temperament for this industry and I'd tell you to piss right off if you came into our kitchen looking to be an apprentice. You are a burden to hire, your labor cost is not as efficient, and you're new so I know you will fuck up and cost my team money. Not worth it, and there would be literally no gain in hiring you.

Except the fact that you suck, and are way over your head, take the bitch positions, and work your way up. You're far from special or desirable.

this man has the right of it

thanks yeah i realise it sounded cocky, i was just letting you know that it's something i'm actually interested in not just a passing fantasy
i'm more than willing to start from the bottom but i may as well get a qualification whilst i'm at it seeing as there's quite a few positions available where i am
i think this will also help me realise how not special/undesirable i am

I went straight from private dish to line in 6 months, and now the bar manager is talking about promoting me straight past the sous when the kitchen manager leaves. Any tips on actually securing this? Because the bar manager doesn't actually have any authority. I've been wanting to talk to the owner and kitchen manager, but I feel like I'm really getting ahead of myself. I'm just scared of working for the sous, and I'd rather jump ship than work for a hired out kitchen manager who wants to helm an established team.

>i'm thinking of dropping out of university and try getting an apprenticeship in fine dining
rly nigga

>would london be a good place to move to if this is what i want to do?

It's never a good idea to move to London, for any reason.

The place is filthy, I legitimately was sick at the mere smell of the tap water. Everyone who lives their is a massive fucking bellend too, and I'm fairly certain there was an ISIS rally in one of the parks at the weekend there.

Stay well clear of the place.

it is a bad idea.

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It is common in the culinary world to be presented with these moments, where you are given the opportunity to step up, but are in for some shit.

>Set clear, reasonable, standards
>Lead by example
>Positive and Negative reinforcement. If I tell a cook to prep X, and they immediately do it right, I will tell them they've done a good job on getting it right done, if they forget about it tell them to get their shit together. Both work better together than on their own. If we have a hellish service, and my staff pulls through well, I get them all a drink.
>You have to be willing to get on line. I've got a full range as often as my cooks, it's important they know you're in the same boat as them, you're a leader not a ruler.
>Be firm, getting pushed over can spiral out of control
>Think of things that previous employers have done that ruin productivity, and avoid.
>be willing to waste a FOH instead of a BOH. If you have to fire someone, or send someone home, always cut FOH first (unless BOH deserves). FOH should not have too much say in the establishment, uphold the kitchens dominance over them.
>remember your job goals. A leader has to be strong, confident, reasonable, cooperative, and focus on efficiency.
>BE WILLING TO ADMIT YOU DO NOT KNOW SOMETHING. Seriously, you look like much less of a jackass if you say you'll need to find out, then if you tell someone something and it's wrong. Be honest, and you'll uphold a lot of respect.
>Keep small updates on your staffs personal life, don't dig or pry. Everyday a basic, how's it going is fine. If they tell ya stuff, throw in a small follow up here and there. A staff that thinks you care will be a lot more receptive. Friendly chat ups and conversations are a good way to encourage a good staff relationship.

Those are a few things I can think of

>university
You've left it too late

>culinary careers
>UK

Enjoy microwaving prepackaged food in a Shepherd's Neame pub.
If you're lucky you might have a say in the gravy seasoning for the Sunday roast in a Fuller's pub.

Trust me son, I've been there.

OP whatever you do DO NOT GET A JOB AT A FUCKING CHAIN RESTAURANT!

I got a job as a 'Pot Wash' at Pizza Express because I thought it would be the start of my kitchen career.
I have worked there for 2 years now with no promotion despite busting my arse and working late shifts all the time to clean up after service is done.

I have had 12 interviews at real restaurants and been treated like a joke at every one.

The worst was my interview at a high class seafood restaurant. They LITERALLY invited me just to fucking laugh at me. The first thing the interviewer said was 'So, it seems you want to learn how to put sardines on your pizza?' then chuckled hard and encouraged his co-worker to do the same.

Then they made me mimic the action of a fish with my hands, then the action of cleaning a pizza tray. When the actions were different they told me I wasn't right for the job.

>i'd tell you to piss off
good way to get a mouthful of blood and teeth, you absolute fuckwad

>Then they made me mimic the action of a fish with my hands, then the action of cleaning a pizza tray. When the actions were different they told me I wasn't right for the job.
lel

Assault people because they swore at you, I bet you will get far in life.

asserting physical dominance over a person when they issue a verbal challenge will get you a lot further than laying down like a doormat.

I lold. You must be such a piece of shit

>So, it seems you want to learn how to put sardines on your pizza?
Daaaaaamn!

One day you will become an adult and will learn that punching potential employers will only land you in prison.

you're not a potential employer, though. you're an asshat First Cook (lol CdP are you kidding me with that) that likes to shoot his mouth off.

I do not even work in the industry but I am an employer, if you assaulted me then I would pass your details to the police and press charges. You can be a big man in prison.

as an employer i sincerely doubt you're the type of person that openly ridicules prospective employees because of how absolutely sued that can get you.

you hit idiots in the mouth. you hit companies in the wallet.

He never ridiculed anyone, he told him to "piss off". In any working class business you can expect swearing and that sort of bluntness, a real man would have fucked off, got that training or experience then proved that employer that he made a mistake by not hiring when he was cheap.