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Culinary degrees are the new journalism degrees. You go in all starry eyed, and 5 years later you realized you screwed yourself.
I was lucky, I had one hell of a ballsy chef for a mother, spoke more than one language, and had a few connections. Just enough to get me into an unpaid position under an amazing pastry chef as a first job after graduating pastry school.
I thought I knew what I was getting into, but being a girl in a masculine French kitchen was unreal. I loved working in a proper kitchen, I miss it like crazy, but man alive it was wild.
I once had a pot of hot caramel thrown at me, thank God for chef's coats.
That was a *job* that having a really good connection got me. Most end up in minimum wage bakeries, or Red Robin's as line cooks, if they are lucky. The majority of the people I graduated with are in totally different lines of work.
Pastry school promises are on par with those cartoons of army recruiters telling teenagers they will make big bucks and travel the world.
I was in the restaurant biz then the bakery biz before going to culinary school, and I had to chuckle about the hot caramel. I've had various kitchen implements thrown at me. One time a coworker became upset for something-or-other and flung her knife toward me. Thankfully it clattered to the floor and she was disciplined for it.
Most of the people with whom I graduated are no longer working in this field simply because they couldn't afford to. OTOH those who are still working in the field, including myself, either lucked out with FT food related corporate-type jobs or are lucky enough to still have their own business.
I work with a young girl who graduated from high school a couple of years ago. She was originally thinking of going to culinary school. When she learned that everything is not roses, so to speak, she changed her mind and now is going to college for a business degree.
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Culinary degrees are the new journalism degrees. You go in all starry eyed, and 5 years later you realized you screwed yourself.
I was lucky, I had one hell of a ballsy chef for a mother, spoke more than one language, and had a few connections. Just enough to get me into an unpaid position under an amazing pastry chef as a first job after graduating pastry school.
I thought I knew what I was getting into, but being a girl in a masculine French kitchen was unreal. I loved working in a proper kitchen, I miss it like crazy, but man alive it was wild.
I once had a pot of hot caramel thrown at me, thank God for chef's coats.
That was a *job* that having a really good connection got me. Most end up in minimum wage bakeries, or Red Robin's as line cooks, if they are lucky. The majority of the people I graduated with are in totally different lines of work.
Pastry school promises are on par with those cartoons of army recruiters telling teenagers they will make big bucks and travel the world.
Pastry school promises are on par with those cartoons of army recruiters telling teenagers they will make big bucks and travel the world.
You are so blessed, I dream about working under a classically pastry chef or chef, and French, please, don't make me swoon, heck I would do it for free! They could throw all the pots they wanted I'd just come dressed in armor for the experience alone. Shoot, I'd love to even be a fly on the wall at the French Laundry. Sigh!
Yup. My friend's daughter is a pastry chef. Jobs are competitive, the work is grueling and the men are horrible to the women!!! ***ism is alive and well in kitchens!! I think if I had a fancy pastry degree, I would open my own coffee/pastry shop so as to just have to deal with myself as boss!!
Nancy
Yup. My friend's daughter is a pastry chef. Jobs are competitive, the work is grueling and the men are horrible to the women!!! ***ism is alive and well in kitchens!! I think if I had a fancy pastry degree, I would open my own coffee/pastry shop so as to just have to deal with myself as boss!!
Nancy
That is what I want soooooo bad. Not a cake shop but a cafe/pastry shop. I'm working on it. Ya know, not like zeez pastry shops in America but like za small quaint shops in Pari zat make zeeez little delicate macarons. Ahhhh, now zat's one of za best zings I've ever had (in my best Wolfgang Puck voice).
I see this all the time in local facebook groups I'm a member of and I cringe when anyone recommends me, I know right away if I get an email or message from someone asking about a cake and they were referred from a local facebook group my prices will be "outrageous" to them. I am by no means a Duff Goldman but I sure as hell will not charge $1 per serving, which is what most of these people expect to pay.
I don't really care about illegal bakers and bakers who undercut, they burn out quickly and their clients usually don't return because they get what they pay for...a big hot mess.
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Makes me want to get someone to ask on yard sale page in my area. I am in a state with no cottage food laws, I'll sniper out every last dang one of them, to the heath department.
I sent an email to my health department official regarding some illegal bakers and never got a response. It really annoyed me. I understand that they do not have time to seek these people out, but when they are reported I think it should be acted upon.
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I sent an email to my health department official regarding some illegal bakers and never got a response. It really annoyed me. I understand that they do not have time to seek these people out, but when they are reported I think it should be acted upon.
Absolutely, especially in my state, where it is illegal to bake from home, period. No cottage food laws at all.
This is exactly how I feel. I work hard, pay taxes and have done everything above board. I think everyone should!
AI've never understood the tree huggin' peace and love attitudes about this sort of thing. Would people feel the same way if their hours at work were cut back because someone would do their job for half the pay, or if someone lost a bid to an unlicensed contractor, or any other comparison if it had to do with "real jobs"? And I say "real jobs", because unfortunately even decorators treat this business as a cute little hobby at times, not that I think what I do isn't real work.
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Original message sent by AZCouture
I've never understood the tree huggin' peace and love attitudes about this sort of thing. Would people feel the same way if their hours at work were cut back because someone would do their job for half the pay, or if someone lost a bid to an unlicensed contractor, or any other comparison if it had to do with "real jobs"? And I say "real jobs", because unfortunately even decorators treat this business as a cute little hobby at times, not that I think what I do isn't real work.
Girl, you have said a mouthful. Especially the getting under bid part. I have to say I was VERY naive at first. I just always assumed people knew what they were doing in this busibess. Im grateful for the CFL but d*mn it sometimes I just want to scream!!
I've never understood the tree huggin' peace and love attitudes about this sort of thing. Would people feel the same way if their hours at work were cut back because someone would do their job for half the pay, or if someone lost a bid to an unlicensed contractor, or any other comparison if it had to do with "real jobs"? And I say "real jobs", because unfortunately even decorators treat this business as a cute little hobby at times, not that I think what I do isn't real work.
Yes, Yes and more Yes. I pay taxes, I paid contractors, I paid for my licenses, I pay for insurance, I pay for my serve safe. It however does not make me a mean person because I do not want to act all "Live and let Live". This is not T ball where no matter how much little effort or work you do you should get a little trophy.
edited for spelling.
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