Help Wanted: Burned Out Executive Chef!

Today begins like every other. Wake, drink coffee and check the e-mail. Check for the dream job. A message from the company that knows they have the best, most experienced and wonderful candidate in their ever increasing pile of resumes and applications.

Like any other day, I search the vast Internet for web sites and help sites like many. I'm looking for a job. Not just any job, a career in the food industry. Sounds easy right? Not really. In one day I can receive numerous "hits" on any of the sites I visit. Most are just not suited for me. (After 20+ years as an Executive Chef I can't see myself driving a truck for Schwann Foods , selling life insurance or credit card machines to new restaurants.)

The problem is I still love food. I am constantly reminded of the fact when I can watch episode after episode of of Iron Chef and wonder at the creativity and talent of these young chefs. I admire them and envy them. I want their knowledge along with mine. The real world knowledge that their's is a young field. A VERY young field. They have no idea that they will face numerous health and physical issues in 20+ years. They don't know the legs will go, the feet will go flat and 90 hour weeks will seem like 120.

Many of these young chefs with suffer from the disappointments these long days produce. Failed marriages, substance abuse, disassociation with family and friends. These things are all too common in our industry. Many will not survive and pursue other dreams. Others will endure.

The problem today is there are hundreds of culinary programs producing thousands of chefs every year. Young, ambitious and talented men and women who can do the hours for half the pay. They know about paying the dues. They are told how important it is to build their resume and document their experiences. The trouble lies when the experiences become too much to document. When career "experts" tell us to downsize our experiences in the fear a resume is too long and the reader may lose interest.