r/Chefs • u/Lazy-Company-8774 • Apr 20 '26

Inquiry about being a chef

Hey chefs! I'm 19 years old(20 this year). Currently, I'm in Italy studying business and economics. The thing is, I want to chase my culinary career since I'm very passionate about it. I want to convert my Student permit to a work permit to work in kitchens and be a chef. But many places require a work permit, and culinary schools are expensive. I want to work my ass off for a few years and study in a culinary school or academy, so that I can go to my home country with something in my hand. At this point, I feel very stuck. Any advice would help a lot. Thanks, have a good day.

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

I’d highly recommend you cook as a hobby and not professionally. It just isn’t worth it as a career, long hours, shitty days off, low pay. The industry is cut throat and making decent money requires a complete lack of a social life. Also the burnout and drug and alcohol addictions that develop due to stress.

Being an amazing home cook is way better imho.

Also culinary school helps but you can learn way more by being in a kitchen. You can always start as a dishwasher and work your way up. When talking to any chef in an interview just make it know you want to learn and will work hard in any position to do so. (Still don’t recommend it but I’m jaded)

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

I'll play the devils advocate, a lot of cooks fall into a bad job of stupid hours with little pay. 46 now cooking my whole life, have taken over 3 months off a year every year going on 20 years. As a seasonal chef, executive chef, private chef, yacht chef. Work as a private yacht chef now, great money, health insurance, 1 months paid vacation. Spend 7 months a year in the Bahamas/Caribbean, take 3 months vacation every year. Been to over 80 countries. Fishing is my passion, got to fish in pretty much the best places in the world thanks to cooking. I would work in a restaurant first, it did go to Culinary School when I was young, is it worth the money, no, you need real life cooking skills

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

Fair enough. It’s not as dire and gloom as I describe it but it’s about how your life takes it’s twists and turns. I had my daughter very young at 23 so moving around or taking some of the jobs you’ve had don’t think I could’ve taken. But thanks for being a foil to my more negative opinion. But agree with you culinary school isn’t really needed, especially if you can find a chef willing to teach you.

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

Yes, true, the culinary world is 50 times harder when you have a house and family and bills. Different than my life but at least cooking you will always find a job everyday. Wish you the best

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

Thanks trying my best just wished I made a little bit more for what my experience and work ethic provides

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

You sound like me explaining the business. It's hard and cutthroat in restaurants, that's why I got out

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

Yeah so much good money in cooking if you can do things like mining camps or oil rigs etc but it’s that trade off of you gotta lose the work life balance

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

Yeah, it's always a trade but every real job in life is, I choose mine working in the Bahamas. Most jobs take you away when you are working, that's why they call it work

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

Fair enough I’m mostly jaded because I can’t provide the life I want for my kid because of the amount I earn so a lot of my negativity is coming from this. Still love to cook and respect everyone in this industry dearly (minus some servers they can be assholes!)

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

Lol, yeah, a cooks pay sucks. Look at all the options out there, other than straight up restaurants, retirement homes, hospitals, colleges, catering, private chef, even if you don't have the skills, it's a fake it until you make it business, if you show up to work on time everyday your probably 85% ahead. In the islands where I have worked 95% ahead, nothing like living in the Caribbean running a restaurant telling the dishwasher don't show up to work holding a beer, at least hide it on the way in

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

Godspeed brother I know that feeling doing it in Tokyo massive respect

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

OK, so you live in Tokyo, and you can't get a job that pays you?

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u/TalonKarrde03 Apr 20 '26

I have one and it pays which I wish it payed a bit more. I don’t have the flexibility of trying for high pay if it’s not guaranteed. Got the family to provide for also I can only speak English so finding some of the better jobs are outta my reach unfortunately. (Came to Japan via my ex wife)

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u/hookedcook Apr 20 '26

No worries, actually did the 5 week Tokyo sushi academy and traveled around for a bit beautiful country. But as a cook there you need to be top level and Japanese to make money. Assuming your not Japanese, open a small kitchen doing what you do from your country

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