Working as a private chef

[nmprisons]

Originally Posted by mgm9128

Do you suspect that marrying a pastry chef might considerably decrease one's life expectancy? Or, at least considerably increase one's waistline?

May I ask which kitchen she works in?

As to the first, it greatly increases my happiness and I am still a 38R with a drop 8 so I should be fine.

As to the second, you may, but I won't out her.

 

[CouttsClient]

Originally Posted by Manton

Several of the instructors at the FCI and some of the line cooks at L'Ecole have been private chefs and they all hated it. Basically, they say that one out of 100 clients is decent, the rest are awful, and even with the decent ones, the job sucks.
Have they explained why? Edit: I said earlier in the thread that being a chef in a private home is not the same as working for a restaurant and the chef has to first have a service mentality. Employer first. Lots of people think they're cut out for it and walk away unimpressed with the position but they weren't meant for it to begin with

 

[mgm9128]

Originally Posted by erictheobscure

Holy ****, I never even thought about asking if I can use my research funds to hire an undergrad to cook for me. I'm pretty sure the answer would be no (or, "No, and this won't look very good when you come up for tenure"), but the possibility is still kind of enticing.
You should use your research funds to research how to cook for yourself.

Manton, care to elaborate on why it "sucks"?

 

[mgm9128]

Originally Posted by nmprisons

As to the second, you may, but I won't out her.

Understandable.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by mgm9128

Manton, care to elaborate on why it "sucks"?
i'll jump in here: because at a restaurant you decide on a style of food and service and post a menu and people who don't like it stay away. in private cheffing, you may dream of serving that perfectly plated roasted squab with cauliflower puree, but if your client wants peanut butter and jelly (or even worse, skinless chicken breast with steamed cauliflower), that's what you're going to fix. you are, quite literally, a servant. your whims or artistic desires mean next to nothing. and i would assume that would go double, triple, even quadruple when you're talking about a client such as you seem to be entertaining, who would hire an untested cook based on casual conversation. i'm not saying don't do it (and certainly not "you couldn't do it"). i'm just saying you're dealing with someone who is not straight-line rational and you'd better go in with your eyes open. not that you seem all that interested in listening to advice anyway, but there it is.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by foodguy

i'll jump in here: because at a restaurant you decide on a style of food and service and post a menu and people who don't like it stay away. in private cheffing, you may dream of serving that perfectly plated roasted squab with cauliflower puree, but if your client wants peanut butter and jelly (or even worse, skinless chicken breast with steamed cauliflower), that's what you're going to fix. you are, quite literally, a servant. your whims or artistic desires mean next to nothing.
and i would assume that would go double, triple, even quadruple when you're talking about a client such as you seem to be entertaining, who would hire an untested cook based on casual conversation.
i'm not saying don't do it (and certainly not "you couldn't do it"). i'm just saying you're dealing with someone who is not straight-line rational and you'd better go in with your eyes open.
not that you seem all that interested in listening to advice anyway, but there it is.

That is not how things work at the Carlye. You need to spend more time there.

 

[mgm9128]

Originally Posted by foodguy

i'll jump in here: because at a restaurant you decide on a style of food and service and post a menu and people who don't like it stay away. in private cheffing, you may dream of serving that perfectly plated roasted squab with cauliflower puree, but if your client wants peanut butter and jelly (or even worse, skinless chicken breast with steamed cauliflower), that's what you're going to fix. you are, quite literally, a servant. your whims or artistic desires mean next to nothing. and i would assume that would go double, triple, even quadruple when you're talking about a client such as you seem to be entertaining, who would hire an untested cook based on casual conversation. i'm not saying don't do it (and certainly not "you couldn't do it"). i'm just saying you're dealing with someone who is not straight-line rational and you'd better go in with your eyes open. not that you seem all that interested in listening to advice anyway, but there it is.
Sheez, foodguy. I'm not interested in listening to advice? I've been listening to everyone's input. And thanks for giving me yours. I see what you're saying, and will have to consider it.

 

[nmprisons]

Originally Posted by foodguy

i'll jump in here: because at a restaurant you decide on a style of food and service and post a menu and people who don't like it stay away. in private cheffing, you may dream of serving that perfectly plated roasted squab with cauliflower puree, but if your client wants peanut butter and jelly (or even worse, skinless chicken breast with steamed cauliflower), that's what you're going to fix. you are, quite literally, a servant. your whims or artistic desires mean next to nothing. and i would assume that would go double, triple, even quadruple when you're talking about a client such as you seem to be entertaining, who would hire an untested cook based on casual conversation. i'm not saying don't do it (and certainly not "you couldn't do it"). i'm just saying you're dealing with someone who is not straight-line rational and you'd better go in with your eyes open. not that you seem all that interested in listening to advice anyway, but there it is.
I agree with most of this. It is worth pointing out that no job in the food industry that mgm is currently qualified for would give him creative control, so it won't be as bad as having an Chef leaving his/her restaurant for a private chef job. It is worth noting that there is some chance this lady is just bat **** crazy and mgm will get to do anything he wants. I do think that the chances are greater, though, that she just wants to do him.

 

[CouttsClient]

Originally Posted by nmprisons

I agree with most of this. It is worth pointing out that no job in the food industry that mgm is currently qualified for would give him creative control, so it won't be as bad as having an Chef leaving his/her restaurant for a private chef job. It is worth noting that there is some chance this lady is just bat **** crazy and mgm will get to do anything he wants. I do think that the chances are greater, though, that *she just wants to do him.
You might be surprised at the level of chefs who are currently shopping resumes around for jobs in private residences. Very quietly of course. When you look for someone who is going to make a considerable wage, or you plan to steal them away from a restaurant it is usually because you want them to make their food and introduce a particular style of cooking to your home/guests One of the first things you do is develop a menu after much conversation with the employer and cooking. This is usually presented at the top of the week and adjusted as time goes on. So sure there is a reign on creative control but there is also an opportunity to play and maybe develop a cookbook while working as a private chef *Doing him is probably on her mind

 

[dfagdfsh]

mm's posts read like someone that has low level autism. that said, has anyone ever busted him lying before?

 

[foodguy]

there is a lot of appeal to private cheffing, from the cook's point of view. it's pretty much of a walk in the park cooking wise compared to restaurant service. and the money in cooking is horrible, except for the top 2%. Kyle can probably address this better, but my off-the-top-of-my-head guess would be that 50% of restaurant kitchen employees (as opposed to FOH) nationally make around $12 an hour or less. 70% probably make $15 or less. all of a sudden, a job where you're making $40 grand a year doing an average of 8 covers a night sounds kinda gravy-like.

 

[JohnGalt]

Originally Posted by mgm9128

Spend more time at The Carlyle. In the course of 6 hours, I was offered a job, and met a 30-year-old woman from South Africa that I now have dinner plans with.

what's going to happen when you go out to dinner and can't order wine?

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by JohnGalt

what's going to happen when you go out to dinner and can't order wine?
What, they don't have cooking wine by the glass? What the **** kind of fine dining establishment is this?

 

[erictheobscure]

Originally Posted by foodguy

in private cheffing, you may dream of serving that perfectly plated roasted squab with cauliflower puree, but if your client wants peanut butter and jelly (or even worse, skinless chicken breast with steamed cauliflower), that's what you're going to fix. you are, quite literally, a servant. your whims or artistic desires mean next to nothing.

I totally understand this logic, but on the other hand, it seems like being a restaurant chef would involve a
constant struggle to understand what appeals to your actual & hypothetical clientele. Being a private chef seems less likely to induce that kind of anxiety--if the client wants chicken breast with steamed cauliflower, just make an edible version of that. I suppose it's all about whether the chef sees his/her position as one of deep self-expression or a paying job.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by erictheobscure

I suppose it's all about whether the chef sees his/her position as one of deep self-expression or a paying job.

that's it exactly. mm seems to prefer the artistic side of cooking; doesn't seem to need just-a-job. hence, it'll be an interesting experience.