Serious chefs loose track of time. Time itself is a chef’s greatest enemy, minutes and seconds are the difference between perfection and disaster. These few crucial moments only come after days and hours of preparation leaving you either exhilarated or heartbroken.
Chefs are perfectionists by default and everything is personal, it doesn’t matter what anyone says – “It’s only work, don’t take it personally buddy”…uh huh. Chefs can be selfless and selfish simultaneously, they are accused of being workaholics while becoming emotionally unavailable and disconnected when stepping out of the kitchen.
LESS IS MORE
Now in the modern age there is more focus on creating balanced lifestyles within kitchen teams, it’s no longer about how many hours you work but how you manage free time. Managers understand that controlling working hours is a long term investment in creativity and the engagement of their teams. Happy chefs are engaged chefs and engaged individuals inspire others through their passion and enthusiasm, it’s addictive.
Like they say “there is no point in flogging a dead horse”, you can’t expect high performance results from a tired and frustrated team. By giving chefs more time to themselves managers benefit from a solid 10-11 hours per day vs 13-15 hour days, shorter intense shifts vs long drawn out sagas.
VAMPIRE SYNDROME
Pale scared skin, bloodshot eyes rimmed with heavy bags and a constant nervous twitch while staring silently into nothingness. Vampire syndrome is a disease that affects around 6 out 10 chefs according to the world health journal published in 2016. It’s a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system and frontal lobe of the brain.
Vampire syndrome is caused by stress, vegans, waiters, heat, over exposure to stupidity and a general lack of sunshine or vitamin B. Advanced symptoms may include general “Vampire” appearance, tattoo addiction, distancing from friends and family, fear of sunlight and open spaces, unquenchable thirst for alcohol, incomprehensible language skills and a general disregard for personal well being.
Treatments for progressed vampire syndrome vary depending on nationality, age and gender. There have been a few successful cures reported from around the world using the following combination – daily exposure to small amounts of sunshine, finding another interest other than cooking, one weekend off a month, remembering you have a family, friends who are not chefs, remembering to eat and finding someone to love you who is not a chef.
RELATIONSHIPS
It’s not easy to love a chef, even when not working they are working. You may physically leave the kitchen but a chef never really leaves the kitchen. Their minds are consumed with what’s just happened and what’s coming next. When you finally get to see the ones you love you’re most likely going to be tired, selfish and generally a very unsociable person.
Chefs are designed to give everything at work and leave very little for themselves, this includes relationships, love and family. The worst thing is the ones you love will be waiting days/weeks for some quality time but all you will want is time alone. It’s a common misunderstanding that leads to the demise of so many chefs relationships, setting them on the path of the eternal bachelor. It’s common for chefs to fall in love with similar minded, hospitality types as the other half has some idea what they are getting themselves into.
SOCIAL SKILLS
Being social for most people simply means getting together for a chat or catching up over a few drinks. They have been in the office all day without much human interaction and being social is a great way to unwind and relax. For young chefs it usually means substance abuse until they need to work again but without all the mindless chit chat. This comes from having to always over communicate in a very sociable industry, chefs despise unnecessary information or details but utterly love common sense and simplicity.
Chefs will enjoy the company of self-sufficient, low maintenance friends and have a ridiculous amount of acquaintances but very few meaningful relationships. Chefs are usually the ones working while others are being social, this generally means that they like to socialise with other dysfunctional hospitality types. In this case opposites don’t always attract and yes when chefs have been drinking they will still want to talk about work or food.
Yes you will miss a lot of public holidays, weekends and special events and there is no such thing as a 9-5 chef’s job. But cooking will also take you around the world changing your view on life through different cultures cuisine. Food is a direct representation of a countries people, history, religion, wealth, natural environment and geography.
Chefs are not cooks, cooking is only the action – it’s what we all do at home every day. The biggest difference between a cook and a chef is the emotional connection with food and a clear direction of where they want to go. Some chefs will burn-out very fast, moving onto another profession but always telling stories of “when I used to be a chef”. There are also the accidental cooks or “worker bees” that have no passion for cooking but need the cash. But others will be drawn in so deep it’s impossible to imagine doing anything else, its this group of people who will become Chefs.
Good read – well done Ryan!!
Yes very good and right on point!!!!
Thanks Jeanine !!
Perfectly said
Great post Ryan. As I read the whole thing all I could think was yep, yep, that’s me all the time. Glad to see someone put it into words and meanings everyone can understand. Also, just to know we are not alone and to crazy helps. Haha.
Hi William, we are not alone mate. Sometimes its hard to articulate though.
Its a love hate relationship, i like to believe more love than hate!!
Brilliant read need to be made more public knowledge about the daily struggle for chefs
Thanks Charles, keep on fighting!
Bravo
Thanks Jeff
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Dear Johne492, thanks so much for your comments. I would love to be able to add more pictures inboxed the future and it is planned. Its just difficult trying to find time between work to actually write. Thanks again!
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Great read and hit the nail on the head .. it’s not a job but a life style and once people realize how much time and effort goes into been a good Chef and the fact we never stop learning hopefully we will get the respect we deserve in the Industry.
Thanks Allan, i think the respect is there but the mystery is gone.
Now everyone has some basic knowledge of cooking, so in turn they feel it’s easy?
Im not sure…
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Hi Smithf285, what exactly are you working on?
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Thanks Garfield!
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Thanks Gale 😉
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Thanks Randal, its all new. So glad you like it !
Great read Chef ???
All this and we expect our teams to work on minimum wage plus tips. College numbers are down, no one wants to be a chef. As this artical points out who blames them. We did it but the next generation won’t. Something needs to change.
I think because there are so many level of cooking from McDonslds to 3 Star Michelin it brings the overall pay scale down. Also many people see it as hard work but not necessarily labour that needs and education . I think it’s a shame what young chefs are paid and it’s half the reason why many stop even if they live it. Sad but true
Great read Ryan. ?
Hi Hollie, thanks for reading ????
Its really a good one! Thanks
Is so true that vampire look and the toll it takes. Great read.
Excellent piece.
I shared it to my Facebook page so you may see a lot of hits today 🙂
Thanks for your support Liam !????
Great piece… absolutely spot on.. I’ve been fortunate enough to be the Exec Sous under a Chef who firmly believes in days off and not always being in the kitchen…
Hi Dan,
Your chef sounds like a very smart guy and a great role model. We need more like him in the Industry. Continue his legacy when you are the Exec chef and change the industry.
Amazingly so succinct. Couldn’t have said it better. And no very few other than those who share this silly obsession/profession will ever understand.
Boom! Thanks Nina, yes only a chef or someone close to a chef knows what it really feels like.
My beloved son is an executive chef. This describes him. I love him and am so proud that he follows his passion but I also grieve for him. It is a tough profession.
Hi Barbara,
It’s not an easy life but it’s also not bad if he really loves the work. You are right though it’s usually those around the chefs that are affected the most not the participant.
A spot on description of my chef husband (Eric Chavot). So many highs & lows, cancelled weekends & holidays…. it’s a passion an obsession a curse a gift a nightmare a dream and for the wife / husband / partner being the ‘copilot’ is a turbulent ride. Brilliantly written!
Thanks Christine, be patient with Eric and remind him somtines that you can never beat work!
I am doing this for 40 years this month, you just put my life on words, nicely done Chef Ryan.
Thanks Philippe!
Hi Philippe, you are an inspiration. I hope I’m still doing it after 40 years, keep it up!!
Wow man this is such a fantastic Job not only you touch our memories , you made us go back to those sweet bitter moments and remember so many feelings. Stand on my feet and take my hat out Ryan.
Thanks Roberto, im glad it brought back memories.
It is bitter sweet but also totally worth it in the end. 🙂
Perfect depiction of our life ??
Thanks Lynsey, im glad you could relate!
Great article all you said is true, are you a chef too?
Hey Alexander, yes im a chef. You can see more of my thoughts and stores in my blog. http://www.tatianas4.sg-host.com
All the way from Wichita Falls, Texas.. This is totally worth the read! Thanks and spot on..
Hey Scott, im glad you enjoyed the read. Happy cooking!
Good read , all perfectly true and so difficult to understand for anyone who is not a chef , 34 years of working in good standard kitchens including my own restaurant and I think you nailed that piece
Thanks a lot Chester, right not everyone will understand.
But if those that do can relate.
Sounds like my life alright
Glad you can relate Dave, take care!
That is our life and I’m more than thankful that my wife and kids supported my desition and passion to continue beeing a chef.
Yes Sir!!
Really nice to read Ryan
And yes you always think about your next step. …