The Student Room Group
Reply 1
Work your way up through the ranks if you want to run the show one day. If you don't know the jobs of those below you inside out, they'll rip you off left right and center. The results of jumping into 'running a restaurant' with no prior experience can be seen every other night on the 'wow, look at theis crap business, let's send Gordon in to sort it out'-type programmes. ie there's only so far a 'hotel management' course will get you..

Do a cookery course (I remember there being a TV prog about some private one somewhere in the UK, where their students went on to stay with Ramsey/White/the other big names). Then try and get a place, however lowly, under the best chef you can. There is a course near me at Nene College/University of Northampton (or whatever its called) - but i would guess it's too 'academic' and the way they teach everything doesn't seem to translate too well to real life, judging by dining in their training restaurant. I can't help thinking that paying for a private course and then getting into the real world under a -serious- chef is the way to get good fast. Academic study isn't.

Hot, hard, long, knackering work - and anti-social hours. ;-)

Don't know about these places in the UK, I know my parents both did a 3(+?) year hotel-mgmt/chef/front of house course combined with some apprentiship work...but that was 30 years ago...and abroad. Don't really know how it works now.
brabzzz
Work your way up through the ranks if you want to run the show one day. If you don't know the jobs of those below you inside out, they'll rip you off left right and center. The results of jumping into 'running a restaurant' with no prior experience can be seen every other night on the 'wow, look at theis crap business, let's send Gordon in to sort it out'-type programmes. ie there's only so far a 'hotel management' course will get you..

Do a cookery course (I remember there being a TV prog about some private one somewhere in the UK, where their students went on to stay with Ramsey/White/the other big names). Then try and get a place, however lowly, under the best chef you can. There is a course near me at Nene College/University of Northampton (or whatever its called) - but i would guess it's too 'academic' and the way they teach everything doesn't seem to translate too well to real life, judging by dining in their training restaurant. I can't help thinking that paying for a private course and then getting into the real world under a -serious- chef is the way to get good fast. Academic study isn't.

Hot, hard, long, knackering work - and anti-social hours. ;-)

Don't know about these places in the UK, I know my parents both did a 3(+?) year hotel-mgmt/chef/front of house course combined with some apprentiship work...but that was 30 years ago...and abroad. Don't really know how it works now.


Good, informative post. The bit in bold is especially true!

Don't kid yourself with ideas of an instantly glamourous career, cos it ain't there! Love the entrepreneurial spirit though.

I think you find cooking/catering courses at most colleges. Then you could apply for a job at a smaller restaurant, work up to head chef (with a good rep), then leave to put your own ideas into practice.

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