Many TV shows have glamorised the role of the chef, but it’s not all about serving up delicious cuisine. Here are some of the common struggles that many chefs have to face.
Unsociable working hours
Chefs don’t tend to work regular, 9-5 hours, which can impinge on your social life. According to Chefs World, chefs often work shifts, and may have to put in overtime during busy periods. Many chefs work late into the evening, and during weekends and bank holidays. Even on a planned day off, you may be called in to cover a shift or solve a particular crisis.
Getting injured
Following strict health and hygiene rules is vital in any kitchen, but a chef is still prone to hazards that can result in injuries. Getting cuts from knives or other sharp objects is often part and parcel of the job, especially when working quickly under pressure.
Starting at the bottom
Few chefs begin their careers preparing the main dishes. Instead, many chefs start out doing basic, repetitive tasks that may not even involve cooking. This could be chopping vegetables, cleaning surfaces, unloading deliveries and placing stock in fridges or commercial wine coolers, or even washing up. In order to do the tasks you want to do, you need to work your way up and get experience behind you.
Negative reviews
You’ll never please everyone with your cooking, and so, at some point in your career as a chef, you’ll be exposed to negative comments about your food. If this gets published online on a review website, this can be crushing, and might not do your establishment’s reputation any favours. On the other hand, positive reviews can be a boom for business. The other thing you might get bad reviews for is your bathroom facilities and what you provide within them. This can be make a break for business as there are legal requirements to meet. If you need a Washroom service provider Gloucestershire company to come in and help, you could try somewhere like simple hygiene solutions who are trained in this area. Turn your potential frowns upside down.
Dealing with paperwork
Being a chef isn’t just about rustling up delicious meals, especially if you run your own venue. There’s a lot of paperwork involved in the job, which includes ordering stock, paying staff wages and balancing the books.
Cooking outside of work
The problem with working as a chef is that, when it comes to family mealtimes or gatherings, it will be inevitable that you’ll be the one chosen to rustle up the food. This can be a good thing, but if you fancy a night off from cooking, it might not go down too well with others.