I have been struggling with my career lately. The spark had been flickering. I’ve spent a lot of my career in management positions at high end- large volume restaurants and kept running into the same problems.
I came to a breaking point and decided to start over again in the world of fine dining as a Stagiaire in a restaurant chasing its third Michelin star.
It was hard. Taking orders from people half your age and humbly saying “Yes chef”- but honestly it’s the best thing I could have done and I feel inspired in my cooking again. I plan to repeat the experience again somewhere else next year- and would recommend this to any chef who feels “stuck” in their career.
I made this documentary if you’d like to know more.
by transcendentsapien
44 Comments
Unpaid kitchen work is for the real idiots
Look in the background. Their is a fairly details reflection of him that AI would never do. It does look like AI simply because he’s doing the most AI pose I’ve ever seen and is handsome. But I’d say this is real. Especially that the hand with the spray bottle is also perfect which AI FUCKS up.
Unfortunately he just went with a temu pose.
https://preview.redd.it/duem5wahztvf1.jpeg?width=877&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=182cd7919debd4f858d20cb11dac894d31d775f3
I am not an AI 🤣🤣🤣
Who tf supports you? I can’t afford to work for a month unpaid. Not in this economy.
[deleted]
Watching folks call OP AI..
“I went to a fancy restaurant and couldn’t pay on my Denny’s salary so they made me wash dishes for a month… but I got this neat hat!”
Working for free? Man. I am sure employers love you.
Yall some dick heads
[deleted]
[deleted]
God are you guys lame. Finally an interesting post after all those chives and you somehow focus on the most idiotic stuff. Why are cooks so antagonistic, everybody else must be wrong (or AI obviously). Grow up and get a life.
Nice post OP, I’ve also done stages in Michelin star kitchens, was much cheaper learning that going to a seminar or school. And always gets lots of attention on my CV. Will watch your video when I have the time. Cheers!
Happy for you! I’ve been 17 years working in kitchens, I’m currently an executive chef, and I’m doing that myself next month in Core by Claire Smith… I need to get some inspiration after a few years working more with numbers than actually cooking!
These comments! Fucking hell.
Do any you even like your career?
The production value of the vid is pretty top notch, great job. Do you plan to continue posting videos throughout your time in the Caymen Islands and Hawaii?
Unpaid? Not legal here in Aus.
Very cool. These types of humbling experiences are amazing and I think you’ll look back on it as one of the greatest things you’ve ever done. Not many people have an opportunity like this, i think mostly because when people ‘make it’, they see it as a culmination of their journey and have no more desire to learn and go back into the trenches… and so few people make it in the first place. Respect OP, I think stuff like this is very impressive.
I’m 14 years into my career I still apply and work unpaid stage jobs for senior chefs who I believe I could learn from.
Takes a lot if guts to do that. Thanks for the inspiration brother. I really hope you get your passion going again.
Restaurant gets $250/cover, owner drives a Benz, gets talent to work for free, what a country!
Good luck man, glad you got that spark back!✌️
I’ve got a question about something I’ve been struggling with.
How exactly do you deal woth the feeling that people that’ve been doings this for less time than you and are much younger than you do a better job?
I’m not a kitchen veteran by any means, but I still see teenagers working way faster than me and sometimes learning things much more easily. I try to focus on just myself, but its hard not to see my coworkers as competition, and how much I fall behind.
Ive never done a month but ive managed to persuade my way into a couple 3 star spots for a few days or a week. Totally worth the effort. Good on ya
Nah. This dude has a rat user his hat telling what to do.
This comment section was a wild ride, holy shit.
Definitely falls in line with the collective IQ of a lot of places I’ve worked.
I’ve been out the game for almost 2 years but this picture felt very nostalgic – that kitchen just feels cozy.
Did you learn how to properly cut chives or what
Where are you thinking of relocating to relaunch the career
How many stagiaires would they have at once? On your average shift how many paid staff and how many stag?
Hey OP, I am planning on doing the same as you did but I do lack the management experience you have. If you’d be happy to provide more information on how you did it and guide me in the right direction, I would very much appreciate it. Cheers!
Fantastic video Chef. Keep up the great work!
That’s awesome man I’m definitely gonna watch the doc
Let’s see those chives chef!
Understand all but the unpaid bit..
At first glance i thought you were one of the Fallow chefs!! Had to zoom in and watch the video to see the difference
I guess if it gave you fulfillment, that’s cool. I’m 100% on team No Pay = No Work, though.
Good for you, but screw the people that insist on UNPAID internships. Pay people for working. Period.
The number of people here who have never heard of a staj before is surprising to me.
The aggressive reaction to the concept of learning is far less surprising.
Nice film. Are you doing stage in Hawaii and Cayman as well?
So people in this sub have only microwaved their patrons meals for a living and it shows.
Free labor. The secret sauce of keeping fine doning profitable.
Congrats, but I don’t think it’s a good look perpetuate this cycle of people being asked to work for free in the name of education.
Chive pic or its fake
I work as a cook now with people half my age as my boss. Hey, I’m old now. Let them take the stress. I’m just gonna do my stuff to that best of my ability and go home. I’m not so egotistical that I have to still be the boss after all these years. I just want to work at a good place and have fun doing the job.
You people need to stop working for free, it’s going to continue to ruin the restaurant industry for employees.