JamieOliver.com

forum: Fifteen / Careers

 

#1 Fri 24 Jun 05 1:53pm

Jamie

Member
Occupation Chef
From Fifteen Restaurant, London
Member since Wed 24 Mar 04
No of posts 409

How do I become a top chef?

I get asked this one a lot, so here goes...

First of all you have to think to yourself - do I really like cooking? Do I really like eating? If the answer is yes then you are half way there.

Don't for a minute believe that it's about training for years and years. Of course this helps but it's really about the little things. It's about doing things properly with real conviction and passion. Be as enthusiastic about your ingredients (ie:  how and where they were grown), as you are about your staff (ie: how they get on with each other and how you can improve that relationship) and about the customers.

It's more about your own personality and your style of cooking - whether it be cheap and cheerful, expensive with all the bells and whistles, Italian, Spanish, Greek you name it. All of these styles can be made absolutely amazing and unique in their own right and price range. So without sounding too gushing, good food is all about the love, aaaaah!

Jamie O xxx

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#2 Tue 28 Jun 05 5:43am

brooke15

Member
From australia
Member since Tue 28 Jun 05
No of posts 1

Re: How do I become a top chef?

Jamie,
  Hi my name is brooke and i'm in year 9 in an Australian school, and i want to be a chef. This information is great, but i need to know what subjects would be best to pick, for the following 3 years at school.

        bye
         brooke xxx

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#3 Tue 28 Jun 05 5:47pm

Rubi

Member
From CROATIA - Osijek
Member since Fri 24 Jun 05
No of posts 3

Re: How do I become a top chef?

Hy Jamie. I finished high school in Croatia. I loved very much cooking, and of course eating. How can I be chef, and how i can find cook job in London?
Thnx

Sorry for my bad english...

Bye wink

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#4 Thu 30 Jun 05 4:02pm

SUMMER

Member
From KIDDERMINSTER
Member since Thu 30 Jun 05
No of posts 1

Re: How do I become a top chef?

HIYA MY NAME IS HAYLEY I AM A TRIANEE CHEF AND I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW DID YOU GET THIS FAR SO I CAN KIND OF DO THE SAME big_smile  PLEASE CAN YOU REPLY THANK YOU

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#5 Fri 01 Jul 05 3:55am

aussiechef

Member
From Melbourne
Member since Fri 29 Apr 05
No of posts 4

Re: How do I become a top chef?

Hi Brooke.
I live in melbourne and are a qualified chef. The subjects which i took in high school in my vce year was english, industry & enterprise studies, information technology, materials & technology, maths: general & Vet course in Hospitality at Certificate II Level.
I dont think u need certian subjects, i did the subjects i enjoyed and was good at.
The VET course is great, as when u start your apprenticeship you will do the same course but for a longer period of time eg,three years. This way you can know the basic and can repeat the subject again to refreash your memory.
Please email me if need to chat
Renee

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#6 Mon 11 Jul 05 8:04am

foietruffledisiac

Member since Wed 07 Jul 04
No of posts 5312

Re: How do I become a top chef?

Your post couldn't have been more crystal clear. It is all about the love  big_smile !



Foietruffledisiac
big_smile

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#7 Thu 28 Jul 05 4:42am

Toothpick

Member
From Australia
Member since Mon 04 Jul 05
No of posts 8

Re: How do I become a top chef?

Hi everyone,  big_smile
As part of my assignment i am too look at a topic related to the Food and Hospitality Industry and I chose the Shortage of qualified Chefs, i live in Australia and this is a problem throughout the restaurants.
It would be much apprieciated if people that worked in the industry qualified or unqualified if they could reply.
Thank you

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#8 Mon 15 Aug 05 11:21am

saltedm8

Occupation Beat the 5 O'clock rush, leave work at noon!
From Nobody's perfect.I'm a Nobody
Member since Fri 11 Mar 05
No of posts 1080

Re: How do I become a top chef?

i went to my local pub and offered to work for free at the weekends but to no avail,
the guy could see, and mentioned my passion for food but he still said no because they are fully staffed ???? 
they had full time and offered me that, but i already have a full time job and the last thing i need to do is to quit and then find that i am no good in a working kitchen, i have rent to pay.... 

p.s this was the only place in my local area that i think serves real food, i do not want to go into a kitchen and just microwave... 

any advice would be welcomed
thanks

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#9 Thu 18 Aug 05 5:30pm

Tom81

Member
From Pavia, Italy
Member since Thu 18 Aug 05
No of posts 2

Re: How do I become a top chef?

I'm 24 and I've just got my degree in medieval history in Milan University, but... I've realized that cooking is what I want to do! I've always liked being in the kitchen but I have no real experience or solid know how. I like tring out new things and I like the smell of food... and the taste  of course...

Ok... this might sound stupid... but... How can I get started? I mean, do I need a school or it's enough if I beg every restaurant I know to take me in and teach me something?

Thanks in advance for any advice...

Tom

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#10 Fri 19 Aug 05 10:24am

Toothpick

Member
From Australia
Member since Mon 04 Jul 05
No of posts 8

Re: How do I become a top chef?

as you said Tom, go into every kitchen and ask the HEAD CHEF if you can work as a kitchen hand and then get experience from there.

from rach- australia

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