To Mr. Oliver and all aspiring chefs,
Hi, my name is Ben and currently I am 15 years of age. I simply love to cook and food is one of my main passions in life. I love going to food markets and looking at the vast array of quality produce in front of me. I particularly enjoy experimenting with new flavors and ideas and love to create my own dishes.
Hence, my interest in a career as a chef evolved. So I proceeded to e-mail work experience applications to many of the top restaurants in Sydney. To my surprise, I received 2 responses to which I acted upon. After working for a week in each I discovered just how dam hard it is to work as a chef. It is a completely different ball game to cooking at home.
My advice to all is simple. Don't make my mistake and allow yourself to become infatuated with the idea of becoming a chef, or becoming the next Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay. Firstly, find yourself some work experience in a commercial kitchen and discover for yourself whether a career as a chef is the right choice for you.
Even though I would not like to become a chef, food is still a major passion in my life. Furthermore, please do not allow my advice to discourage, but to inform you of my experiences.
Good luck
Ben

Hey guys,

This is my firat post in the forums.  Jamie is absoloutly right with the age thing.  I started chefing 4 years ago and am now 30 !!!  Chef De Partie in Itchycoo (radisson SAS) Edinburgh under Christer Larsson, who is a very well known and criticaly acclaimed chef from New York.

I have been VERY lucky and have worked Very hard to get to where I am now and am loving EVERY minute of it.

Jamie if you read this m8, I was in touch with Peter Begg about a position in 15 and would like to extend my best wishes to him and thank him for all his kind words and direction.

Who knows.......maybe one day you'll open that bloody restaraunt in Edinburgh and gimmie a job !!!



Anyways, keep up the good work m8 and any questions from anyone on becoming a chef, I'll try to answer.

Cheers

Steven Todd

My suggestion would be to hit college.  Do NVQ's 1,2 & 3, then look for a career in chefing.  Do NOT lower yourself to anything less than a 4 star hotel or 1 rossette restaraunt !!!

It will be VERY VERY hard going, but WELL worth it.

Stick to one place for at least 1 year before moving on.

Get as many different styles and places under your belt as you can, but write EVERYTHING down.

Timings, ingredients, suppliers, costings, hygeine laws, knife techniques.......EVERYTHING !!!!!!

When you get home, do a diary.  This way you will remember a LOT more and move up faster.

once you have some experience and your NVQ's, ask oor Jamie for a placement.

All the best and remember, if they aint shouting at you, you're doing it right !!!!!



Steve

Hi Jamie,

same times it could be to late to change. I start to cook at 11 years old to help my mother, just the basic. My first love.... cakes. Than when i finish the college i went to Madeira and i got some some friends that love to cook and eat... i start to cook different meals, more elaborated plates...

And now i know... I love to cook, but it's to late to be a chef...

I have learn a lot wiht you on TV..... yes, in Portugal we see your shows....

Hi，Jamie
  I am from sichuan China。Maybe i am a little shy。But I really love cooking。My mum and dad are good cooks。When I was a little girl，I can cook simple Chinese food。Once I was watching TV，I noticed your 《THE naked chef》，It is a cool name。Luckly，my mum and dad doesnot understand what it means。If they knew ，they would have killed me。
   ÃƒÂ£Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã… OLIVER’S TWIST》IS so cool。I introduced it to all my friendsï¼?every saturday night I would stay at home and wait in front of the TV。
    My English isnot very good。I don’t know how to speak the spices’names and the varities of cheese is difficult to me。so I asked for your help：would you pease tell me the names of the friut and vegetables and spices，thank youï¼?ï¼?ï¼?ï¼?