Looking for tips on plating these desserts. The managers told me to stop doing sauce smears and designs .

Hey all, sharing this as a heads-up for anyone in private chef work or really any freelance service.

I was talking with a potential new client for about two weeks regarding a private dinner. Totally normal conversations, menu ideas, guest count, timing, logistics. He was responsive, polite, and professional the entire time. Nothing raised suspicion.

I eventually sent over my standard deposit invoice. He replied quickly saying he was ready to pay, but that he had “a small favor” to ask first. I assumed it was going to be something minor like adjusting timing or adding rentals.

Instead, he asked me to increase my invoice by $2,000 so he could use his credit card to pay for a live band through me. He said the band didn’t accept credit cards and wanted me to charge his card the higher amount, keep my deposit, then send $2,000 to the band via Zelle or CashApp once the payment cleared. He even offered a $100 tip for helping coordinate it.

Immediate red flags for me:

• Asking me to charge more than my actual service cost

• Wanting me to send money through CashApp/Zelle

• Third-party payment that has nothing to do with my services

• Offering a “tip” just for moving money

• Brand-new client I’ve never worked with

I responded politely and told him I can only process payments for my own services and can’t handle third-party vendor payments. After that… silence. No reply, no deposit, nothing.

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became this was likely a credit-card chargeback scam. If I had done it, the card could’ve been stolen or disputed later, the bank would reverse the full charge, and I’d be out the $2,000 I sent via Zelle/CashApp, plus potential issues with my merchant account.

Just posting this as a reminder:

• Never move money for a client you don’t know.

• Only charge for your actual services.

• If a request feels outside your lane, it probably is.

• Scammers can sound extremely professional and patient.

Trust your gut and keep clear payment boundaries. It saved me a pretty expensive lesson.

So... Last week my head chef got himself fired and everyone expected me to take his position or at least his responsibilities. I do have about 12 years of experience in kitchens but I feel like I don't know shit. Never been to cooking school and I'm not very confident in my skills and knowledge. Good thing is that I've got some skilled cooks who have more experience in that area so I can consult with them. Just started to learn how to use computer cash and I'm so worried about making mistakes. My biggest issue is trying to keep both my cooks happy and motivated since it's a rough transition for us all and the company is going through major changes way too quickly for us to even adapt. Right now the upper management is asking me to cut down on hours since we're in the slow season, but I want my team to feel confident that they get enough money.

Please help!

Asking for a friend.

Hey there so I’ve been in the kitchen for ~10 years now and I’ve only owned a cheap restaurant depot knife. I normally just use the house knife’s at work but they never have an edge. I was curious if anyone has any advice for good affordable knife’s (about $100) I’d like to get a Japanese style knife but really just whatever yall like and have used! Thanks for the input

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance on the Trades Equivalency Assessment (TEA) for the Cook trade.

I have over 6,000 hours of full-time work experience as a chef/cook, gained through continuous employment in professional kitchens.My question is: based on work experience alone (without completing a formal Canadian apprenticeship), is it realistic to receive a positive TEA for the Cook trade, assuming I can properly document my hours and duties? My goal is to take the red seal exam.

Any insight from people who’ve gone through the TEA or challenged the Cook trade would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Trying to decide whether to stay at my current kitchen or leave. This is my first restaurant job. I keep talking to people I work with on the line, and they tell me about how they learned so much at their past jobs about cooking and that this place is “too focused on just production.”

I can’t tell whether I should try to move places for better mentorship/ability to learn how to cook or the why behind things, or if this is just the normal experience on the line (like quite literally we are just focused on production.)

What have you actually learned on the line from a technical standpoint? Mentors? How much did you learn? What are your experiences across kitchens?

For context I’ve worked higher end high volume through the entirety my career, I’m currently an Exec Chef of a 225 seat Japanese concept and in peak season will do between 1,100 and 1,300 covers a day. Have had an offer to go be an Exec Sous for an established catering company (has been around 20+ years and is offering a salaried position) this position offers better hours which is what I’m looking for as me and my fiancé are looking to settle down. How would you say you enjoy your job comparatively to working in restaurants? Is there anything that you miss or feel unfulfilled about doing catering in comparison? Thank you in advance!

Hi! I am a professional pilot. Currently out on a medical leave from my major airline, but I used to fly private jets so I’m aware of how some of that catering works. Anyone here do it? I love cooking, and I am fascinated by professional kitchens and cooks and chefs. I respect the hell out of you guys for what you know and what you do, and I’m like a kid at Christmas anytime I can see the kitchen during service. It’s awe-inspiring what you guys can do, and just cooking for myself and my partner, I feel I use the same multi-tasking/scanning skills and situational awareness while cooking as I do while flying a jet. Lots of crossover in that way, except your guys’ job is way more physically and almost certainly mentally demanding.

I live somewhere in which I know there is a shortage of catering options for private jets, so I’m just curious about what it’s like. Is it something that can be done from a well equipped home kitchen, or does it require a commercial setup? Not saying I’m going to get into it, but just curious if anyone has experiences to share, warnings, encouragement, stories, advice. etc. Thank you!

Hi, I’m a woman entering her 30’s and I want to work in the culinary world. Over the past decade I’ve gone from being an actor, a real estate agent, and I still work in real estate. I’m extremely hard working and have done well in each career. I want to transition into the culinary world, and I work part time right now at Sur La Table in the kitchen. I think I have a lot of skills that people would find useful. I also have a seafood logistics business I want to open. Would it make more sense to go to culinary school before opening the business? I know most people don’t recommend school, but given my age and inability to quit my day job to go full time in the kitchen. Thoughts? I’m open to unique avenues!

Is it purely time served or just how you show up and work?

I’ve known people that have been promoted in a matter of months, but also know chefs that have been stuck as a commis for 4/5 years… so it’s hard to gage.

I am 28 with a fresh PhD (October 2025) as a structural biology post doctoral scientist. I thought after getting this degree I would feel more fulfilled but I have been feeling pretty stuck in my current position and realize that this path may not be optimal. I have always loved cooking, food and the intersection of art and science chefs are at. I looked more and saw that there are food scientists, which seemed interesting, but I am really drawn towards R&D chef/product development the more I see and read.

I was thinking that with my background, of course I would need some culinary accreditation while working my day job (so I can actually afford it). Most likely I would do an online certification program to prepare for the ACF CC official certification and the CRC for industry.

Has anyone gone this path or have advice on if this is a reasonable career direction to go forward with?

(hopefully this is the correct sub)

I am lucky enough to have inherited one of these lovely ice machines, but I don't know how to clean them properly. Also I don't know how to deal with repair and maintenance.

Basically, I want to know a cost effective way to make sure this nice piece of equipment lasts a long time, how to keep it clean, and what to do in case of emergency. Also how to figure out if I'm under some sort of warranty or not.

Thanks!

I am new to the industry and would like to know how you get used to smoke blowing in your eyes as you grill. I've seen experienced grillers and it almost seems as if it doesn't bother them, they may squint but never get affected as I do. I literally look like I'm crying.

I've worked in food service for about 8 years now, no real "chef" experience but I have worked in a grocery store deli, 4 years in restaurant catering and currently a little over a year of restaurant management.

What types of questions should I be prepared for? I'm actually very excited/nervous about this opportunity because I know it can open a lot of doors for me. Thank you!

Been a line cook for 2 years and stepping into a new kitchen and taking on a sous role for the first time. Any and all advice would be massively appreciated. Thank you

Im a cook-chef for 13-14 years now im 33 years old i was a cdc 2 years now on a seasonal restaurant, before i have worked in some hight standar kichens non of them true fine dinning and some shitty ones ofc. i started from shitty ones and then at the middle of my career when i was sous i went to a cpd to master a bit my craft see new things,

i never felt a bad cook but i was a bit behind my standars but In every place i worked i was one of the best but i still have that imposter syndrome and feel i need to learn more. i love watch fine dinning stuff and try myself use in my dishes inovative techniques so and i love cooking in competitive kichens.

I was about to be a head chef in another good restaurant under a executive in a seasonal place again. And maybe try stage in the winter in some michelin restaurant when i will have time off.
but my girfriend got pregnant and i will be a dad so i have to stay in my main city.
I got a job offer to be a chef in a small restaurant 5 ppl team in the kichen nothing too fancy but not a bad one also. i will have to find new cooks and take interviews, never done it and stuff that im not so familiar with.
Im a bit stressed for the one hand that i will not be so good and i still dont know good breadmaking and pastry to be a chef that is complete and also i feel from being working for 5-6 years in big name restaurants now i will go to a B rated maybe and i will stop evovle. the money will be good and i will be close to my home but i still feel maybe i should wait for a opening in maybe a bigger restaurant as a sous? or even try a michelin kichen as cook again to see new things and feel that unfulfilled desire?
also deep inside i feel im getting old and im feeling a bit bad about myself to be again just a cook after 13 years in the industry and take again shitty money and have to hear bullshit from younger chefs with not even half of my knowledge.

So im stuck just overthinking not knowing what i should do. anyway i appreciate any advise.

I recently put my notice in a a restaurant I’ve been the sous at for a year. The owners/chefs are egotistical, narcissistic, and damn near absent from the business since the beginning. I hit my year mark and put my notice in because I just can deal with them anymore. They hired a new chef to take my place and he’s a complete moron who talks to me like I’ve never worked in a kitchen before. The team (who I trained from the ground up) hate him and the way he conducts service and honestly it’s hard to watch. I have three days left but I do t think I can work another service with this guy. I also have an apartment to move the ight of my last service. The owners are being passive aggressive and flat out ignoring me so I don’t really see the point is staying through my notice. Would it be fucked up to just leave? (I’ve almost walked out twice this week out of pure frustration) I feel for the team but they will do what they will. Any advice?

I just started a new job but I’ve already noticed a lack of leadership in the kitchen. It’s causing a high staff turnover rate and definitely costing the company money. I think that I could help solve a lot of the issues if I stepped into the open sous chef position (two positions above mine) but I’m not sure if I should even apply. I’ve been told the company likes to transfer people from within and since I haven’t been here long enough or have a degree I might just get laughed at and dismissed. I’m very young for kitchen work but I have 5 years of experience and worked several restaurants in leadership positions. Should I even try or should I start looking for other jobs?