any cooks out there?

For me, some of the better things in life are good food, wine,and ales. (and torquey old bikes)

Meanwhile, I'm faced with a career change in my late 50's. I've been operating a commercial printery for 27 years, and due to a number or circumstances, I'll be walking away from it all in the near future.

In my 20's I had several different jobs as cook, bartender, and server. I'm thinking of getting back into cooking part-time at least---I'm in good health but a little rusty. are there any old pros here with an opinion?

Thanks,

Don

Choose lunchtime service.

Thanks Nick, as I recall lunch was over quick, and the night shift was a real drag... but the money was better.

This place is somewhat of a backwater, but more and more mainland retirees coming over and settling in. the local farmers markets are real busy, and might be a good place to start. I can sell my handmade raviolis, pastas and kimchi on weekends. that might pay the mortgage and buy a few ales!

I was in a cafe cum restaurant in France recently, they started early enough to get the folks who could be leisurely about their breakfast using I assume, bought in crossaint and other pastries. That morphed into mid morning coffee and pastries, lots of ladies doing shopping an such.
Being France, proper light lunches were offered which appealed to the health/weight concious. Not the local workers though.
Afternoon drinks, maybe more pastries and coffee, then closed by 5pm.

Not a doddle, but not the stressed out full service either. Didn't require a huge staff, being France the bar/coffee/waiting/front of house was run by two people. The Chef had the morning to prep, really only grafting for the couple of hours around lunch. Clean up, then home.

If that is too much commitment, then have you thought of a van/trailer and sell your wares from that? Popular sales tactic here in UK. In London there are quite a few selling more exotic and higher quality food than burgers and dogs.
In France it is still common in remoter places to come across pizza vans which have a proper, if small, wood fired oven in the back. Usually excellent pizza too.

I have a small restaurant with my daughter, well, I financed it, renovated it, maintain the equipment and she cooks and runs it and beleive me SHE has the hardest job. I can work at my own pace, take all the time I want (well, most of the time :mrgreen: ) she on the other hand has to deal with customers and staff, sometimes I wonder which is worse. She changes her menu every month, this means different supplies, working out new recepies... a restaurant is a lot of work.

Probably the best thing to do is to open a food truck, rules permitting of course, have one, at the most two employees besides yourself. NO dishes, keep expenses down, down, down. FAST service!

Amateurs "can" make it, but nothing beats proper schooling, especially in that business.

Jean

Absolutely right Jean.

Having plans and ideas ahead of time about what to do with what doesn't get sold, without just dumping your meagre profits, and without it looking and tasting like slop.
My French friend Frank, who is a chef, always is mentally prepearing several days ahead - fresh grilled aspargus today, asparagus omlette tomorrow, asparagus consomme the day after - sort of thing.

Another angle, could be to sell the ravioli and other filled pasta at farmers/producer markets or even to existing restaurants?

hey Jean, Nick--- many thanks for your comments

knowing the mortal conditions of both my lease and the concept of print communication, I have been thinking of this bailout for sometime...

but ya cant buy lunch on amazon

so 2 years ago I did buy an old, beatup GMC stepvan, a really small one. I'll upload some pics this weekend.... thinking like ms DR, a menu that changes, maybe alternates between korean tacos and tuscan pastas... devil in the details!

My maternal grandfather was a professional chef ... big time.... like the Waldorf Astoria, where he worked 8 am to 5 pm, and then his minions took over.

He mentored me in my pre-teen days. He had many rules, the first of which was:

Always use the best ingredients.

Other rules were (in no particular order):

There is a secret ingredient in every dish .... NEVER tell anyone what it is.
Always raise prices, NEVER lower quality.
No one should leave hungry.
Never cook on someone else's stove (in his broken Italian - English .... "you not know how he cook")
Certain food preparation required much time, like overnight seasoning, Never compromise and rush it.
You always ask how people want their steaks, you always cook them medium rare.
And the one I love best .... "The cook, he no clean up!"

Good luck in your new venture.

Slick

thats great Slick, and brought me a few good laughs!

"You always ask how people want their steaks, you always cook them medium rare."

ha! why would anyone want a steak any other way? Its like ordering a Stoli martini with a splash of tonic!