For all you wannabe chefs out there, Jamie has some brilliant advice on how to get your foot in the door and make those dreams a reality:
If you're just starting out and you want a weekend job, try looking for work in a restaurant, pub, fishmonger's, bakery, butcher's or on a fruit & veg market stall. All of these are really great ways to learn about food. Then keep progressing from there.
Having gathered a bit of industry experience, or something similar, you now have three options (choose which is right for you):
1. Go straight into a professional job Jump in at the deep end, and be bold enough to learn the skills on the job. This is quite a common path these days.
2. Go to the best local catering college Sign up to a two- or three-year course that will give you a greater understanding of the science of cooking, culinary language, front-of-house, management, and the accounting side of the business. That’s what I did and I enjoyed it, although I did find that it lacked the real vibe of the kitchen. I found that working in restaurants over the holidays and at the weekends gave me a really good balance.
3. Go for a mix of the two Speak to your employer about taking one day a week/month to go to culinary college. I've always thought this is a really good idea, as it means you can still get paid, while chasing your dreams/learning new skills.
There’s nothing you can't achieve with hard work, passion and real commitment.
Food and cooking is one of the most exciting, dynamic industries on the planet and it often employs some of the most brilliant, creative people. I know it still has a reputation for terrible money and hours, but things are really changing. The sky’s the limit! So, get stuck in, get cooking and good luck!