Its not really like working at Bloomingdales. I worked as a busboy as my first job at 17 and the dishwasher named Victor threatened to
stab me for looking at him the wrong way. This was at a fine dining establishment.

Anonymous wrote:Most of the good cooks start as dishwashers. Let him see how a kitchen works to determine if he can handle the environment. I suspect most kids whose parents post on DCUM could not cut it in a restaurant kitchen

- 15 year line cook

Bingo

Most of the good cooks start as dishwashers. Let him see how a kitchen works to determine if he can handle the environment. I suspect most kids whose parents post on DCUM could not cut it in a restaurant kitchen

- 15 year line cook

This sounds like it could be a “who you know” thing. I’d ask where he’s taken culinary classes to see if they have any advice or connections.

Does he have ServSafe qualifications? His own knives/chef's coat and apron?

Get him prepped and then I would just walk into local restaurants and ask to talk to the head chef.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a good cook at home (which is subjective) and becoming a line cook are not 1 in the same.

How about a culinary class for starters? Does his school offer like a gourmet cooking elective?

He has taken culinary classes since middle school. He's really eager to get some hands-on cooking experience.

Can you say where? I have a 12 year old who loves to cook, but obviously is too young for a restaurant kitchen. I haven't found classes that would work for him yet.

Staging is doing an unpaid internship in a restaurant kitchen.

Does staging mean doing the food prep?

If so, there are jobs at restaurants for that kind of thing- although when my kid was applying at age 16, didn't get any callbacks.

Wtf is staging?

Anonymous wrote:He may have to work his way up, despite any talents he has, simply because he has no practical work experience.

Right, hence staging.

He may have to work his way up, despite any talents he has, simply because he has no practical work experience.

Anonymous wrote:Being a good cook at home (which is subjective) and becoming a line cook are not 1 in the same.

How about a culinary class for starters? Does his school offer like a gourmet cooking elective?

He has taken culinary classes since middle school. He's really eager to get some hands-on cooking experience.

That's wonderful, OP. To become a professional cook, he needs to have incredible executive functioning skills. It's like in music, where playing in rhythm is more important than playing in tune when you're part of a group. For the kitchen, getting all your dishes ready on time is more important than having them all taste great. That part of cooking is not adequately taught in a home environment, so he'll have to see how good he is with that in cooking school.

Being a good cook at home (which is subjective) and becoming a line cook are not 1 in the same.

How about a culinary class for starters? Does his school offer like a gourmet cooking elective?

He is a really talented chef and wants to work in a kitchen. Does DC have apprenticeships?