[RAS91]

I graduate culinary school in a year and that's the only reason I haven't made the move yet. I go to school in the city so living aboard is not an option at the moment. But after graduation I want to live aboard. My question is, are there any chefs who live aboard and what difficulties do you face between the life and profession. Also, if you know of any live aboard marinas near good restaurants. I'm in NC at the moment and staying in state would be cool but I'm extremely open to moving out of state.

 

[miatapaul]

Well I don't see it any different as having any other shore side job. The biggest issue with being a chief is you really won't have any time to enjoy or even work on the boat. Your life for the next many many years will be working 70 plus hours a week. Perhaps more. So you would be better to rent an apartment for a while as you are not going to have time to do much of anything but work. Life as a chef is nothing like they show on TV.

That said the whole North Carolina coast is a sailor's paradise. I am sure there are a lot of restaurants there as well.

 

[christian.hess]

man Id love to take my boat and family up to the states and do some cooking...

I did it briefly in berkeley california

technically a non liveaboard but I worked in san fran and sometimes I would miss the bart...last one was 12.15 am or so...so fellow cooks would drop me off at the boat and Id basically live there 2 or 3 nights a week then go back to my home with my mom back in burlingame

I was young, mid 20s and full of life...do it

it will be fun

just dont get burned...

 

[christian.hess]

Well I don't see it any different as having any other shore side job. The biggest issue with being a chief is you really won't have any time to enjoy or even work on the boat. Your life for the next many many years will be working 70 plus hours a week. Perhaps more. So you would be better to rent an apartment for a while as you are not going to have time to do much of anything but work. Life as a chef is nothing like they show on TV.

That said the whole North Carolina coast is a sailor's paradise. I am sure there are a lot of restaurants there as well.

please tell me more bud...honestly we are looking at options as a family...

 

[CaptainForce]

I don't know the professions of all the liveaboards that have been my neighbors, but I do know of one who is a chef. I know of teachers, restaurant managers, pilots, enviromental controllers, heavy equipment operators, rudder manufacturers, physicians, hospice managers, realtors, lawyers, disc jockeys, car salesmen, musicians, child abuse prevention specialists, nurses, marine surveyors, bartenders, construction contractors, miltary personnel, retirees, state senators, hot air balloon operators, and air traffic controllers. I've been living aboard for more than forty years. My neighbors have been among a huge variety of working people and some unemployed people too! There are no employment restrictions to living on a boat!

 

[tempest]

Are you looking to live aboard as an inexpensive place to live, or do you want to actually Sail in your free time?

It is very possible to find work as a Chef and work sane hours that leave time for sailing or other pursuits. The foodservice industry is huge and very diverse. There are plenty of 40 hour a week positions available. Corporate Chefs often work morning shifts something like 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Colleges and Universities are great places to work. Military bases, Hotels, hospitals, Airlines, Camps, resort places like Disney etc all employ cooks and chefs. No one is actually a "chef" upon graduation from a culinary school. Think of yourself as a well trained cook or an apprentice at 1st, that needs practice and experience. Just like sailing. The broader your experience the more competent and qualified you can become. Even in the commercial restaurant business it is possible to find a company or an owner who believes that their employees deserve a life outside of work.

There are still plenty of 70 hour a week restaurant cooks/chefs. If that's what you end up doing, you'll just need a bed..and it won't much matter where it is. In that case a boat could be a burden, as it requires some level of attention to keep afloat and manage it's systems. Good Luck with school and your career. People always need to eat, so you should be able to find work wherever you go.

 

[miatapaul]

Are you looking to live aboard as an inexpensive place to live, or do you want to actually Sail in your free time?

It is very possible to find work as a Chef and work sane hours that leave time for sailing or other pursuits. The foodservice industry is huge and very diverse. There are plenty of 40 hour a week positions available. Corporate Chefs often work morning shifts something like 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Colleges and Universities are great places to work. Military bases, Hotels, hospitals, Airlines, Camps, resort places like Disney etc all employ cooks and chefs. No one is actually a "chef" upon graduation from a culinary school. Think of yourself as a well trained cook or an apprentice at 1st, that needs practice and experience. Just like sailing. The broader your experience the more competent and qualified you can become. Even in the commercial restaurant business it is possible to find a company or an owner who believes that their employees deserve a life outside of work.

There are still plenty of 70 hour a week restaurant cooks/chefs. If that's what you end up doing, you'll just need a bed..and it won't much matter where it is. In that case a boat could be a burden, as it requires some level of attention to keep afloat and manage it's systems. Good Luck with school and your career. People always need to eat, so you should be able to find work wherever you go.

Yea, I spent over 20 years in the business. Never did I work a 40 hour week, at least after I graduated out of hourly pay. Even in managing commercial food service I wound up working at least 50 hours. Biggest advantage was getting two day off a week! I remember working with one chief at the Maisonette in Cincinnati and he started at 6:00 AM and did not leave till midnight five and frequently six days a week. And I think he had like 5 kids, never did figure out how he managed to have 5 kids working that much! Of course they came in for dinner several times a week, so he did see them. And he did leave during the day to run errands. But I guess that is how you maintain a Mobil 5 star rating for 41 years in a row.

 

[salingwithmugen]

Try Southport nc it is hard being a cheff and living on a boat you work 50 to 80 hr a week