I'm a licensed electrician, recently diagnosed with an auto immune disorder that basically makes me extremely vulnerable to the elements, and getting sick.. Sadly that means I can't continue to work in the construction trade... But ive always seen 1 door closed is another door opened..

My true passion always has been culinary, and when I say that, I don't speak lightly.. I love experimenting, everything from traditional french cuisine like piperade, to more american fusion foods like smoked salmon deviled eggs.. I just love to cook..

My biggest question from those who are in the trade... Where do I start normally? Cold line? School? Any advice would help.

pot washing and/or school would be the place to start.

but the culinary world is pretty tough physically depending what youre doing. depending on exactly what kind of auto immune disorder you have it might not be a good idea either.

I'm not worried about the physicality of the work.. With my meds, I'm 100% healthy. My immune system is just weak from my meds.

So basically just a starter position in the kitchen is the best bet?

E: I thrive in stressful situations, ex military, construction etc.

This post was edited by ozzyarmy3 on Feb 10 2015 04:26pm

i dont mean just that its physically demanding. its also high-pressure to go to work even if youre sick, unless youre so sick you cant stand. so you might have a higher chance of being around contagions.

I don't mean to be rude, but I'm fairly sure I know my body well enough to know what I can and can't do. My disease isn't unmanageable, lol.

The difference between me and you is that if you get sick, drink some thermaflu and get over it. If I get sick, I go to the ER. Every field has its risks health wise.

I feel it would be more of a push toward cleanliness more so than anything else lol.

im not telling you what you can and cant do. im just making you aware of potential risks that could make it more likely for you to end up in the ER.

What he's saying is other people around you will not call in sick, they will come to work sick.

Every profession requires some sort of sacrafice.. Being around sick people won't make me sick, as long as I follow protocol that EVERY person should, such as washing hands and covering mouths etc.

This argument is irrelevant and not pertinent to my decision lol. I literally want to know what the best steps are to get into this trade.

The most important thing is experience, who you've worked with etc etc. Try and get an entry level job at a nice restaurant and work your way up. School is another option. There's a lengthy debate over which way is better, but I've always preferred working.

I'm lucky enough to be in sort of a town that's a foodie mecca so to speak.. A lot of up and coming resteraunts, even a 1 or 2 star michelin rated chef that owns his own place out here.. Lots of gastropubs and lots of brew pubs, so getting my feet wet shouldnt be a problem. As for formal training, I feel like maybe some basic culinary courses might be a smart choice.

I don't know for sure about this specific trade, but in most trades, OJT always outweighs formal training.