Do you still enjoy cooking after working?

In the beginning I found it exteremely hard to still enjoy cooking after working very long hours but I realized no matter how tired I was that I still enjoyed cooking. Cooking isn't just a job or hobby but it is who I am. When I am cooking a meal it's done out of love and passion. Cooking has taught me so many things over the years but it has given me a purpose and vision to explore all areas of cooking. Creating meals for my family has given me an accomplishment I didn't think I could achieve, it has taught me think out side of the box and create food that will leave a imprint in the lives of others. When I learned to embrace my true passion for cooking it taught me that I can accomplish anything that I put my mind to do. I gave up the dead end jobs to forfill my passion for cooking. At the present moment I am a private chef as well as an author. Never give up on your dreams no matter how far away they may seem.

Cooking is about passion and love. I enjoy cooking all the time whether it be at work, at home, or for family and friends. I understand the being tired and worn out is an understandable side effect to this profession. I just remind myself that my family and friends are customers just like the one you serve in a restaurant. Come on, how long does it take to make a nice breakfast for you spouse or partner? How long does it take to make cupcakes for your son's/daughter's birthday? Prepare an appetizer for a friends or family party? I will be honest with you the love and attention is worth the extra work.

I’ve always enjoyed cooking for others rather than cooking for myself. My enjoyment has always come from satisfying others through food. Even when you’re tired, if you’re passionate, it’s never too difficult to make great food.

Hey Paul,

I do enjoy cooking after doing it for work when I get home. I cook for my family and I live in New Jersey where they have some of the most amazing farms and produce from May to October and I thoroughly enjoy using those foods because they are so flavorful. I also get my children involved in the process of cooking so they know how to cook as well. Hope this helps. Good luck!!!

Chris

Comes and goes. I always live to cook but after long and consecutive shifts I’m pretty happy to let someone else cook

I still love to cook. I cook almost every day. I still am inspired by new flavors, experiences and healthy trends. I like to play in the kitchen. I cook after working all day. I did not cook after working all day when I was a young line cook and closing the kitchen. I still cooked on my days off though.

I love cooking after work at home for my family. It’s very gratifying to serve my family after serving the public all day.

Yes

It is hard to get sick of working with food, if you truly interested in food. Working in the kitchen is very hard, it require both physical and mental fitness all day, but seeing the food production end result is such a satisfying feeling.

Do I still want to cook when I got home?! Most of the time I do, just to make something simple and delicious to satisfy my stomach. On my day off, I am as excited to make some creation that I have going in my mind, can't wait to see it come to life and able to taste it.

There's many things you can specialized in culinary, besides being in culinary or baking, food science is a good area to explore as well. Culinary and food science combination can lead to another exciting career path.

Paul,

This is a great question. Sometimes I'll get the creative bug and spend three hours cooking at home after 14 hours at work. Other times all I want to do is kick off my shoes and have Thai food delivered. The food industry demands a lot from those of us lucky enough to have careers here, and at times it can be exhausting. That being said, this industry is as rewarding as it is challanging.

Again, great question. Hope to see you in the field.

-N

If I work a super long day, I end up eating food that I had prepared for work (chef's privilege to take a plate home) or I'll just have a peanut and butter sandwich. I have been cooking for a living for 40 years and still love it!

Hi Paul, great question! If I'm going to spend time cooking something it would be on my days off. When you work as a Chef you will be too tired after work to really want to cook anything, that would also depend on if the place you work at serves real food or not real food. For me, being in my work is where I'm able to invest my creativity, time, and effort with regards to the culinary arts.

Yes. Cooking has always been a way of connecting with family and friends. It does not have to be a time-consuming endeavor; you can prepare a healthy, delicious meal with only a handful of ingredients and 30 minutes. Find some go-to recipes that you enjoy, and build off of the techniques they use.

A good reference is Jamie Oliver's '5 Ingredients' (the corresponding show is on Hulu), as well as the website Serious Eats.

Yes, one can never be less passionate about their perspective field of work they enjoy doing, and whenever there is an opportunity to express one's self, you find yourself doing what you love. In my case, working as a chef on a rig/boat/ferry etc, I've always found myself in the midst of friends and family and there can never be a doll moment when it comes to food, because each day we learn something new in the kitchen, whether its experimental or method cooking, applying new techniques also educating my love one around me of how much fun and how easy it is to cook with whatever you have around you.

Yes, I love going home and preparing a meal for my family. Love to put together a meal that reflects the passion I have for food and freshness.

While my work day is usually 10 hours of cooking all day, I prefer not to go home and cook some more. If there is a special event, I'm happy to go home and cook

Hi there Paul G.! That's a question I think a lot of us in the field are asked. I can honestly say yes - I still love and enjoy cooking even after working in a kitchen all day. It's all about cooking for the people you love after work, so even the simplest of meals is still very rewarding. Something like a great homemade soup and a loaf of homemade bread can seem like a feast if it's made with love and enjoyed with the right person. The key is not letting anything dull your passion for food or the enjoyment you get out of cooking. Good luck to you! ;)