--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So you want to be a chef? You really…" description: "\"“So you want to be a chef? You really, really, really want to be a chef? If you've been working in another line of business, have been accustomed to wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/anthony-bourdain-649_business_so-you-want-to-be-a-chef-you-really-real_990386.jpg" --- # So you want to be a chef? You really, really, really want… ![“So you want to be a chef? You really, really, really want to be a chef? If you've been working in another line of business, have been accustomed to working eight-to-nine-hour days, weekends and evenings off, holidays with the family, regular sex with your significant other; if you are used to…” quote by Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/anthony-bourdain-649_business_so-you-want-to-be-a-chef-you-really-real_990386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/anthony-bourdain-649_business_so-you-want-to-be-a-chef-you-really-real_990386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56f/anthony-bourdain-649_business_so-you-want-to-be-a-chef-you-really-real_990386.jpg) > ““So you want to be a chef? You really, really, really want to be a chef? If you've been working in another line of business, have been accustomed to working eight-to-nine-hour days, weekends and evenings off, holidays with the family, regular sex with your significant other; if you are used to being treated with some modicum of dignity, spoken to and interacted with as a human being, seen as an equal — a sensitive, multidimensional entity with hopes, dreams, aspirations and opinions, the sort of qualities you'd expect of most working persons — then maybe you should reconsider what you'll be facing when you graduate from whatever six-month course put this nonsense in your head to start with.”” [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that culinary training demands intense, low‑pay work and loss of personal dignity, unlike many other professions. **In simple terms:** Chef life is hard, low‑pay, and demanding. Key Takeaway Respect the grind before committing. Themes career reality commitment dignity expectations Mood cautious realistic serious Type advice warning When to use this quote - culinary school - first job - career switch - family planning Key Concepts labor economics work‑life balance professional identity Questions to Reflect On - Are you prepared for long hours and low pay? - What boundaries will you set for personal respect? A Different Perspective The quote may over‑generalize; some kitchens value staff dignity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspirations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspirations/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a chef, so I really like knowing where my food is coming from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-burtka/i-m-a-chef-so-i-really-like-knowing-where-my-food-is-coming-from/) [David Burtka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-burtka/) > [I don't consider myself a rock star chef, I really don't. I cook for a living and I try to help out as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-irvine/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-rock-star-chef-i-really-don-t-i-cook-for-a/) [Robert Irvine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-irvine/) > [I like the idea of being so passionate about everything I do and the fact that I might wake up tomorrow and say 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-graham/i-like-the-idea-of-being-so-passionate-about-everything-i-do-and-the/) [Kat Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-graham/) > [Becoming the first Indian woman to compete on Food Network's 'Iron Chef' and 'Next Iron Chef' was really a great accomplishment and led to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maneet-chauhan/becoming-the-first-indian-woman-to-compete-on-food-network-s-iron/) [Maneet Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maneet-chauhan/) > [“Your book is awesome! It makes me want to go out and become a chef!” Henry C. Smith, San Francisco April 2014”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-vivienne-kruger/your-book-is-awesome-it-makes-me-want-to-go-out-and-become-a-chef/) Dr. Vivienne Kruger > [I'm not an actress; I'm not a singer. I guess I'm in the entertainment industry, but I'm in a different category. Hopefully, a young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/i-m-not-an-actress-i-m-not-a-singer-i-guess-i-m-in-the-entertainment/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [“His and hers?" "No," he says. "I don't care which, but make sure there's no difference in the plates. I'd rather the chef not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/his-and-hers-no-he-says-i-don-t-care-which-but-make-sure-there-s-no/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [Whatever you do, do with determination. You have one life to live; do your work with passion and give your best. Whether you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alia-bhatt/whatever-you-do-do-with-determination-you-have-one-life-to-live-do/) [Alia Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alia-bhatt/) > [In 10 years, I don't really know what I'll be, and I like not having any idea. I like the idea of being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-graham/in-10-years-i-don-t-really-know-what-i-ll-be-and-i-like-not-having/) [Kat Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-graham/) > [Tokyo would probably be the foreign city if I had to eat one city's food for the rest of my life, every day. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/tokyo-would-probably-be-the-foreign-city-if-i-had-to-eat-one-city-s/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I travel 250 days a year. There are chef friends who I only see every couple of years. By conventional standards I'm a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-travel-250-days-a-year-there-are-chef-friends-who-i-only-see-every/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I like the fact that Melbourne always seems to support their chefs and promote them in ways I find really admirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-like-the-fact-that-melbourne-always-seems-to-support-their-chefs/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [As a chef I’m not your dietitian or your ethicist, I’m in the pleasure business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/as-a-chef-i-m-not-your-dietitian-or-your-ethicist-i-m-in-the-pleasure/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I'm a decent cook; I'm a decent chef. None of my friends would ever have hired me at any point in my career. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-m-a-decent-cook-i-m-a-decent-chef-none-of-my-friends-would-ever/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“Having a sous-chef with excellent cooking skills and a criminal mind is one of God's great gifts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/having-a-sous-chef-with-excellent-cooking-skills-and-a-criminal-mind/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) ## More by Anthony Bourdain > [Everything important I learned, I learned as a dishwasher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/everything-important-i-learned-i-learned-as-a-dishwasher/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [ \[When I die\], I will decidedly not be regretting missed opportunities for a good time. My regrets will be more along the lines of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/when-i-die-i-will-decidedly-not-be-regretting-missed-opportunities/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I'm at my most productive before I even have my first cup of coffee. I only get slower and stupider as the day progresses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-m-at-my-most-productive-before-i-even-have-my-first-cup-of-coffee-i/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [The Italians seem to have a better attitude with kids and the food is great!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/the-italians-seem-to-have-a-better-attitude-with-kids-and-the-food-is/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [Just because I like sushi, doesn't mean I can make sushi. I've come to well understand how many years just to get sushi rice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/just-because-i-like-sushi-doesn-t-mean-i-can-make-sushi-i-ve-come-to/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [At the end of the day, the TV show is the best job in the world. I get to go anywhere I want, eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/at-the-end-of-the-day-the-tv-show-is-the-best-job-in-the-world-i-get/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I've sat in sushi bars, really fine ones, and I know how hard this guy worked, how proud he is. I know you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-ve-sat-in-sushi-bars-really-fine-ones-and-i-know-how-hard-this-guy/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“What’s the most frightening thing to a child? The pain of being the outsider, of looking ridiculous to others, of being teased or picked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/what-s-the-most-frightening-thing-to-a-child-the-pain-of-being-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“I saw how three or four ingredients, as long as they are of the highest and freshest quality, can be combined in a straightforward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-saw-how-three-or-four-ingredients-as-long-as-they-are-of-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [My mom had Julia Child and 'The Fannie Farmer Cookbook' on top of the refrigerator, and she had a small repertoire of French dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/my-mom-had-julia-child-and-the-fannie-farmer-cookbook-on-top-of-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [If you go to working class, and working poor areas of America, the food sources that are relegated to them are generally limited to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/if-you-go-to-working-class-and-working-poor-areas-of-america-the-food/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [You realize after you travel enough that there's some things that, no matter how good you are at making television, no matter how good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/you-realize-after-you-travel-enough-that-there-s-some-things-that-no/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“Imagine… There’s a roast goose in Hong Kong—Mongkok, near the outskirts of the city, the place looks like any other. But you sink your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/imagine-there-s-a-roast-goose-in-hong-kong-mongkok-near-the-outskirts/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/if-i-m-an-advocate-for-anything-it-s-to-move-as-far-as-you-can-as/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“The essence of cool, after all, is not giving a fuck. And let’s face it: I most definitely give a fuck now. I give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/the-essence-of-cool-after-all-is-not-giving-a-fuck-and-let-s-face-it/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) [Explore all 428 Anthony Bourdain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) ## More Aspirations quotes > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I'm not walking around saying I am the best in the world but I'll always have aspirations to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsdale/i-m-not-walking-around-saying-i-am-the-best-in-the-world-but-i-ll/) [Aaron Ramsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsdale/) > [For 20 years, I've been running an institute in Chennai where serious dancers from Kerala come with aspirations of becoming professional dancers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shobana/for-20-years-i-ve-been-running-an-institute-in-chennai-where-serious/) [Shobana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shobana/) > [“All beings begin their lives with hope and aspirations. Among these aspirations is the desire that there will be a straight path to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-zahn/all-beings-begin-their-lives-with-hope-and-aspirations-among-these/) [Timothy Zahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-zahn/) > [I've definitely become smuttier. When I first started out, I had these aspirations: 'I'm not going to do jokes about anything crude because I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-whitehall/i-ve-definitely-become-smuttier-when-i-first-started-out-i-had-these/) [Jack Whitehall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-whitehall/) > [I want to make sure that I fulfill the aspirations of the Gabonese people: to have access to a better life, job opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-bongo-ondimba/i-want-to-make-sure-that-i-fulfill-the-aspirations-of-the-gabonese/) [Ali Bongo Ondimba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-bongo-ondimba/) > [“The vision of life is not a "discovery"; it's a "work" and whatever position you occupy demands work. Your life may not be built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-vision-of-life-is-not-a-discovery-it-s-a-work-and-whatever/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A family needs to work as a team, supporting each other's individual aims and aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/a-family-needs-to-work-as-a-team-supporting-each-other-s-individual/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [The powers, aspirations, and mission of man are such as to raise the study of his origin and nature, inevitably and by the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-owen/the-powers-aspirations-and-mission-of-man-are-such-as-to-raise-the/) [Richard Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-owen/) > [“Betsy was so full of joy that she had to be alone. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat down on Uncle Keith's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-hart-lovelace/betsy-was-so-full-of-joy-that-she-had-to-be-alone-she-went-upstairs/) [Maud Hart Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-hart-lovelace/) > [When I joined films, I was clueless about the industry and had no aspirations to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-swami/when-i-joined-films-i-was-clueless-about-the-industry-and-had-no/) [Arvind Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-swami/) > [Every little kid that steps on the court or the field has aspirations to go pro. I think being a pro basketball player is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/every-little-kid-that-steps-on-the-court-or-the-field-has-aspirations/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/the-most-absurd-and-reckless-aspirations-have-sometimes-led-to/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Sometimes fulfilling your dreams and aspirations means being a part of helping others fulfill theirs. In the end, we rise or fall together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-fulfilling-your-dreams-and-aspirations-means-being-a-part/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your aspirations to shreds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/my-chemical-romance/your-aspirations-to-shreds/) [My Chemical Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/my-chemical-romance/) [Browse all 511 Aspirations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspirations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So you want to be a chef? You really, really, really want to be a chef? 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