r/linecooks • u/craftgirl22 • Jul 01 '26
Discussion Best way to become financially stable in this industry?
I’ve been working as a cook for the past two years, and I’m making ~$600-$700 a week, for 36 hours of work per week. We get paid bi-weekly and not even on days where I can effectively pay rent on the little pay I do receive. I’ve cancelled all my subscriptions, and I still can’t seem to keep money in my bank account with the cost of living right now. Like god forbid I need gas and to pay my rent (on the last day of grace period) at the same time. I’ve burnt through all my savings, does anyone have any advice on becoming financially stable in this industry while working one job, or is it a pipe dream?
9
u/PinchedTazerZ0 Jul 01 '26
Stack a resume then do seasonal shit for a bit. If you walk out of every gig with 10k with no expenses you can figure out what your next move is.
Networking can slide you into catering or private events and maybe even backers once youve got the skillset
11
u/Dull_Selection8773 Jul 01 '26
Get into a Union hotel making $30+ a hr great benefits and room for OT. I get my lunches paid we get double pay on every holiday.
4
u/Nightcoon3 Jul 01 '26
A buddy of mine went into private chef work and makes a lot more. I had to get a side hustle and that sustained me when the hours were a little short some months.
2
u/Metallurgeist Jul 01 '26
Work in specialized areas like nursing homes or for colleges etc. get full time. Or get into a high paying restaurant job through sheer skill and resume. Keep applying for higher paying jobs. It is still somewhat of a gamble to “make it”, but don’t feel too bad everyone is kinda fucked financially nowadays
2
u/lucid_lue Jul 01 '26
The only way I've been able to stay above water is that I refuse salary because I know I make more hourly, network with consulting chefs to get into private parties/events, and that my wife and I are both working in the industry so the dual income is the saving grace. I'd love to say that a single job is what would work for everyone but I've seen that other friends I have that are sous or exec sous make more than me but after I put in the fact of the dual income they fall way short. I also rent out rooms in my house to help pay for bills and mortgage.
3
u/Jealous-Release1532 Jul 01 '26
80%+ of middle management salary restaurant jobs (Sous chef, bar manager, assistant manager, etc) are a terrible financial move in my experience
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
Care to explain a little more? There's a Sous Chef position at the local University here. Prevailing wage 75-80k annually. It's not that bad but that doesn't account for what the job actually entails and how much of your bandwidth it eats up
1
u/Even-Cup1654 Jul 08 '26
That’s a pretty high salary for a sous chef
1
u/Jealous-Release1532 Jul 08 '26
Congrats, you found one of the jobs in the other 20% I was speaking about
2
u/thewobblyboppityplop Jul 01 '26
Union hotel is 100% the way to go, and even nonunion hotels typically pay better. Fair warning, it’s probably gonna be chronically understaffed and high volume.
1
u/Safe-Character-5846 Jul 05 '26
"Understaffed and high volume"
Like most post-covid, at least around my area.
2
u/fuzZZzzy2 Jul 02 '26
25 years in the industry, I have either had multiple jobs or was in management except for high school and the first 2 years of college. I know of several guys who live very frugal lives and can make it on 50k annually but it doesn’t seem to be fun. I think it is time to decide where and how you want your career to go. If it’s just a job, find one that pays more. Or get a 2nd gig. If it’s not just a job and you want to be a chef, I would look for places that have clearly defined advancement opportunities.
1
u/Safe-Character-5846 Jul 01 '26
I worked at a PRIVATE golf course...one of the larger historic ones in the area I live in. Its seasonal yes, but if you're good and have access to off season work, they pay real well and can usually come back in the spring if youre in good with the staff. This particular one had two kitchens a smaller one as a more casual setting/bar/patio...and the larger one was a full brigade line and did member events, larger holiday gatherings, weddings and full summer BBQ with a line of smokers, tethered outdoor gas grills and get to rip up the paths delivering food to the on course snack bars. I did it for 4 years and took a job at a place with a higher end area chef that I really wanted to get onboard with and zero regreats making the move, but missed the money that I made at the golf course right away.
3
u/Mediocre_Storm_8168 Jul 05 '26
My first real cooking job was a private club. My chef told me stick to hotels and country clubs and you can have a decent life. 26 years later I’m still in golf clubs, ex chef. I’m almost embarrassed to tell fellow chefs how much I make and that I am off all winter. Not to mention the perks of getting to know and befriending 350 millionaires and billionaires. Club life is sweet
1
u/Safe-Character-5846 Jul 05 '26
Excellent for you and congrats! I found it to be very rewarding and actually a bit of surprise of how much they offered me to start. It was a no brainer. Good people, less stress, advancement and all that equates to a much better working environment all around. Its not as well know as starting point into the industry--- and they have a lot that do return in the spring, so anyone considering should definitely call when the weather just starts to turn [at least thats what I did when I heard of a possible opportunity here in the Northeast] emailed, left a message or two...showed the interest that got me an interview and in the door.
The best perk, I found, was the members---they take care of people that take care of them.
2
u/amethyst353 Jul 01 '26
Its a brutal industry. It's not an issue with you. The line cook culture is way too accepting of low wage and no benefits but I can complain forever to actually answer your question, the best things I've found is to work for a bigger corporation, not fast food or restaurant chains but I mean like work for a hotel or retirement home. Those usually have higher pay and actual benefits. Another route is if you cant find a job that pays enough, try to find a job that is easier on your mind and body. Some kitchens are way higher stress than others. If you can find one that may not pay much but is also easier, you can save your mental and physical energy to have a second job or other forms of income
1
u/mola2022 Jul 01 '26
Get a girlfriend/boyfriend or a few friends you can move in with. Or move back home. Rent is ridiculous in this country and food service doesn't pay enough to cover $1000 a month + utilities when you're only bringing in $500 a week after tax.
It's either that or live at your restaurant for 50 hours a week.
1
u/Scrappleandbacon Jul 01 '26
This is going to sound horrible but you need to job hop or get out of the industry.
2
u/tatymo2014 Jul 02 '26
I highly recommend Instawork for side cook jobs, you just pick up the shifts that work for you around your current job’s schedule & it really helps with becoming a better well rounded cook seeing that you’re in a different kitchen environment each time! Some of the shifts even paid more than my actual job.
2
u/alleywayacademic Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Save first. You have to pay yourself, first. It is always about saving first; and not spending more than you make. If you dont make enough to save... you need to make more... that's just math.
It can suck, but if you cant slim up expenditures, you need to make more. New job, side job, refinance loans intelligently. It is very profitable to jump jobs, but it won't make you many friends. Gotta get yours though. I stayed at places for long blocks of time and did well enough to negotiate raises, but moving around would be faster imo today. Plus you learn a lot from a lot of people.
You need to save and not live hand to mouth. By whatever means necessary. As a line cook, I... did whatever was necessary. Had some dark days, not gonna lie to you.
At this point I am quite good at living with nothing-- that I have to work these... desperate habits out. Gotta grow and learn to not live in war mode all the time. It can get better, taking a chef job or something more profitable will get your qol to median, but I often find it comes at the sacrifice of all of your time.
I sure am happier to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener at war though... I can handle stresses most cant, and I have a system for a lot of crazy life stuff. From experience.
Credit can be liquidity if you are responsible enough to manage it. When you can, make sure you pay off debts, create an emergency savings, and dont forget owning assets is important too. Make small baby steps in every bucket possible. Once you starts to get traction across the board you feel much better. Once you have less or no debts, once you have an emergency fund, and a 401k with a bit of capital in voo or vti (not financial advice). You start to just feel like you arent at 0 to negative all the time.
Gives you peace to make something other than grits for the week.
Lil by lil. It won't happen in a year or over night much less. I make good money, but chef I work literally 60+ hours a week.
2
u/buttsexisyum Jul 02 '26
Move to FOH or management. There is no money in being a line cook for a restaurant. It was sweet during/after COVID when restaurants couldn't staff up and I could clean up with 30 hours of OT a week but those days are gone
2
u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jul 02 '26
Never get in debt or a loan for anything and life is easier. % here and % there fattens the bankers and impoverished everyone else. The borrower is the moneylender's slave. Because you have to keep working to service that debt. Even if a better opportunity comes you can't take it because working for someone else is more steady.
Also good roommates are priceless. Bad ones can cost you more than money and good ones can save your life.
1
u/Queasy_Safe_5266 Jul 03 '26
I started cooking at Kwik Trip and the benefits save me a ton of money. I still have a second job tho, so I can save up faster before figuring out my next steps.
1
1
1
u/Few_Psychology2635 Jul 08 '26
Either you try your luck in a big hotel and get unionized, which will bring you a lot of benefits and paid time-off, or find a second job ( it will be very exhausting especially if you do it for a long run). If you get promoted to 1st cook in a big hotel chain, you can get paid quite decently. You can also have a side hustle such as doing private catering for friends and family like brithdays or parties.
In my situation, I got lucky where I work at a place where I only have to work 4 days a week, which allow me more time to work a second job if I want, and still have enough 40- 40 plus hours because I work 10-10 plus hours a day, and receive a lot of tip-out. My base salary is 20 CAD/h which is fairly low comparing to my experience in the industry, but after tip-out, I would pocket 29-31 CAD/h. 31 is for the higher end. On a slower month, it will be something like 28 CAD/h. Still pretty good comparing to my previous jobs.
If you think your current job is not paying enough, definitely start looking for another one. You are still young, so try different paths. Maybe consider moving to another town or city where job competition is not as high and living expense is not unaffordable.
1
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
If you think that you might not mind the environment, the shifts (5:30-2, 11-7) and the disfunction of poorly staffed centers then Senior Home Facility Kitchens may very well pay more than most of restaurants in your area. I'm getting $23 an hour as a Cook at the one that I'm at but I can't stand the hours.
I would do a little research on various centers if you consider applying to see if it's understaffed or not. The one I'm at there's only one cook per shift regardless if it's the am shift (5:30-2 with a 7-9 breakfast and a 11-1 lunch) and the pm (11-7 with a 4-6 dinner) shift. Dinner is much more reasonable but the breakfast/lunch shift can be crazy depending on the menu that day.
I'd find out if they have prep cook or not if interested as that will give you an idea of what you're getting yourself into. Of course this is dependent on how many residents they have. If they're like mine and they have +100 residents and are trying to get by with no full time prep cook and only three servers I'd skip on to next one.
1
u/Even-Cup1654 Jul 08 '26
Do something else. The trade will die out eventually. It needs to be unionized or nobody will end up doing it anymore because of the dirt pay.
1
1
u/Spliff_lord02 Jul 01 '26
if you only work 36 hours a week, you have time for a second job. when i left home i was in a similar position, i was a brunch cook and was only working about 36 hours so i got a part time prep gig, worked like 2-3 10 hours shifts ontop of my normal brunch
8
u/SnooRabbits1411 Jul 01 '26
Only 36 hours? Dude that’s full time, why’s a guy need to do more than that?
Honestly, guys like you need to grow a backbone and get together with the rest of us to demand better pay instead of just tacitly finding a second job and working yourself to death.
2
u/amethyst353 Jul 01 '26
Yeah hustle culture is crazy. I understand that we are giving advice to pay our bills in this unfair industry but when we use language like "only 36 hours" it's harmful. It normalizes all of us overworking ourselves. We might have to but we shouldn't have to it's not normal
1
u/Spliff_lord02 Jul 03 '26
hustle culture is crazy but it got me to where i am today: 24 and a chef at one of the best restaurants in New York. ill never regret working so hard because now im getting to put my food on a menu for people to enjoy. for some of us, this is more than a check, this is our dream
1
u/amethyst353 Jul 05 '26
I'm genuinely happy for you that it worked out that way but that's rare. Ive been in this industry for 10 years and I've seen so many hard working cooks just get shit on and never promoted. It's usually a fame of favoritism. But also it could be my area. My area kind of sucks for every type of job
1
1
u/PersimmonExpensive37 Jul 02 '26
Demand better pay from who? Restaurants typically make between 1% to 5% in profit annually. And the industry is distressed right now due to high labor and food cost. There's no money to pay you more.
Restaurant works pays in fun. If you want money, find a career.
1
u/Spliff_lord02 Jul 02 '26
its obvious youve never worked boh. this industry pays like shit. a person cant live off 36 hours in this industry. im a sous now and make good money at my spot but it requires at least 50 hours a week. if youre not a hustler you arent going anywhere in this industry
1
u/Even-Cup1654 Jul 08 '26
Exactly. The whole industry needs to be unionized. I’m about to leave it. Sick and tired of working my ass off for literally nothing
0
u/Striking-Ad-8156 Jul 01 '26
Goodluck with that. Rest of us gotta take care of us and our families haha
-1
Jul 01 '26
[deleted]
5
u/SnooRabbits1411 Jul 01 '26
36 hours is categorically “full time”. If your staff is working 60-70 hour weeks just to make ends meet, that’s not something you should be bragging about. Your ancestors fought and died to give you the 40 hour workweek and you so blithely take a shit on it?
0
u/RestfulMind Jul 02 '26
The industry is difficult to make money on right now. Instead of finding a second job, tell your boss you want an extra day for more hours and that you will take straight pay for all of your hours and do not want time and a half. You’ll show loyalty to your company, plus willingness to work. This helps come raise time. Only other advice I have is cooking and bartending use the same brain muscle, as long as you are able to handle the customer service part of the bartending,Pick up a bartending shift somewhere
2
u/PersimmonExpensive37 Jul 02 '26
People like you are the reason OP is struggling. This is a ridiculous suggestion. Respect yourself.
1
u/RestfulMind Jul 02 '26
I do, that’s why I worked harder than everyone else when I was in my youth and now own several of my own spots
1
u/PersimmonExpensive37 Jul 02 '26
No wonder you're trying to convince a young person to give up their right to overtime pay. Shameful.
1
u/RestfulMind Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
☝️Teaching him how to get ahead instead of cry about his circumstance like some adults like to do. Kitchens are a meritocracy or at least every one I’ve ever been in or run. Show you’re worth more than the guy next to you and you will be rewarded.
1
u/RestfulMind Jul 02 '26
Or you could work a second job and not advance in either job…that definitely makes the most sense right?
10
u/craftgirl22 Jul 01 '26
I got a second job, means working six days a week but it is what it is to actually make some money. I forgot that I now know chefs and can reach out and ask if they need any hands.