What are the working hours of a full time chef?
Asked by Rong R
I just want to get an idea of the working hours of a full time chef in North America, or where you are. I know that in Japan, a lot of chefs work from 8:30am to 11:30pm! They also only get a 1 hour break only. I want to get an idea of general working hours of chefs from whatever country you know about. Please state which country you are answering for and the hours.

Best Answer:
I am a former chef from Canada, and alot depends on the type of operation you in and the position you hold or achieve, a station chef or cook in North America work a standard 40 hours per week with 2 days off and like in Japan any breaks or lunch period if available, alot is determined by the business and how much time is available to do this. I was a sous chef in many types of establishment around the world and did 9 months in Japan at a Canadian owned hotel back in the 1980's, plus I also worked here in Canada, Jamaica and Singapore, and with a job in a supervisory level, your paid a salary and work sometimes 48-60 hours per week, have the same days off, not in a row sometimes and the same perks and benefits as the other kitchen staff. In all the country's I worked including your's, it is very similar for all of us in the trade, like other businesses it is alot like school you have to work within the confines of the system, I never had the urge to have my own business, I liked the advantage of moving when I want, stayed single and never married, my job was my wife and lover, and had 20+ years of enjoyment before health problems required me to step back and remove myself from the food trade, but all around the world we all toil for the good of the cause.

The answer above is pretty comprehensive. I too was a chef in Canada and worked in several top notch restaurants. I attended two years of chef school then apprenticed. I worked my way up from first comis in the sauce section to a sous chef position. I now own my own restaurant. I never worked less than twelve hours a day. The good news is that I never worked more than eighteen hours a day for more than 32 days straight. That is the life of a chef. If you are concerned about the hours like those in Japan then consider another vocation. Remember, when you are starting out that you are working to learn. Paying your dues if you will. Remember that the people who are teaching you have gone through a lot to become as good as they are and you have to earn the education they can give you. The pay will probably suck too and when you punch the clock after your eight hour shift there will be someone like me still busting it out. Two weeks later, that guy like me is going to be telling you what to do because he got the promotion. Read two good books by Michael Ruhlman "The Making of a Chef" and "The Soul of a Chef". They will shed some light on what to expect.
Answered by Paul J