Five years at the same place has me thinking about chef loyalty versus new experiences.

I've cooked at Luigi's for half a decade now, and the owner wants me to sign on for two more years. Part of me feels deep pride in our dishes and the crew feels like family. The other part sees chefs I trained with opening cool pop-ups or leading kitchens in other towns. Staying means I master every detail here and get a steady paycheck. Leaving could let me learn modern techniques or different regional styles I'm missing. But I also fear the grass isn't always greener and I might regret walking away from a good thing. Is it better for a cook to dig roots deep in one spot or to gather skills from many kitchens over time? I'd love to hear how other chefs have handled this choice.

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1 Comment

keith_thomas2949m ago

Consider how your skills might deepen somewhere completely new.