Love What You Do

About the Book

Starting or changing careers can be an intimidating process. For those seeking their first job, there is much to learn, while career changers may face doubts about their options or obstacles in pursuing their dream. LOVE WHAT YOU DO demystifies the career decision process and guides readers through the steps of any job hunt. It also helps people prepare for, and find, careers of all kinds in the culinary world.

LOVE WHAT YOU DO begins with DECIDING, where we ask readers to do a thorough self-inventory to uncover their goals, passions, strengths and weaknesses. In this section, we emphasize the importance of experience and credentials, especially during tough economic times. We also focus on how to handle the obstacles and doubts that are an inevitable part of any new endeavor.

Section II, TRAINING, outlines the steps needed to begin a successful culinary career. Both culinary school and on-the-job training are discussed as possible options. We identify what to look for in a culinary program and how to apply. We also explore paid and non-paid positions available within the industry. Finally, we look at salaries and budgets.

The final section, LAUNCHING, is all about jobs. We help readers decide what kinds of positions might be best for their needs and interests and how to conduct an effective job hunt, also including jobs outside the kitchen such as food blogging and food television production. We outline what to expect in the first year in the industry and how to excel. The book concludes with profiles of three culinary entrepreneurs and a brief introduction to jobs that are community-oriented.

Interspersed throughout the book are brief profiles of people in the culinary world as well as facts, exercises and quotes from prominent chefs.

About the Author

Dorothy Cann Hamilton Dorothy Cann Hamilton, CEO of the International Culinary Center (ICC), is one of the most influential forces shaping the American culinary landscape today. Thirty years ago, Hamilton founded the school in Manhattan as The French Culinary Institute. Today, it has grown to be one of the world’s leading centers for culinary education with additional campuses in California and Italy. ICC has world-renowned chefs as its deans including Jacques Pépin, José Andrés, Jacques Torres, as well as more than 15,000 notable alumni hailing from more than 80 countries, including chefs Bobby Flay, David Chang, Wylie Dufresne, Dan Barber, and Christina Tosi. A true entrepreneurial educator and culinary leader, Hamilton was selected to serve as President of the USA Pavilion at the 2015 World Expo in Milan. Together with the James Beard Foundation, she will curate 7,000 various cultural programs and events that will take place at the Pavilion, whose main goal is to showcase U.S. leadership in the global food arena and highlight the country’s role in advancing culinary sustainability. Hamilton has received remarkable accolades, including “Entrepreneur of the Year” from the International Association of Culinary Professionals; “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America” from the James Beard Foundation; “Silver Spoon” from Food Arts magazine; “Outstanding American Educator” from Madrid Fusion; and many more. Hamilton is an author and creator and host of Chef’s Story, a weekly radio program on the Heritage Radio Network and a 26-part television series. After graduating with a B.A. honors degree from Newscastle-upon-Tyne in England, she spent three years in the Peace Corps, and later earned an M.B.A. from the Stern School and NYU. Hamilton is a graduate of the OPM program at Harvard Business School. Lisa Cornelio Lisa Cornelio is a freelance writer and educational consultant who has worked with hundreds of students and their families in the college admissions process, helping to select schools, prepare for interviews, and complete applications. After graduating with a B.A. in English from Princeton University, she joined The Princeton Review, where she became a master instructor, teaching classes, training instructors, and writing and editing materials for the international test preparation company. She left the company in 1997 but continues to coach students for standardized tests and tutor academic subjects. Love What You Do is her second career guide. Christopher J. Papagni, PhD Christopher Papagni was former School Director and Vice President of Student Affairs at the International Culinary Center. Dr. Papagni has enjoyed a long career in education with previous positions at Marymount Manhattan College, New York University, and Hofstra University. Dr. Papagni holds a master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina, earned his PhD at New York University, and studied classic culinary arts at The French Culinary Institute. He currently serves on the Scholarship Committee for The James Beard Foundation and The IACP Culinary Trust and the Board for The American International Wine and Food Foundation.