if you r a chef at 32yo, that is good, but you are start training now, 2 years diploma in culinary is nothing, street full of them in their late teens, full of spirit and restless life in comparing to a 32yo uncle, omg...guys please lah, if he really wants to make it, a diploma is nothing, he needs to go overseas to train and then get a degree in about 4 years, total, 32+2y diploma + 4y degree + another 3 y of learning or apprentice, that will be 41yo, on the way, need to think of marriage, family and kids. It will be very stressful and may end up with nothing or give up.
Longlife learning i certainly do not oppose, but dun just go on learning the wrong thing in life, you need to do a training needs analysis on what you actually want, your profile, your character, the internal and external enivorment before embark on something to learn and be successful. Chef is certainly to me, not to start at your age, you saw those young chefs in TV8 shows, they r already chef in their 20s and yet subject to so much scolding and training, those higher ones are in their 40s or late 30s, and you just start training at 32yo??
Really appreciates it and thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply. Never thought that this thread is still active:)
Duplicated reply
Well just an words from experience, if you want to take up culinary for learning, it is still a good choice, if you want to take this up as an career especially chef, you will go to be regret. Working in the F & B industry before, I know that during busy hours especially important day like Chinese New Year, not only the chef had to "struggling" to meet "customer" order in hell temperature from the stoke, but they also need to help washing dishes although there are dish-washer around, otherwise there will be N number of dishes blocking the way or not enough plates to serve out.
Not to forget to mention that the "senior" chef before you who didn't need an "cert" to work are those people who are vulgar people who will not be "patient" when guide you and shouting can be always be hear from the kitchen. Anyway if you want to know what I am talking about, just watch Channel 8《å��åŽ¨å®žä¹ ç”Ÿã€‹Chef Apprentice Link : http://video.xin.msn.com/browse/tv/show?tag=chef+apprentice or Hell Kitchen. Good Luck !
And those chefs, who become chef just because of some good dishes they prepared out of the blue bring money for the bosses, so given a title as chef, some cannot even speak english, like my chef in my lounge, I got 2 trainees in to help him, these trainees got certs, young and willing to learn and chiong, but this chef worry that his rice bowl get smashed, so never really want to teach them, in the end, i have to settle a fight between them, now the chef work on his own with an assistant to cook chinese dishes, the 2 trainees, will prepare western dishes and take up further courses in the morning. There are lots of selfish chef, they will not depart their skill to you?? then, forever, you just chop onion and peel potatoes