Notices

Culinary industry addicts/former addicts

Old 11-28-2008, 04:28 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 1
Culinary industry addicts/former addicts

Hey all, I'm new to this forum, but I wanted to discuss or have a place to vent where people know where I'm coming from. I'm a young professional chef, worked my way up within the culinary industry since I was 15 years old. I suffered from a drug addiction & alcoholism for almost 3 years. Although I'm clean now, sometimes I feel like going back, because my line of work drives me insane & I still don't know how I'm functioning sober. If there is anyone out there who are within the industry & would like to share, please do!
lilchef is offline  
Old 11-28-2008, 04:51 PM
  # 2 (permalink)  
Being Me for the first time
 
endzoner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Wishek, North Dakota
Posts: 1,160
howdy lilchef , Im notta chef but I am a cook by trade , congrats on your way up the ladder and staying sober , It is a tuff thing stressful and busy . Most my cooking job's involved being in the bar /rest itsself , shots brought to the takeout window from reg customers pleased w/ there meal , and just friends seeing you knowing its hot as a SOB in there and nuttin like a cold one to take the heat off , Im not so sure you have this same situations but it sure was a daily occurence for my jobs no matter where i cooked . Now 5 yrs later and still sober ive retured often to the kitchen and dont struggle as bad as i used to but it does make me say at times " dang i sure could enjoy a cold one " but saying and doing are two differant things , Im Know that a drink or a quick highs not gonna improve my ability to fix someone that got under my skin or the waitress that cant get her tickets right . matter fact if anything it would just make it harder to focus on the moment and the pile of streaming tickets that are running thu the line , Currently im not cookin , Ive taken a more humbling job , dont pay much but I know doing what Im doing in the job market makes my days a lot less stressful and I am humbled by doing what im doing , Its not bout the $ its bout the happiness one finds in there job , when thats good the money is secondary . lifes to short to be stressed out at work , face it we spend a good portion of our lifes doing that job , should be something were happy at . Im sure your good at what you do , but when it comes down to it . Is the stree worth it ? Maybe something lil less stressful but in the same field . And by the way welcome to Sr I forgot my manors for a moment there . anyhows were glad your here , I dont know if what ive said can help you , but its worth a lil try and share with you my experiences . keep posting , and reading alot of great people around here :ghug3 endzy
endzoner is offline  
Old 11-28-2008, 06:13 PM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
Hey....the first time i got sober i worked in the food and beverage industry

doing speed to really zip was a very common occurance and accepted by everyone in the industry as far as I could tell.

I got sober and stayed sober for 2.5 years....actually was out of the business about a month when I drank again.

a week after I got sober I got placed in the day bartender position which included happy hour. Worked that position 9 mos and didn't drink.

It is hard I think, but then again there were some things about it that really motivated me to stay sober.

Keep posting I think there are alot of us here that were in the f&b business or still are.
Ananda is offline  
Old 11-28-2008, 09:46 PM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
 
CarolD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome to SR...

I worked for many years in the ""front of the house" part of
the hospitality industry. I was drinking during that time
but my alcoholism did not kick in until the last 4 years.

By then...I was mentally a wreck. I always said I would
quit drinking if I ever got fired. I missed a busy Friday
lunch...got fired....went to an AA meeting that day.

I went back to work 2 days later...same job...
Took the night bartender slot.

However...I was not staying sober. Too much stress
Lots of quick cash...Late nights....Drinking at the end
of my shift, then bar hopping till dawn.

Whoa! I had to make drastic changes in my life.
I took an office job...less stress ...less money.
Regular hours and no one was drinking there.

It worked out really well for me in '89.
In '99 I did return to restaurant work
this place had no bar ...and I only worked lunch.
10 years sober...I did not want the drinking ambience

I'm glad you found us...
Congratulations on your clean and sober time!
CarolD is offline  
Old 11-28-2008, 10:07 PM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
 
Pinkcuda's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado Prairie
Posts: 1,417
I got started drinking in food service. I was a 14 year old dishwasher at a pizza place. The bus staff would bring half full pitchers of beer from the tables and I would drink them while I was washing dishes.
Management didn't agree with my resourcefulness, so I moved on to another line of work.
Pinkcuda is offline  
Old 11-29-2008, 05:46 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Member
 
Rusty Zipper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: my room in ct.
Posts: 58,110
i grew up, and worked in the rest biz...

a huge part of my story...

i had to leave it...

went on to do something else, and had to leave that too...

it wasnt'n the rest. biz, it was me...

now, with solid recovery and sobriety...

i can do just about, and handle anything...

hey, if ya cant stands the heat, its out'n z of the kitchen!

good wishes lil cook
Rusty Zipper is offline  
Old 11-29-2008, 06:15 PM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Breathing
 
nolawench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Nola
Posts: 97
Own a Restaraunt, Thank God we don't have a hard liquor license.. Just Beer and wine ( the hard stuff is WAY easy to sneak, and a HUGE temptation for me).. I'm 22 days sober, and so far I've had no problems pulling beers or pouring wine. I hit a meeting most days ( not weekends cause of the timing and I NEED to be in the kitchen), and I stop in here everyday to keep me grounded.
nolawench is offline  
Old 11-29-2008, 06:53 PM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 164
welcome lilchef...thanks for the thread...i too worked in a rest/bar for years, i was the night bartender/waitress...started out fine but as time went on and my drinking got worse and i got more out of control had to leave for a day job..hubby didn't like me getting home at 4am...go figure...anyway...went on to a day job and continued to drink...just adjusted my drinking schedule a bit...it's kinda like when people say moving will make them stop drinking...changing jobs didn't do it...my will to save my life and a wonderful support system did it!!
so i know i'm not of much help in your dilemma with the job but do what you have to do to save yourself...the alternative is not an alternative!!!
Glad you are here and keep coming back!! Great people here!!
Lisa
lisa t is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:00 PM.