What would you say to your son if this was his career choice??

I do not see what is so wrong with a man wanting to be a chef? Is there really something wrong with a guy in the kitchen? I don't think so. If he's really happy with it, then I don't see what the big deal is. I'd want my kid to be happy, what's the use with them being unhappy and stuck in a job that they regret going to every day? There isn't any use for it. I'd rather them be happy. Money doesn't matter. Nor do gender stereotypes.

I would be very proud of my son if he went to chef school. My son loves to cook and he is very good at it. He can come up with his own recipes also that are fantastic. I bet if he does go to school to become a chef one day he might even have his own restaurant. I also love to watch the cooking channel and there are some really great chef's on there. Be proud of your son and support him with his choice of career and I hope that his dad don't discourage him.

I would be very happy. My cousin is main chef in famous place and he has 5 restaurants making 40K a month. Means that if someone is really good can always make money. I wouldn't worry about this part. I always wanted to be an artist, but my parents wanted me to be in medical school. I am a doctor, but I am doing photography now for living. You have to fulfill your desire sooner or later. You have to love what you are doing...

i would say let him go and let him be. He might well become the greatest chef in town or even all over the world! if one enjoys in what he does well then one will be successful. i have just stumbled on steve job's graduation speech for the graduating students of stanford last 2005 on youtube. very inspirational and an reminder for all of us who wants to fulfill our dreams whether it's foolish or not. going against the tide or just going with the flow. have your kid watch and listen to it.

I think it would be great! As long as he's happy doing it after all there are alot worse things he could be doing. There are some very successful chef's out there...you might check out the Food Network Channel some of them are on there. I personally like Chef Gordon Ramsey and Chef Emeril Lagasse. They are really great chefs. I hope he does really well at it. **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~

I think I will encourge my son do everything he wants if the things he wants to do are not offenses. It's doesn't matter which career he choices. He can just do the things he interest in and can support his life. That's will be OK! I don't think there are some different between white collar and blue collar. That's the same. And even he can earn more if he is a plumber or electrician. So what I need to do is support his education, and then he can choice what he wants to do!

I would say that the best cooks in the world are men, and it is his turn to do the dishes. I would tell him that he could probably make a decent living if he really dedicates himself to learning the ropes and paying his dues. In short, I would support and encourage him as long as what he chooses is legal to do.

Well, my son is almost 22, in the Navy and training for something that was not his first choice of careers. In High School he wanted to play baseball - he was pretty good - but didn't like all the politics so he didn't last that long. He then went into the HVAC trade school because he thought people wouldn't understand if he took the cooking courses. He loves to bake and would make stuff for me all the time when he was a kid. He's now working on deisel engines and will most likely have a pretty good career waiting for him when he gets out. And he'll be able to cook "on the side" all he wants! There are many famous chefs - Emeril comes to mind because my son loves him! My cousin is a pastry chef - he makes all the cakes for our family reunions! He's worked at Trump Plaza in New York and is now at the Trump in Bejing China - I think. Tell your son to follow his heart! Anyone can have a job, but not everyone is happy about it.

If he's still in the Navy, I say go for it. I could be completely wrong about this, but I was told that the Navy sends there cooks to a cooking school. So there he goes, a free cooking school. All he has to do is study for that rate, pass the test and then cross over. In the Navy, there's more than just being able to cook to pass these tests. Those recipe cards are so hard to read, lol. It's hard to advance with this rate, with so many out there. My husband was a cook in the Navy and now is a cook with the guard. I was in the Navy as well, and knew a guy that was in the deck department that crossed over to the Culinary Specialist rate (used to be called Mess Specialist). He did really well during that time. He wasn't fast compared to the guys that did it for a long time. My husband was in the Navy for 8 years and when he got out to work in the restaurant business, he basically got a job as a kitchen manager. Which he hated, because of all the drama. Being a chef, you don't make a lot of money, compared to the managers. Creating his own restaurant is very costly without knowing the right people. Let the Navy pay for his culinary school, which will look really good on his resume. It also looks good when he can say he can cook for 600+ people in one setting. Means he can still work under pressure, which happens at restaurants during busy hours. Then once this is all said and done, go and work at a restaurant to get that under his belt. Be really good at it, then go apply at a bigger restaurant. My husband left the restaurant business to go to the guard full time. In my opinion, you have the people that leave the military and can adapt outside of it, and then you have the few that can't. My husband was one of those that couldn't. He got tired of people whining and crying over small stuff (the drama that I was talking about earlier). One downside of being married to a cook, he makes it very hard for me to go on a diet, lol. GO NAVY!!!

Hubby and I love to cook and we're pretty good at it. Always wanted to have a catering business but never did. CJ watches us at times. He wants to be a chef like Emeril, a judge like Judge Judy, and a pharmacist...LOL But of course, he's only 9...So if he ever really wanted to be a chef when he gets older we would be all for it.

Some of the best cooks in the world are male chefs. I can see your husbands reaction in a sense but it tells me he hasn't been around many boys who grew up to be chefs, and neither have I although my uncle is a chef and has been all his life. He doesn't know how to do anything else. He is the only family member who has a ton of money and he had a big family so if I had a boy and he wanted to be a chef I'd suppirt that after what I see it did for my rich uncle.

I would tell him to go for it. My husband and I both came from families that did not support our career choices. We've felt what it was like and would never do that to our own children.

I would be supportive. Good chef's can make good money. Plus doesn't the armed forces give money to help pay for college? If so, then thats even more reason to get the degree. I hope loves it.

I would tell him to do whatever he desires. Being a chef is actually a very respectable profession. My family runs a food business. Restaurants, caterings and all. And I have a lot of culinary expert relatives. Most of them are male. You are right by supporting your child. Just make sure that is what he really wants. It is normal for someone his age to change minds, and go out to try new things. As for now, let him be. He'll come around soon.

Better to leave the children to their choices. They will discover themselves by trail and error in most cases. Sometimes, they falter, but that's what our life is meant to be. We learn from our mistakes. I would like to see them have their own view and imagination.

It is wonderful that you son has a goal in mind. Chefs make a lot of money if they work for the right restaurant. $25.00 an hour or more. Also, you should be proud that he is that creative and talented. Don't worry about it and give him your support which he needs with the reply from his father.

If that's what he really wanted to do, and was good at it, I'd tell him to go for it, top chefs don't make bad money. Not everyone is cut out to be a state trooper or cop, and most state trooper academies will tell you, 1/3 to 1/2 won't be there when the class gradutates. And even if they do make it through the academy, it doesn't mean they will make it through probationary period, some just aren't cut out for that line of work, even though it may sound good and looks even better when Hollywood gets their hands on it. So I would encourage my son to do what he wants to do, not what I or anyone else thinks should be his choice.

I think that would be awesome. Finally he can do some of the meals around here. LOL Better to do what makes you happy and a bit of money than unhappy and a lot of money. Also I could rest a bit easier at night then in police work. I would always be fretting

I think its a wonderful career choice! My son in high school just signed up for cooking courses and applauded him. I think it also helps them learn to do things for themselves in the kitchen (which can be quite intimidating). Have his father tune into the food network and see what a real chef is capable of! Good luck to the both of you!

Go! the most important is question what he loves to do best and what is it that he wanted... Its hard to study the things that you dont love, nor working on a work your not interested in