Came back to cooking after a decade in Tech
Hello chefs,
I'm looking for an organized kitchen environment where I can learn consistently and build solid execution before moving on to more complex stuff.
A bit about me: I'm 32, worked in kitchens before, then spent about 11 years in IT, and now I'm seriously trying to come back to cooking. Over the past year I've worked on cold kitchen sections for B2B catering events. I know how to set up a station, prep ingredients, apply basic techniques and I've worked hot sections too. I'm not looking for a salary right away, more of a stage or a training period, something that gives me real rhythm and structure.
What I'm looking for: an a la carte restaurant with a reasonable menu, a bistro or a brunch spot with some personality: somewhere with real volume and people worth learning from. Not a hotel kitchen, not a canteen.
Location: Central Europe, no relocation to France, Belgium or the UK for now.
The problem: the gap in my CV makes the classic approach - walk in, drop a CV, talk to someone - pretty awkward in practice. I've tried, nothing came of it.
How would you go about this? What's the most realistic way in for someone with this kind of background, aside from culinary school (which I don't see as essential and can't afford right now anyway)?