Getting chef experience overseas

Question

In 1999 I quit my job in travel publishing in the USA and spent 13 months travelling in Asia. After some soul searching and talking with chefs on the road, I decided to become a chef myself, even though at 45 some might consider me too old for this craziness!

I found a chef in Malaysia who was willing to take me on as an apprentice for six weeks. Over the next two years, I worked on and off for two other Malaysian chefs - mostly off, because I didn't have a work permit. I finally decided to go to a culinary school to get a proper qualification, thinking it would help me get legitimate work overseas. In December, I completed a Certificate II in Commercial Cookery in Sydney, Australia. It was a six-month, full-time course. However, I still lack solid industry experience.

For the past two months I have attempted to find work in Asia, but it's proving quite difficult. Not many four- and five-star hotels are willing to sponsor foreigners, never mind one with my lack of experience. Because of 11 September and the Bali bombings, business is very slow. Independent restaurants are either unable or unwilling to sponsor me.

I've found one three-star hotel that would like to put my application through immigration as a management trainee. I have about a 60% chance of getting approved. However, I was thinking I should try and find something better than a three-star hotel.

Perhaps I must return to the USA in order to get experience. However, I would prefer to stay overseas if possible. I'm flexible about the choice of country, although I prefer a warmer climate.

I would love to find some sort of traineeship or apprenticeship, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I'm less concerned about the pay than the opportunity. My true desire is to cook more wholesome food.

What the expert says

Michael Moor, managing director, Chef Centre

!

Your problem is definitely going to start with the work visa situation. Plenty of good places would welcome a mature commis chef, but no country would issue a work permit via a potential sponsor without a solid background. You did a course in Sydney, so perhaps your student visa there entitles you to some length of employment in that country. Why don't you check with the college? Otherwise you will have to go back to the USA (or any other country you can legally work in) and try to obtain work in some good restaurants there. If you are after a warm climate, there must be warmth in the south of the USA. You could register with a recruitment agency to improve your chances of finding a job. However, international recruitment agencies can charge large fees for finding staff, so the hotels and restaurants will only invest in key personnel with skills that can be passed on to other areas of the labour force. Therefore, you perhaps need to build up your experience before you move to another country. You could try joining one of the big international hotel groups with the prospect of an overseas transfer after a certain period. These companies usually have a consistently high standard in food and beverage operations. You would probably have to stay with the company for at least one year, if not two. These hotels often have health facilities, and so they usually offer healthy options on their menus, which would enable you to learn more about cooking more wholesome food. Experience and income could be supplemented by working at a top local restaurant for a couple of extra shifts a week. Do the first one free to show your worth. You could also try agencies or private caterers who need staff. Regarding the three-star hotel you have found, the star-rating system in other countries may be different to those used in the West, especially in commercial tourism areas. Even here they indicate provision of facilities rather than quality of food, so the three stars may refer to the degree of comfort in an accommodation block. It would be worth finding out more about what this hotel can offer you.