Making Money Doing What You Love: Cooking

• Excellent customer service skills

• Artistic ability

• Detail orientation

• Time management skills

• Media technology knowledge

• Interpersonal skills & the ability to connect and work with a variety of people

Although food photographers can have flexible schedules, they may work long hours. For example, photo shoot days may take 12 or more hours for setup, shooting and breakdown.

Food photographers typically work as independent contractors, taking gigs as they come available. Editorial assignments for magazines or trade publications may get your work seen, but may not pay well. Some photographers enlist the help of hiring agencies to land commercial or advertising gigs, and teach workshops, host speaking events and blog to make extra cash.

Not always required, Photography, Journalism or Art

• A Business background

• Customer service skills

• Leadership abilities

• Strong communication skills

• Problem solving abilities

These business owners can make their own hours and generally work at least 50 hours per week.

Food truck owners, like restaurant owners, have to consider operating capital and start-up costs—truck cost, licensing and business fees, advertising and signage, employee costs—before to determine whether or not they can be profitable. The U.S. Small Business Association recommends creating a financial cushion to stay afloat while business is new and growing, and the National Restaurant Association suggests planning a menu based on the gross profit the food can bring in rather than simply lowering food cost or quality to maximize profit.

Business or Culinary Arts

• Interest in books, reading and research

• Tech-savvy and organization-oriented personalities

• Good interpersonal skills

• Problem solving abilities

• Time management skills

Culinary librarians work 40 hours per week. Depending on where they work, they may be scheduled during day or evening hours, as well as weekends.

Becoming a professional librarian requires an advanced degree, most typically a Master’s in Library Science. Culinary librarians often must work their way up, gaining experience at smaller libraries until a coveted spot at a culinary institute opens up. However, with more and more people interested in cooking, city and county public libraries are expanding their culinary sections—Austin, Texas even added a cooking demonstration area to their new Central Library in Fall 2017.

Library Science or Library and Information Studies

• Observation skills

• Good time management abilities

• Critical thinking abilities

• Interest in math, science and problem solving

• Perseverance

Mycologists work regular business hours and are employed on a full-time basis.

The demand for fungi specialists is small, however there are opportunities in a wide range of industries. An advanced degree is usually required for higher paying positions, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the mean average salary for a mycologist to be around $66,000 per year in 2016, with mycologists in foodie hotspots like Washington, D.C. and California making $90,000 to $113,000 per year.

Microbiology, Environmental Science or Ecology

• Strong writing and grammatical skills

• Creativity

• An eye for editing

• Persuasive abilities

• Strong research capabilities

• Critical thinking skills

Some writers, especially those who work for an employer, keep regular business hours. Those who are self-employed may have more flexibility with their schedule. These professionals may work on a part- or full-time basis.

Get a foot in the door by posting on and writing for food blogs and entering writing and essay contests related to food, like the National Food Writers Symposium. More regular paying and staff writing positions are available for those with good experience and strong reputations. Turn in assignments on time, pitch food-related stories to non-foodie publications and be willing to write outside of the culinary niche if necessary.

Not always required, Journalism, English or Marketing

• Math and budgeting skills

• Experience negotiating

• Critical thinking abilities

• Active listening skills

• Analytical and strategic minds

Food brokers work full time during regular business hours.

Food brokers are often paid on commission, meaning a company only pays if the broker performs, but the income has no ceiling. They often start out as assistants or sales representatives to learn the ropes. Strong negotiation and communication skills are just the beginning, it takes strategy and planning to land large commissions. Successful brokers know the sales numbers and margins they need to hit and how much wiggle room they have in negotiations. They also track hours they need to invest to make sure deals are worth their time.

Business, Marketing or Buying and Merchandising

• Instructing abilities

• Public speaking experience

• Social personalities

• Service orientation

• Entertaining personalities

Hours are flexible and these instructors may work part time or full time.

Personality is a big factor, but for anyone wanting to work outside culinary academia a business mindset is helpful. Consider startup costs, including cooking gear, licensing and operating fees, marketing and advertising. Think about what types of topics or areas of cooking people have a lot of questions about. Also consider digital options: video or online cooking class can bring in revenue for an extended period, rather than a live cooking class that is a one-and-done experience.

Not always required, Business or Culinary Arts

Food Science

Food science majors learn the mechanics of food harvesting, processing, preparation and transportation and ensuring the food that ends up on consumers’ plate is safe.

• Food Biotechnology

  Teaches students about the genetic engineering of microorganisms, food safety DNA fingerprinting and microbial genomics.

• Food Mycology

  Covers the role of fungi in food production, spoilage and storage.

• Food Processing

  Discusses basics of the processing of different types of foods, including quality control, nutrition and processing technology.

Food Microbiology

Microbiology is the study of the form, physiology, reproduction, structure and identification of microorganisms both in food and used for food production.

• Microbial Physiology

  Familiarizes students with the function of foods, including their growth, metabolism and division of cells.

• Food Biotechnology

  Teaches the various techniques used to produce and engineer specific desired traits from our foods and food sources.

• Agricultural Immunology

  Covers topics such as food allergies and the autoimmune disorders and immunological mechanisms that trigger them.

Food Business Management

From marketing to human resources, these degrees cover the concepts of business management and the real-world challenges managers face within the food and agriculture industry.

Example Courses:

• Brand Management

  Covers basics of building and leveraging brands, how to measure branding and manage brand assets.

• Agribusiness Finance

  Introduces principles of financing and investment strategies for food and agricultural business, addressing common management and financial issues within the agriculture industry.

• Agricultural Markets and Risk Management

  Teaches about commodities, inputs, marketing and market analysis in the food system.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial majors provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to start and run their own business, including how to assess risk, create a business plan and market effectively.

Example Courses:

• Creativity and Innovation

  Includes information on how the innovation process works in organizations and how to nurture creativity among workers.

• Family Business

  Provides details on the development and growth of family businesses, as well as the role of relationship dynamics in these organizations.

• Social Entrepreneurship

  Discusses the role of social change in organizations and how businesses can adopt a mission-driven mindset.

Photography

Photography degree programs help hopeful shutterbugs hone their skills and knowledge in order to get the perfect shot and build a successful career.

Example Courses:

• The Business of Photography

  Looks at the nuts and bolts of being a professional photographer including licensing, contract development, pricing structures and branding.

• Quality of Light

  Includes information on how photographers communicate with light using different photographic tools.

• History of Photography

  Provides a look at photographic movements and theories, as well as seminal photographers throughout the history of the medium.

Journalism

The journalism field and the role of journalists are constantly changing as the way people consume news evolves. These degree programs teach prospective journalists their place in the profession and include information on the theories, mechanics, and ethical and legal concerns that modern-day journalists should know.

• Media Writing

  Instructs students on how to gather information and write news pieces for print and broadcast news organizations.

• Photojournalism

  Shows how photography can be used to tell a news story.

• Investigative Reporting

  Includes information on the theory and practice of investigative journalism.

Library Science

Learn the fundamentals of library science, helping students understand how information is organized and classified in libraries, as well as the technology used by library professionals.

Example Courses:

• Information Communities

  Explores how information access and use is shaped through economic, social, political and technological influences.

• History of Libraries and Librarianship

  Examines the types of libraries and their historical origins, the role of librarians and the development of the librarian profession.

• Government Publications

  Introduces students to types of U.S. government publications and how librarians acquire, use and organize them.

Adult Education

Teaching adult learners is much different from those of other age groups; programs help students gain expertise on how to teach adults in vocational, employee training and community program settings.

Example Courses:

• Adult Learning Theories

  Covers areas including motivation, social context and the frameworks of adult learning.

• Adult Learning Assessments

  Provides information on types of assessments used for adult learners and strategies for administering and evaluating them.

• Adult Literacy

  Introduces students to literacy theory, instruction and programming for adult learners.

First, you need to have a passion for cooking. Are you cooking at home as often as possible? If not, why not? If you like to watch a lot of food television, great, but get off the couch and actually try cooking. Doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated, just do it. If cooking isn’t your passion, you’ll find the culinary industry very rough. Passion isn’t everything, but you’re going to need some to survive.

Second, try working in a restaurant. Cooking in a restaurant is much different than cooking at home. It is not a career for everyone. You’re on your feet the entire shift, usually in a close-spaced, fast-paced, hot and humid environment. It is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. You won’t know if it’s for you until you actually try it.

Third, some formal culinary education will be of great assistance. Take some professional-oriented classes, if possible. Culinary school can provide an excellent foundation, but be sure that’s what you want to do. Culinary school is generally expensive and a significant commitment, so don’t take on that debt unless you know that’s where you need to be.

If you do have some experience, then take any beginning position that is offered. There are always opportunities to learn if you keep your eyes open. I started in quick service—flipping burgers, making quesadillas and learning all about deep frying. Basic, but I watched and I learned and moved up the ranks. After all, in the culinary field, there are almost always opportunities for advancement as turnover is frequently quite high.

You can work nearly anywhere. Wherever there are people, someone is going to have to feed them. Your career can incorporate fine dining or fast casual, institutional or private catering. The possibilities are endless. It can be whatever you make of it. More importantly, food is never just food. Food is culture, history, science and art, among other things. We feed mind, body, and soul. The satisfaction of giving pleasure to your customers can be immense. The fulfillment of plating a creative, edible work of art can make all the sacrifices worthwhile.

Everyone has to eat and everyone has a personal relationship to their food. When you prepare that food, you become part of that relationship. Consequently, cooking can be one of the most rewarding careers to choose. I went to Yale Law School, but I don’t practice law. I choose to follow my passion for food instead. I’m glad I did.