Hello everyone, makahingi lang po sana ako ng advice.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Culinary, and ever since college pangarap ko talagang maging chef. Pero starting noong 3rd year ko, nagkaroon ako ng chronic disease (psoriasis) that affects my movement and overall condition. One of my biggest triggers is stress.
I know naman na walang trabaho na hindi stressful, pero ibang klase talaga yung stress sa kitchen environment — sigawan, kalampagan, constant pressure, time management, juggling multiple tasks, at minsan mapapagalitan ka pa ng chef sa harap ng guests. Kailangan mabilis ka lagi kumilos.
Nagawa ko naman during my 6-month internship, and despite some setbacks dahil sa sakit ko, kinaya ko naman. Pero habang tumatagal, may lingering feeling ako na baka someday itong disease ko yung maging dahilan para hindi ko ma-pursue nang tuluyan yung pangarap ko.
Fast forward to this year, nakaland ako ng work sa isang restaurant. Everything was okay at first, pero after just two weeks of working, sobrang nag-flare up ulit yung psoriasis ko. Mainit, stressful, at sobrang physical ng trabaho. Akala ko manageable na yung condition ko because of treatment, pero parang hindi pa rin pala enough yung katawan ko for that kind of environment.
Because of that, I’m now considering pursuing office-related jobs instead. Honestly, medyo masakit tanggapin kasi parang kailangan ko nang ilet go yung dream ko of becoming a chef. At this point, parang survival mode na lang muna and choosing what’s better for my health long-term.
I can still cook for my loved ones, and kahit papaano hindi naman totally nasayang yung years ko sa culinary school because I genuinely learned a lot from it. Pero ngayon, I’m feeling lost kung paano magstart ulit sa ibang field.
For people who shifted careers:
- Paano kayo nagsimula ulit?
- May marerecommend ba kayong office jobs for someone coming from hospitality/culinary?
- Kaya bang mag-transition kahit unrelated yung degree and experience?
Any advice or encouragement would really help. Thank you.
TL;DR- Culinary graduate na natalo ng psoriasis at kitchen stress combo. Akala ko kaya ko ang “Yes Chef!” life, pero katawan ko na mismo yung nag-86 sa akin after1 month in resto. Now trying to shift into office work before the kitchen fully cooks me instead.