Cooking is a universal pastime. We all need to eat and, as a general rule, we tend to like eating delicious meals, regardless of what our specific tastes may be! That means any cook with sublime culinary skills capable of delighting taste buds has in-demand skills that will always be valued.
Yet, many cook positions do not get paid very well. Entry-level roles, in particular, often pay well below the national average. And, with the rising cost of living, all of us could benefit from a little more cash, no matter what industry we’re in.
If you’re a professional cook, there are several ways you can potentially earn a little extra. If you’re looking for promotion through the traditional route of getting a better-paid job, you’ll need to start with a professional cook resume. However, there are also alternative revenue streams with a nice-paying side hustle. Let’s examine your options.
1. Get a Better Paid Role
Easy peasy, right? Just land yourself a better-paid position at a top restaurant. This process is not as simple as it sounds.
To get a high-paying role at a top restaurant, you need a combination of experience and expertise. That may mean working in various restaurants to gain a broad range of skills and knowledge of different cuisines. It may also mean gaining a professional qualification from a top culinary school to establish your credibility. Typically, you’ll also need leadership qualities with a proven track record of successfully managing kitchen teams.
To help present your skills, experience, and education to a recruiter for a top role, your professional resume should be as good as it can be, and combine it with a customized cover letter explaining why you’re the perfect fit for the role.
2. Teach Cooking Classes Online
Many cooks are utilizing technology to make some extra money. The world of online education is a money-spinner for many professions, and cooking is no different. Showcase your cooking talent while teaching others your recipes and methods through video lessons.
Many platforms accommodate this—whether it beSkillshare, Udemy, or even starting with aYoutube channel. You don’t need much to get started, just good quality video and sound equipment. You can either make money through people paying for your courses or by monetizing your Youtube channel. There’s plenty of advice online on how to do that.
3. Writing Recipes
If you don’t have video equipment or feel shy about teaching others to cook, you can also make money by providing detailed cooking recipes and methodologies. You can simply create, write and sell the recipes online to food blogs. It helps if you have an in-demand specialty for a specific type of cuisine or cooking skill, and you can then reach out to bloggers or online food networks who may pay you for your content.
4. Become a Food Blogger
A step up from merely writing recipes, you can become a food blogger if you have the spare time, the writing skills, and the computer know-how. You can share recipes, cooking tips, meal reviews, or any other relevant content on your blog.
Starting a blog is time-consuming and will not reap the rewards at first. However, if you build a significant readership, there are many options for passive income through affiliate marketing and advertising, as well as any other courses you may want to create.
5. Start a Home Restaurant
Many cooks live for cooking and don’t mind cooking when they get home from work. Many cooks make extra cash from home by offering delivery-only service with no dine-in option. This business idea entails making a batch of dishes at home and selling them through a restaurant listing on an online delivery app. If you have the capability at home, it can be a good money-earner since you save on the overhead of offering in-house dining in a restaurant location.
If you’re a cook wanting to earn a little extra, either put all your effort into landing a higher-paying role or, if you have time, try to invest some time into one of these side hustles.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
