June 5438 +2020 10, a sudden epidemic made China, immersed in the atmosphere of the Spring Festival, press the pause button. Many restaurants have hastily posted the words "no eating in the hall" and "closed shop" under the newly hung Spring Festival.
Suddenly, the busiest chef is forced to close down at this time of year.
Originally, everyone thought it was a fleeting epidemic, but as a result, one year passed, two years passed, and the third year came, and the epidemic was still there. During these three years, many chefs began to lose their jobs and change careers.
"Youth is only a few years? The epidemic has accounted for three years. " Many chefs have also lost three precious years in their careers. ...
Unemployment, debt, career changes ... the ashes of the era when chefs struggled to survive under the epidemic fell on everyone. It was a mountain. Chefs under the epidemic are also under the "heavy pressure" of the times.
Master Luan from Shenzhen said that he had changed several jobs because of the constant resurgence of the epidemic in Shenzhen: "I have changed three jobs because of the epidemic. I have been doing catering for more than ten years, but I didn't expect to encounter such a situation. "
Before the outbreak, Master Luan worked as a banquet chef in a star-rated hotel in Shenzhen, and his monthly salary was basically guaranteed to be around 1 10,000. However, after the outbreak, the business of the hotel where he worked was sluggish, and the banquet could not be held during the epidemic. The hotel began to implement rotation, stopped paying one month's salary and reduced the salary. Under the pressure of life, Master Luan left his job.
After leaving his job, Master Luan worked in some restaurants, but because of the epidemic, it was difficult to pay wages on time or close the store directly, so Master Luan could only keep changing jobs.
△ Image source: Red Kitchen Network photo
The epidemic situation in Shenzhen has been repeated this year, so he can only stay at home. Master Luan said that he thought that chefs were not short of jobs, and as a result, they have been unemployed for three years. He wanted to change careers several times, but it was really difficult to suffer from the accumulation of other skills before. Nowadays, in order to survive, Master Luan can only do odd jobs to make a living.
Under the epidemic, many chefs were forced to lose their jobs like Master Luan. If you are lucky, you may get part of your salary. If you are unlucky and the restaurant closes, you will really have to drink the northwest wind.
Lao Wang said that he was the direct victim of the epidemic, and every time the epidemic came, he lost his job. He lost his job three times in three years. Now he stays at home and worries every day. The monthly mortgage of 4,000 yuan, children's schooling and other family expenses keep him awake every night.
"When there was no epidemic before, I could still read books and do some self-improvement. Now I can't calm down at all and worry about my life every day. I really don't know what to do. My white hair has come out. "
Xiaoqu, a young chef, understands Lao Wang's feelings very well, because he is also facing Lao Wang's dilemma. Xiaoqu worked as a chef 13 years, and worked as a chef for 5 years. Before the epidemic, he could have been promoted, but because of the epidemic, his promotion was hopeless, his income plummeted, and he could hardly afford his daily living expenses.
"I just got married a few years ago. At present, the child is three years old, but I haven't paid my salary for almost three months. The child will go to kindergarten in September this year, and the elderly at home need to take medicine for a long time when they are sick. In the past few years, the down payment for borrowing money to buy a house has not been paid, and there is still a monthly payment, which is really unsustainable. "
Without the source of income, many problems will follow. What is lighter is the decline in the quality of life. More seriously, children may not be able to go to school, the elderly may not be able to see a doctor, and there may be a crisis of mortgage default at any time.
In order to survive, some chefs choose to change careers.
△ Image source: Red Kitchen Network photo
Chef Chen is one of them.
In the vlog about his career change experience, Xiao Chen said: "I have been engaged in the chef industry for 10 years. Because of the epidemic, the income was halved, only 3000 yuan a month. However, due to the pressure of life, I can only choose to go to the construction site to scrape porcelain because my salary can earn 6,000 yuan a month. "
Li Shifu also chose to change careers.
At the worst of the epidemic in Jiangsu, he was unemployed at home and could only get basic living expenses every month. Due to the pressure of life, he can only switch to serving food.
"As a food delivery staff, you can earn about 8,000 a month. When it's good, you can earn more than 10 thousand a month. " Li Shifu said.
The epidemic has affected the careers of chefs and entrepreneurs.
Master Tang in Beijing said: "I saved money to invest in a restaurant a few years ago, and the epidemic came and I lost money." The wedding that was originally planned to go home at the end of 2020 was also ruined. "
Master Tang said that because of debts, he had parted ways with his marriage partner, which was really helpless.
Live broadcast, entrepreneurship, part-time job ... Under the epidemic, many chefs had a hard time, but everyone did not give up, and many chefs began to save themselves. They either switched to short videos or insisted on starting a business, and gained the second spring of their careers.
Chef Adong has been a chef in Beijing for many years. Due to the epidemic, the whole industry will be depressed in 2020. The popularity of short videos gave him the idea of doing self-media.
"From the preparation, shooting and editing are all done by myself. It was difficult at first, but now there are many things to learn. I am a cook, how can I understand copywriting and editing, but I can't help it. I can't just sit back and do something. "
△ Image source: Red Kitchen Network photo
Adong said that he got up at 8 o'clock every morning, guaranteed to shoot three dishes every day, and then used the evening time to edit. When the short video of near 15 was released, his number began to increase slightly, and later, with the increase of broadcast volume and fans, his income gradually increased. Adong said that at present, when it is better every month, it can achieve a monthly income of 30 thousand to 40 thousand.
"To be short-sighted, there is still a long way to go. I have just started, but making short videos has brought me great gains. I used to think that being a chef was enough to get paid. Now I have greater ambitions and goals. "
Compared with Adong, Liu Qiang's short video seems to go smoothly.
Liu Qiang is a master chef in China, a member of China Cuisine Association and a winner of China Golden Chef Award. He has been in the third season of China on the Tip of the Tongue, and made amazing appearances in programs such as Auspicious New Year's Eve and Chef's Fight for hegemony.
In 20 19, Liu Qiang became attached to the short video, interacted with fans through live broadcast in the kitchen APP, and later made a recording and broadcasting fee course. Because of the accumulation in the early stage and the blessing of his own popularity, during the epidemic, Liu Qiang's short video ushered in a big outbreak.
△ Image source: "Father and son are good dishes" Tik Tok screenshot
During the epidemic, Liu Qiang and his master Gao Bingyi opened an account called "Father-son Food" in A Auto Fast. The video released by "Father and Son Good Cuisine" focuses on the teaching of Shandong cuisine, specializing in home cooking for ordinary people. This account has accumulated 6.67 million fans in just one year, and the live broadcast has brought in more than10 million yuan.
In an interview, Liu Qiang once revealed that "the cost of video shooting is relatively low and does not require too much manpower. As long as the ingredients are ready and the machine is set up, it can be started. Relatively speaking, it has a fast start, low cost and good effect. " Liu Qiang said.
In addition to making short videos and self-media, many chefs have made good profits by using their professional skills.
Liu, 36, has been a cook for 20 years. During the epidemic, he lost his job and tried to deliver food. However, because the county is not big, there are not many take-away orders. "I sent the goods for a day, and I only took five orders. 4 yuan is proposed for each order, and then I will go to 20 yuan. The monthly basic salary is 800, and the income is too low. "
In the end, Lao Liu chose to continue his old job, but at that time, there was no restaurant to recruit chefs, so Lao Liu played what he had learned and set up a stall to sell fried skewers. "I sold the 10 string on the first day and earned 30 yuan. I sold 20 strings the next day and earned 60 yuan. Business is so bleak that I was almost defeated by reality. "
However, after a month's persistence, with the fiery economy of stalls in various places, the small county where Lao Liu is located has also liberalized the restrictions on stalls. In the evening, the streets were full of traffic, and Lao Liu's fried stall business was slowly getting better.
After that, Lao Liu's business gradually got on the right track, and she could earn about 6,000 yuan per month by setting up a stall, which was basically the same as being a chef.
△ Image source: Photography Network
Li Ning, a 30-year-old chef in Zibo, Shandong Province, is also selling pancake fruit in a stall. He said that from 5 am to 8 am every day, he can sell 100 pieces in four hours, and his income is much higher than when he went to work before.
Master Liu, who lives in Lanzhou, chose to open a cooking shop during the epidemic. Although it was not popular at first, under the constant adjustment, his income doubled during the epidemic.
"At that time, because of the epidemic, several hotels next to us were not opened, and several large construction sites nearby resumed work. I think business is not good anyway, so I increased my appetite. I didn't expect it to fully meet the appetite of workers, our prices are relatively affordable, and business is getting better. "
Master Yan worked as a part-time open source worker after working in the university cafeteria.
"I am a chef in the school cafeteria, and I get a financial salary. Last year, I worked part-time in a hotel. Apart from the five risks, two jobs still earned 10 thousand yuan, which is already very good in our fifth-line town. Moreover, the meals I pack from the unit every day basically solve the food expenses at home. "
Be a volunteer, be a rider, send a love meal ... Under the epidemic, the chef loves it. Although the group of chefs is greatly affected by the epidemic, many chefs are doing their best to repay the society while actively saving themselves.
Chef Makelin is 26 years old. He is the father of a 2-year-old child and has been a chef in Wuhan for 3 years. At the end of March, the epidemic situation in Shanghai intensified, which reminded him of Wuhan two years ago and felt that he had to do something. So he quit his job as a chef and decided to be a rider in Shanghai to help more people.
During his half-month as a rider in Shanghai, he sent materials to many people in need.
"I get up at seven o'clock every day, open the system after breakfast, and I will find that there are already many orders waiting. I will judge the delivery order according to the urgency of public demand and the distance of address, and then start delivery. Every day, I have to receive more than 100 orders and make more than 100 calls, which is basically busy until 1 1 point. "
△ Image source: Photography Network
Although the work is hard, Machlin is proud: "When I first came to Shanghai, I wanted to help others. In fact, I have helped others and I have benefited a lot. "
Chef Machlin delivered food in Shanghai. In Eshan Town, Yicheng District, Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, Zhao Zheng, a villager from Wangzhuang Village, rode an electric bicycle to the supermarket to buy food and deliver food, cooking a delicious lunch for the epidemic prevention personnel in the village.
Zhao, 42, is engaged in mobile family banquet business in Wangzhuang Village. He mastered the good skills of cooking and stir-frying. He is also a famous good man in the village. Whoever is in trouble, Zhao will lend a helping hand.
During the epidemic, Zhao paid for his own food and cooked a "love meal" for party member cadres and volunteers who fought day and night in the front line of epidemic prevention.
Zhao said: "I just want to express my condolences to these epidemic prevention and control personnel. Maybe my strength is small, but fireflies also have light. With the cooperation of Qi Xin, we can overcome the epidemic. "
At the beginning of the outbreak in 2020, Daqing Yang and Li Weifang in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province chose to take the initiative to undertake the logistics support of epidemic prevention and control during the epidemic period, and made lunch boxes for hundreds of staff who stuck to the front line of epidemic prevention and control.
△ Image source: Red Kitchen Network photo
After volunteering for more than a month, the husband and wife changed their tricks. On the premise of ensuring hygiene and nutrition, they made the box lunch fragrant and delicious, so that the staff at various prevention and control checkpoints could eat delicious and feel at ease, which contributed to the prevention and control of the epidemic.
In fact, in places we don't know, there are still many chefs who stick to the kitchen, providing hot meals and hot dishes for soldiers returning from the epidemic, or making free lunch boxes for frontline workers. ...
Not only doctors but also chefs wear white coats. They "cured" everyone in their own way.
Conclusion An epidemic has changed the lives of many people and chefs.
Some chefs lost their jobs and love because of the epidemic, but more chefs grew up in the epidemic and exercised their perseverance.
Difficulties can erase people and hone them. I hope you and I can turn cocoons into butterflies in this training and welcome the day when spring blossoms.
Finally, I hope the epidemic will end soon and all the chefs and friends will have a better and brighter future.
This article was reprinted from Hongchu.com.