From Military Service to Restaurant Service: Finding Community and Comfort in the Kitchen

Often, those losses reappear in surprising places. Sometimes, those places are restaurant kitchens.

“Veterans often thrive in culinary environments because the work is team-based, structured and performance-driven,” says Chef Shawn Matijevich, Lead Chef-Instructor of Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations, who served in the U.S. Navy for five years.

Of course, not all veterans who endeavor to become chefs will succeed in doing so. (Chef, like general and sergeant, is a title that takes years of professional experience to acquire.)

Even so, the overlapping skillsets of service members and chefs are conspicuous. So, too, are the twin prospects of community and connection that attract many veterans to professional kitchens.

From the Navy to Teaching Culinary Arts

Chef Shawn’s career began in the Navy, where he worked as a chef, cooking comforting meals like chili mac and mashed potatoes for thousands of sailors at a time.

After returning to civilian life, he cooked his way up the brigade in fine-dining restaurants across Virginia and Washington, D.C. — landing the coveted role of executive chef at Four Eleven York — before transitioning to culinary education.

Now, with decades of experience, he still has the military mindset. According to Chef Shawn, the structural similarities between the military and professional kitchens can be a familiar comfort for veterans seeking a new career.

“I’ve seen people come into culinary from every background," says Chef Shawn. To his mind, "veterans fit in naturally.” 

“They’re used to structure, standards and working as part of a team," he says. "They don’t panic under pressure; they take feedback well and they understand what it means to show up and do the work. That mentality gives them a real advantage from day one.”

Among the emotional benefits professional kitchens might offer veterans are mentorship, camaraderie and a renewed sense of purpose.

Serving a Larger Purpose

For veterans accustomed to mission-driven work, the hospitality industry can provide a different — but equally meaningful — way to serve.

On the whole, both careers are rooted in taking care of others. Veterans who committed to a higher cause — supporting the welfare of the nation and their fellow service members — may find the guiding principles of hospitality familiar: a love of working with and for others, and ensuring guests leave happier than when they arrived.

“The military gave me perspective on what service really means,” Chef Shawn explains. “I cooked for people who could’ve been facing their last meal. Later, in restaurants, I cooked for people who might’ve been spending their last $40 just to sit down, breathe and enjoy something comforting. That’s what purpose in this work looks like.”

For some chefs, that sense of purpose extends beyond the restaurant kitchen. ICE alum Kerry Brodie, for example, founded Emma’s Torch, a nonprofit restaurant that provides culinary training, job readiness and social support to refugees.

Brodie considers her impact on asylum seekers to be her biggest professional achievement to date. “It’s not just about the meals we serve or skills we teach — it’s about giving people a sense of dignity, purpose and agency over their futures,” she says.

Brodie credits culinary school with helping her understand the bigger picture. “ICE wasn’t just about learning how to cook. It was about realizing that food could be a bridge to something bigger, whether that’s a career, a community or a purpose,” says Brodie.

Finding Your New Unit

One of the hardest parts of leaving the military can be relinquishing the team camaraderie. The tight-knit bonds and shared humor that form under pressure don’t always appear in civilian workplaces.

In professional kitchens, however, their resulting teamwork plays an important role in ensuring the back-of-house and front-of-house staff are aligned. 

Michelle Goodman, an ICE Los Angeles graduate who served in the Navy for nearly 12 years, found connection in professional kitchens. “You get that teamwork and camaraderie, which is really one of the hardest things to step away from when you leave the military,” she says.

Currently working at LA’s Girl & The Goat, Chef Michelle adds, “At the end of [restaurant service], everyone’s giving each other hugs and high fives and fist bumps, like, ‘Yeah, we made it. Go team.’ That’s something a lot of vets miss when they leave. So, it’s something to look forward to again.”

Additionally, restaurants are typically diverse spaces, bringing together people of different ages, backgrounds and life experiences. This diversity can feel familiar to veterans who are used to working with a range of personalities. (That mix is also present in culinary schools like ICE, where veterans train alongside high school grads, college alumni and career changers.)

Leading From the Front

Leadership in the military often means taking responsibility for the people beside you, training them, supporting them and helping them succeed. That same mindset is prevalent in professional kitchens.

“In the military, you don’t get to ‘fire’ your way to a better team,” Chef Shawn says. “You learn how to lead, train and motivate the people you’ve got. That mindset gave me a big advantage in kitchens. Once I leveled up my hands-on culinary skills, leadership was already wired in.”

Most often, the chefs who rise through the ranks aren't just great cooks — they are mentors and problem-solvers who take responsibility for the performance and morale of their teams. Veterans who are used to leading by example and taking initiative often find these instincts translate naturally.

Regarding mentorship, Chef Shawn believes this is one of the biggest reasons why veterans thrive in culinary careers. “In the military, you’re constantly learning from someone with more time and experience. Great kitchens work the same way — experienced chefs take you under their wing and push you to level up.”

For many chefs, mentor relationships begin in culinary school or in their first job. 

Chef Samuel Caucci, an ICE alum embedded in New York City’s fine dining scene with stints at The Modern, Clover Hill and SAGA, discussed his mentors in a recent interview with ICE. “Mentorship is one of the greatest gifts of this industry,” he said.

“My mentor is Chef Barry Tonkinson. He was my instructor in my final module at ICE. He’s taught me — and continues to teach me — about the push of the industry, to keep going especially when times get tough,” added Chef Sam. During this conversation, he also discussed his leadership philosophy and advice for aspiring chefs. (Watch the full interview in the video below.)

In a previous article, we explored how skills like discipline, physical endurance and working within structured teams can be leveraged in culinary careers. For veterans searching for a career after service, this can be the answer to the question, "What next?"

Military & Veterans who are interested in a culinary education can request more information here.

*Experience varies by student, with outcomes contingent on factors including graduate aptitude, job market, place of residence and work history, among others.