Yes, Chef! 5 LA Chefs Share Career Advice for California's Aspiring Professional Cooks
From award-winning restaurants and luxury hotels to private cheffing and event catering, Los Angeles offers aspiring culinarians countless ways to build a career.
We asked Institute of Culinary Education graduates working across Southern California to share the career advice they return to again and again.
Their answers reveal a common theme: successful culinary careers aren't built overnight. They're forged in exploration, persistence and a commitment to continuous growth.
Culinary Career Tip #1: Stay Curious
In a profession that constantly evolves, curiosity is a valuable characteristic.
For Keita Suzuki, Research & Development Chef for the Jordan Kahn Restaurant Group, growth starts with a willingness to pursue knowledge.
“Find a good mentor, accept you'll fail, continue to improve daily — everywhere and anywhere — and never stop learning.”
Chef-owner Adriano Piazza shares a similar perspective: “Stay curious and hungry for knowledge, and don't be afraid to ask questions.”
Whether you're learning a new technique, exploring an unfamiliar cuisine or observing a seasoned chef at work, every experience can become part of your education.
Culinary Career Tip #2: Treat Mistakes Like Part of the Process
While culinary students often worry about making mistakes, professional chefs understand that mistakes are often where the biggest lessons happen.
Russell Hirsch, Junior Sous Chef with Wolfgang Puck Catering, encourages aspiring cooks to embrace the learning process.
“Making mistakes is part of the process,” he says. “Better to make them at school than on the job.”
Suzuki echoes that advice, encouraging students to “accept you'll fail” as they continue improving.
In professional kitchens, growth rarely comes from perfection. Rather, it comes from learning, adapting and moving forward.
Culinary Career Tip #3: Find Mentors Who Challenge You
No chef succeeds alone.
Mentors can provide guidance, share hard-earned lessons and help aspiring culinarians navigate the realities of the industry.
Tanya Pustelnik, Lead Plancha Chef at Descanso Restaurant, encourages students to absorb as much knowledge as possible from the chefs around them.
“Be curious,” she advises. “Ask questions of the chefs that you work with. Take in everything, and keep it close to your heart.”
Whether mentorship happens in culinary school, during an externship or on the job, those relationships can shape an entire career.
Culinary Career Tip #4: Build Relationships Before You Need Them
The culinary world is surprisingly connected.
The relationships students build with classmates, chef-instructors and industry professionals can create opportunities long after graduation.
Jessica Alferos, Executive Sous Chef at Mirate, points to career connections as one of the most valuable parts of her experience. She credits Career Services and the school's network with helping her discover opportunities years after graduating.
Technical skills matter, but so do the people you meet along the way.
Culinary Career Tip #5: Success Results From Showing Up Every Day
There is no shortcut to experience.
The chefs featured here work in a wide range of culinary roles, but they all share a commitment to consistent growth.
Michael Kerner, Executive Chef and Partner at Koast, offers straightforward advice:
“Put your head down, work your tail off, and don't think short-sighted.”
Professional kitchens reward persistence. The chefs who show up without fail — no matter the distractions or distresses of life — are typically ready when opportunity knocks.
The Best Career Advice? Keep Learning
The chefs featured here work in vastly different corners of the hospitality industry. Some lead restaurant kitchens. Others develop menus, manage teams, mentor employees or run businesses of their own.
Yet their advice is remarkably consistent:
- Stay curious.
- Learn from your mistakes.
- Listen to your mentors.
- Build relationships.
- Show up… consistently.
Because in professional kitchens, growth isn't a destination. It's a daily practice. And for aspiring culinarians, that mindset might just be the most valuable lesson of all.
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