3 ways to turn your culinary passion into a career

For any foodie, a culinary career is an ultimate dream

And while this goal might seem unattainable if you’re not yourself a master chef, there are many food-related careers that mean you won’t even have to set foot in a kitchen. If you dream of turning your gastronomic affinity into a full-time career, these are just three potential paths for you.

1. Food writer

Thanks to the dawn of the internet and the rise of concepts like citizen journalism and the populism of blogging, it has never been easier to be a writer.

But turning it into your full-time career is… a little harder.

Creating your very own food blog can help you get that practice in and hone your creative writing skills. Building your own blogging site with WordPress is a good way to get started, and once you’ve built a following with quality reviews, tips and recipes, you might find it easier to submit your works to professional publications.

It will take time to build this career from the ground, but if you’re passionate about the written word and want to share your love of food too, this is a fantastic way to do it!

2. Professional taste tester

Eating for a living?

It might sound too good to be true, but while the role is more complex than 9-5 snacking if you have a particularly sensitive sense of taste and You’ll also need to be able to articulate food – why you enjoy it, or why you don’t, and what could be improved upon. Companies hire taste testers to perfect their products, and that’s exactly what you and your tastebuds will be expected to do.

That being said, this career can fetch a fair salary, reaching up to $60,000 per annum in the US. However, bear in mind that product testers can often be hired on temporary contracts during product development phases, so you may struggle more in the path to finding a permanent position. But on the plus side, you’ll have the chance to experiment with a wide range of foods, expand your own culinary experiences, and eat! What more could you want?

3. Restauranteur

Okay so just because you can’t cook doesn’t mean you can’t start your own food business – hear us out.

Maybe you have a trusted buddy with the skills to make it happen, and love providing personalised experiences, in which case launching your own restaurant with the partnership of a pal could be the perfect venture for you. Utilise your existing experience, or brush up on your business skills with an online degree from ARU Distance Learning – either way, it takes more than great cooking to get a restaurant off the ground. It also takes fantastic marketing, great service and a certain je ne sais quoi. And as the saying goes, two heads are better than one!

All it takes is the right team.

Want to kickstart your culinary career but can’t cook for toffee? These are just three potential avenues for you.