What is it Like to be Married to an Executive Chef?

We’re moving up in the kitchen today to the position of Executive Chef.  Today, Chef Wife Claudia Strange shares what it’s like to be married to an Executive Chef (and have 2 young children).  I know many of you can relate!

Tell me a little about yourself and your chef (how you met, how long you’ve been together, do you have kids, etc.)

I met my Chef in 2007 (8 years).  We had both been through divorce recently and were introduced by mutual friends.  He had long hair, played the guitar and was a chef.  I was hooked immediately.   We dated on and off for a couple of years then got more serious after a while.  We got married and had our son within two weeks of each other in 2011 and welcomed a daughter in 2013.  I work full time as a communications professional in local government.  My husband and I will celebrate 5 years of marriage in December (the 22nd to be exact ).

What position does your chef/cook have in the kitchen?  Briefly describe the size and type of restaurant he is working at (fine dining/casual, size, privately owned or part of a restaurant group, etc.).

My husband is Executive Chef at his restaurant Strip in Atlantic Station, Atlanta, Georgia.  It’s a steak/chop house, sushi and higher end bar.  I guess it would be considered casual dining. The restaurant is fairly big, seats 750 plus a private dining room, second level dining overlooking the “station” and VIP rooftop bar.  It’s owned by a restaurant group with various other concepts.  There are 8 restaurants in the group right now.

(more…)

What is it Like to date a Sous Chef/Kitchen Manager?

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Corrina Zieba.  She is dating a Sous Chef/Kitchen Manager.  It’s fascinating to me how all our stories are just a little different, but yet have so many similarities!

Tell me a little about yourself and your chef (how you met, how long you’ve been together, do you have kids, etc.)

My chef and I met online. He’s 25, I’ll be 24 in August. He went to school primarily for pastry. We’ve been dating for 7 months. We do not have any kids and live separately.

What position does your chef/cook have in the kitchen?  Briefly describe the size and type of restaurant he is working at (fine dining/casual, size, privately owned or part of a restaurant group, etc.).

My chef is a co-sous chef/kitchen manager. At this time there is no “technical” executive chef at his restaurant. His restaurant could easily seat 300 people at one time. It is a New American Restaurant, Bar & Hotel on the beach, not so casual, but not overly fancy either. It is privately owned, but the owners have two other restaurants that occasionally share employees in the off season and other restaurants in other states.

(more…)

What is it Like to be Married to a Sous Chef?

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be married to a Sous Chef?  Maybe your chef is in culinary school or working on the line.  It’s always fun to get a glimpse of what’s to come in future positions.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Sarah Bennett.  Her husband is a Sous Chef and she’s telling her story today. 🙂

Tell me a little about yourself and your chef (how you met, how long you’ve been together, do you have kids, etc.)

I’m a 29 year old nanny. Chef and I met through my roommate at a bar in Downtown Orlando. We’ve been together 3 years and married 2. Within a week I hurt every time he said he might move to a different city but I didn’t want to seem like one of those crazy clingy girlfriends but come to find out he was feeling the same way. In our three years together we’ve maybe spent five nights apart. No kids for me except Chef’s 12 year old daughter. We want kids but need to be more financially stable. We do have 5 fur babies. 🙂

(more…)

What is it like to Date a Sous Chef?

Today, we’re moving up to the position of Sous Chef in this series. I’d like to introduce you to Chef Girlfriend Aino Kebina. I love that I can relate to her story, even though we live on different continents!

Tell me a little about yourself and your chef (how you met, how long you’ve been together, do you have kids, etc.)

Hello! I am Estonian born and raised and my chef is Northern Irish. Back in Europe, Estonia and Ireland are only 2.5 hours away when on a plane. But life brought us together in a small city in Australia, called Adelaide.

I started working in an average size restaurant as a waitress when one morning he stepped in and I offered him a table, only to find out that he is covering one shift there as a chef.

The restaurant is a franchise and he works for the actual licence. That means that he sometimes has to check up and work in other restaurants which are part of it.

We hit it off straight away and we have the same passion- cooking! We both love cooking and experimenting with food. We were friends for many months before we actually started officially dating and now we have lived together for 8 months. You know that feeling when after a long time you go home? I have that feeling when I´m with him.
What position does your chef/cook have in the kitchen?

(more…)

What is it Like to Date a Head Line Cook (and Culinary Student)?

I was a bit overwhelmed after reading Kathryn’s story last week about her chef working full time AND going to school.  But I know many of you can relate.

Chef Fiancée Antonisha Polite can relate and is writing her story for us today.  (And can I just say that I’m so sorry Antonisha that you have to wash 2 sets of chef clothes!! Yuck!!!!)

Tell me a little about yourself and your chef (how you met, how long you’ve been together, do you have kids, etc.)

My name is Antonisha Polite, I am 28 years old and I am engaged to and living with chef. I work full time as an Internet Sales Specialist for a car dealership while getting my degree in Elementary Education. My chef is currently a head line cook for a major hotel. He is also finishing his culinary degree and is in the process of starting a catering business. I have a 4 year old son from a previous relationship that thinks chef is his super hero.

We met while I was working in the banquets and catering department at the hotel where he currently works. We were both coming out of relationships and could relate to a lot of things. We became friends at work and I left the job soon after. We stayed in touch through social media and after we both finalized everything with previous relationships, we started hanging out together and here we are now planning a wedding.

(more…)