Hello,
I've just completed a contract in the Caribbean and currently considering coming back to SE Asia in early January. I am a well rounded American executive private chef and consultant with nearly 20 years in the industry. Many of those years have been spent traveling, studying and working around the world so I have an impressive international repertoire and a variety of skills. In 2012 I spent most of the year traveling all over SE Asia so my cooking has a distinct Asian style with some Mexican, Jamaican and American gastropub mixed in.
I had the pleasure of spending a month in Indonesia and absolutely loved everything about the culture. It would be fantastic to pick up a seasonal contract if there are opportunities for a Chef such as myself. So I have a few questions:
Could anyone tell me what the demand is for Western Chefs in Bali at the moment?
Would Bali be only place I could potentially find work or do island resorts hire western chefs?
What are the chances of turning up without having a job lined up and finding work?
Are Chef's work visas usually sponsored by their company?
What is the average pay for an executive chef?
Is there any demand for high end live-in private chefs?
Please have a look at my website and if you would like a copy of my CV or would like to discuss any available positions you might know of please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
John Torsch
theglobetrottingchef.com
Instagram: @theglobetrottingchef
Demand for Western Chefs?
Wow it seems like you lead a pretty interesting lifestyle.
I would imagine it would be quite difficult to get a job as an executive chef in say a five star hotel, because most of them are Asian, as are the F&B Managers. In five star hotels westerners usually only hold the position of General Manager and sometimes Assistant Manager, but everything below that is usually held by locals.
I've seen a few threads here where other chefs have asked similar question to your own, and the best bet would seem to try to open your own restaurant. And probably somewhere in Bali would be the best place to do this because Bali is very westernized and full of Aussies and other westerners, at least in the very south, so I would look there for doing something.
The rule of thumb is, if an Indonesian can do it, you can't get a work permit.
John, your best bet, if you're serious about Bali, is to either take over, or start a new restaurant.
If you end up coming here in January, be sure to stop by The Fly Café in Ubud and introduce yourself to owner/chef Markus Kuhni. His background is very similar to yours, having held various executive chef positions at various five star resorts throughout Asia and the Middle East. He purchased The Fly just over a year ago so his experiences with that are fresh and he's very willing to share them.
Good luck with your plans!
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