Working in Chicago kitchens as a Mexican chef
Diego Ramírez3 min read3 views
Rated 4 out of 5
I trained as a chef in Guadalajara and ran a kitchen in a restaurant there for five years. I moved to Chicago in 2021 after marrying my wife, who is a US citizen, so I came on a marriage-based green card. I know that makes my situation easier than many people's. Here is what working in Chicago kitchens has been like.
Starting again
Even with ten years of experience, I started as a line cook at a mid-range restaurant in the West Loop for 18 dollars an hour. My English was functional but not great, and my experience in Mexico did not count as much as I hoped. American kitchens want to see you work before they trust you.
I worked hard, learned the station and the systems, and after eight months I was promoted to sous chef at 58,000 dollars a year.
Kitchen culture
Some things were familiar: the heat, the pressure, the adrenaline of a busy Saturday. Other things were different:
- Spanish is everywhere. In most kitchens I have worked in, at least half of the team speaks Spanish. This made me feel at home, and it made me useful as a bridge between the chef and the team.
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