Gulf Air and Sky Chef

[futureflier]

Hey all you high fliers out there!

I have been reading this forum for a while now and just decided to register and start posting so don't bite :p

I have always had a secret intention, by secret meaning everyone knows except my parents, to be a F/A and have always loved flying, aviation, etc. I also have cousins who are F/A's and everytime I speak to them I just feel a little bit more inclined to run off and join the airlines!

Now, here's what I want to ask... I am a qualified chef and when I saw that GF has sky chefs on board, I thought why not! So is there anyone here that's a sky chef?? or if not, any GF f/a's how is it working for GF? Any information would be much appreciated! the pay, the conditions, living in BAH, whatever! ... Oh and btw... what does "weight in porportion to height" really mean??? ... I'm not fat but not exactly shapely either! :E
and also, are sky chefs trained like the f/a's, only they have something extra to do?

If i can be a chef and a f/a the same time, why shouldn't I join right!...if it doesn't work out, I just might join EK or something since they do so many recruitments here in Sydney!...but having said that, I love flying with EK but not sure how it would be as an employer!...

Thanks guys! I love this forum! :ok:

[gulfboy]

Are you girl-chef or boy-chef (not that it matters, but we are a bit short on female colleagues) and how old are you?

Inflight hefs will be trained as FAs for safety reasons with all the related duties and responsibilities (I'm sure your flying relatives can explain in detail. Doesn't matter which company thy fly for. Much of a muchness, really).

Chef's responsibility is MAINLY to look after the pax in First class (and the pilots), but also to have an eye out for Business class and the odd problem in Economy class.
DON"T expect to do a lot of cooking. It is mostly heat and serve. Food comes in kit-form, a bit like food Leggo, and you assamble meals to pax's requests. Your creativity is needed to make the food look good.
Your job is to be seen in the cabin, talk to pax interact with themand market the product.
So if you are shy and can't string a sentence together or can't make up a few entertaining yarns every now and then, the job isn't for you.

You will work with people from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Some of whom can be, let's say, a bit "challenged". YOU run the show in F class and have to work with and direct your Flight Attendant who will do most of the serving, whilst you prepare the food. Most of them are very well trained, but you come across some mindnumbingly stupid ones as well. Then you must keep your cool. It ain't a kitchen, where you can chuck a potato after a daft waiter. Controll is everything and the walls have ears..

Pay is OK, but the Aussie Dollar is way too strong for our taste. You'll ed up with (ballpark figure) AUD 3700 in your hot little hands. (Tax free)
Accommodation of a nice standard will be provided. Fully furnished (down to the teaspoons) flats with utilities paid for. Local phone calls are paid foe as well "up to a certain limit", but fear not, in 4+ years I didn't have to chip in to the phone bill. Duty transport to/from work is provided, but this is very infuriating and after 2 or 3 months every chef I know off buys or leases a car here. (Buying a runaround from AUD 1500 to BMW and leasing from around AUD 250/month fully insured) and if you don't use company transport they give you a few dinars extra per month.

Free time. Mostly spent in bars, clubs, restaurants. It's a small country, so you will get to know the faces. Downside, EVERYONE knows each others business, and what we don't know, we make up. The most stupid rumours get around the fastest.

Bottom line.
A nice job to have for a few years if you do not mind to be tired all the time and don't mind spending 250 nights a year in some manky hotel room.
Danger is that if you do this job for too long, that you will lose touch with the "real" industry and find it difficult to go back into a proper kitchen...

[futureflier]

Hi gulfboy!

I'm a boy-chef (haha! somehow it's funny saying that!) and just approaching 21 soon which is why I'm considering it.

Oh it sounds like a good job! I like assembling meals and playing Lego and interacting with pax...oh love it! I currently work in an open kitchen and we talk to the guests all the time. Sometimes I wonder why don't I just become a waiter!...and how hard can it be serving a handful of pax in first!...serving the pilots could be harder! haha

I have to say I love your description of chucking the potato at the daft waiter! Hahaha! I think I would be fine at that... I hardly ever blow my top and I don't belive at shouting at people...sounds cheesy I know but it's true!

Is the $3700 you mentioned including allowances?... it doesn't sounds like much yes, but its a heck alot more than what I'm earning now!
How much does a normal GF f/a earn?...just for comparisions sake...

Oh and one more thing... for the sky chefs, what kind of routes do they do? only the long hauls?

-tired all the time, well... i'm already there...
-manky hotel room..u guys dont stay in too manky hotels do ya?? the one in Sydney is pretty sweet!
-loosing touch with the real industry..hmm...to be honest I never see myself working in a commercial kitchen for my entire life so it shouldn't be a problem! I'd probably stick to the industry but i don't think i'd be back of house, in the horrible world of a kitchen for long!....which is another reason why i'm thinking of this!

btw, i take it you fly for them? where r u from?

thanks!!

[Nomade]

Futureflyer, go for it.

You'll have a blast so long as you keep an open mind, watch your back but mainly make your own opinion of things rather than follow the naggy crowds.
Your salary will be tax free, all expenses paid. That's pretty good. And twice as much as a joining FA.
Weight in proportion to height means you have to look good in uniform.
One thing they are rather strict on is tatoos. If you have any that would be visible while in uniform than I can tell you not to waste your time.
Go for it and have fun for a couple of years. It really is a lot better than some people make it out to be.

[gulfboy]

Yes, Go for it. Have a look if you like it. You can always go home after some time if you reaaly find you can't stand it.
The lifestyle is pretty good, after all. no taxes, what you get is hat you keep.
There are (at the moment at least) no allwances. Your salary is your income. Chefs DO make substantially more than "regular" FAs. (their base sallary is criminal. Someting like AUD700/moth. Thats why we have trouble recruiting Westerners who STAY here...)

Routes: Everywhere the widebodies (planes, not pilots) go. I.e. the A330 and A340. That can mean a 6-day trip to Sydney (where you will by the way only spend less than 24 hours!) or a few days in Dublin or Johannesburg OR a quicky trip from BAH to India, the UAE, Saudi, Beirut etc and STRAIGHT back, without even getting off the plane. There are A LOT of flights to London, where you'll be or around 22 hours from touch-down to take-off.

And your last 2 questions, Yes, no comment (the web has ears -so to speak- and when/if you come you will see that it is sometimes better to stay as annon. as possible...:suspect: )

[futureflier]

Nomade > thanks for the advice! i've learnt to watch my back at my current job...it's quite amazing the lengths people will go!... and good thing I don't have tatoos!.. and yeah as you said, have fun for a couple of years! It could just be my thing!

gulfboy > You're right, I like that...no need to pay for rent etc..just for food at home or on layovers! No tax...that I would have to say would be a big reason why I want to work in the Mid East!
Oh, they do quite alot or routes which is good...I thought it would be more of the flagship routes only!
fair enough for being anonymous! i get what you mean!

Thanks for the replies!.... I'll definately look into it. I'm just staying at my current place for a lil bit longer so it looks abit better on my resume then I'll probably try it out...although I know they're recruiting chefs at the moment

[sebby]

Approx how many skychefs does GF currently employ?

[gulfboy]

GF recruiting chefs whenever they can. Have a look at ither the GF website or at www.aviationjobsearch.com

If GF is interested they will let you know when and where to come to an interview....

Futureflyer, don't wait too long if you want to do it. We do not care how long you have worked at one place or another. It is unlikely that we will get you to come over straight away. Interview and recruitment process can be a bit drawn out for logistical reasons. You could always apply and wait and see.
Keep your options open!

Hey, do you mind telling us where you work? Might pop in, next time I am in SYD..

[futureflier]

hey Gulfboy,

I know what you mean, and personally I would go for it right now if I could but due to some reasons, I can't do so for at least the next 6 months...
I'd be there like a shot if all circumstances are ok but yeah, some things came up recently, including a scholarship to continue my studies (which explains the 6 months)...looks like I've got alot of thinking to do. I'd love to have the skychef job as I've always wanted to work with the airlines, but my scholarship would also help me in my future career... I could i guess take a "break" from studying but at the same time I'm afraid I'd be too lazy to go back to studies after working for a while!..if you know what I mean...

I work in a hotel by the Harbour...about 5+ minutes walk from where u GF guys stay!... send me a note if you're coming by this way!