How To Turn Your Passion For Food into a Full-Time Job

I was at a party the other day and I was talking to a boy. We started talking about what we wanted to be when we got older and what our dream job was and like usual, I told him I didn't have one. Then he asked me what I was passionate about and told me how his passions had led him into his desired field. I looked him straight in the eyes and said "well I'm really passionate about food." He immediately stopped taking me seriously and our conversation ended.

I was actually super offended when this guy just shrugged off my interests because they weren't good enough. So obviously I had to prove him wrong and I went in search of ways I could turn my passion for food into the rest of my life. Here's what I came up with. 

Chef

Okay, yeah, this one is kind of obvious. But I don't think most people even realize how much work it takes to be a head chef. I always thought culinary school was a myth and cooking classes were a place for people who can't even make scrambled eggs go.

Actually, being a chef is unbelievably taxing. There are culinary schools all over the country that teach the ins and outs of the kitchen. So if your passion is rooted in spending hours in your kitchen experimenting with ingredients, this job is the go-to for you. 

P.S. Did you know that with experience and hard work some executive chefs can make six figures? 

Food Stylist

If you're artistically inclined and really into eating, this job is for you. You know how sometimes you order a meal and you don't want to eat it at first because it's so pretty? Well that doesn't just happen. As it turns out, you can actually be paid to make food aesthetically pleasing. Food stylists make, on average, $33,000 per year which is pretty good for someone whose living is arranging food. 

Food Critic

Ever since I saw Ratatouille I've been fascinated by food critics. Imagine being feared because your palate is so refined? To be a food critic you have to know everything about food, tastes, and whatever restaurants are in your area. Sounds like an ideal job to me. Plus you usually get to eat for free on top of making an average salary of $88,000. Seriously, sign me up. Interested in this job? Then check out how to become a successful food critic.

Food Scientist

Ever heard of molecular gastronomy? LMAO, yeah, me neither. As it turns out, molecular gastronomy is a branch of both physics and chemistry that studies different culinary combinations by examining their ingredients. Basically if you like science and you like to eat, you can combine the two and spend your days in a kitchen-like lab creating all of the fancy food options we all know and love.

For example, you get to look at how heat will affect ingredients or how ingredients interact together. I'm more of a "just tell me it works and I'll use it" kind of girl, but if you love knowing why things are the way they are, this is the field for you.

Food Blogger

We all know our generation is obsessed with the Internet, and with this obsession we've seen a huge increase in blogs. Blogging is an awesome way to make money if you do it correctly. There are blogs about all kinds of things, but food blogs are particularly popular and especially successful.

The best part about a blog is that you can write about whatever you want. You can post your own recipes, talk about diets, throw out some nutrition facts, or anything you want. Opportunities on the Internet are boundless. Want some food blog inspo? Check out these awesome food blogs.

Nutritionist

Not sure what you want to study in school and know the only thing you like is food? You're in luck! A lot of schools actually have a nutrition degree so not only do you get to study the ins and outs of food, but you also get to make a living in it!

Restaurant Owner

Have a favorite restaurant in one part of the country/world that hasn't quite made it all over? Bet you didn't know that it actually isn't so difficult to own your own franchise. Seriously, I'm just your average girl who lives in the suburbs in Virginia meanwhile my father owns 15 Five Guys restaurants in Massachusetts.

Depending on your success and the number of restaurants you own, you can make bank. Or you don't even have to franchise an existing chain, instead you could make your own. The opportunities are endless and so is the potential success. 

Sensory Panelist

Being a sensory panelist is literally just a fancy way of saying you're a taste tester. So if your palate is refined af and you want to get paid to try food (doesn't everyone?) then this is the job for you. You can taste test anything from sweets, to savory meals, to drinks. And if you have more tastebuds than the average person you're a hot commodity in the sensory panelist world.

You can be a taste tester as a full time job and make, on average, $30,000-$60,000 or do it as a part-time gig with hourly wages usually decently above minimum wage. You can literally get paid to eat. Next question. 

Food Photographer

Have a super successful food Instagram account? Or maybe a passion for photography? Well taking pictures of your food isn't just a way to get likes on your social media account. Who do you think takes all those amazing photos for food magazines like Bon Appétit? Based on your level of experience and your skill you can make a pretty decent living doing this. This is the perfect job for someone who is both passionate about food and also loves being behind a lens. 

Based on your level of experience and your skill you can make a pretty decent living doing this. This is the perfect job for someone who is both passionate about food and also loves being behind a lens. 

Competitive Eater

I'm half-serious, half-joking with this one. Everyone knows how terrible binge eating is for you, yet this job revolves around it. But what you probably don't know is that just like we have the MLB and the NHL and the NFL, we also have the MLE, Major League Eating. There are competitions for everything, not just the hot dog eating competition I know you all watch in secret.

They have competitions for birthday cake, cabbage, chicken nuggets, eggs, watermelon, shrimp, onions, you name it. Most of these events have prizes of around $3,000-$4,000. So this may not be a full time job, but it's a great side gig. Just think, you could be the next Joey Chestnut! 

Restaurant Marketing Manager

Fast Food restaurants do a superb job advertising their restaurants. Pretty much every commercial break there's a "Live Más" add or "I'm Lovin' It." If you love business and have a passion for marketing then you can run marketing for your favorite restaurant.

No business can flourish without successful marketing. This job allows you to merge everything you learned in business classes with your knowledge of the average consumer. Can't get much better than that.