Hey there! I want to tell you about how I went from being a cook to working with computers. It’s kind of crazy when I think about it, but here’s my story.

My Life as a Cook

I used to wake up at 4 in the morning to work in a busy kitchen. Man, those days were tough. Hot stoves, lots of yelling, and standing on my feet all day long. Sure, I loved cooking - still do! But the hours… they were killing me.

What It Did to My Family

The hardest part? Missing out on my kids growing up. My little girl was four when she asked my wife why daddy’s never home for dinner. That hurt. A lot.

My boy was just two, and he’d be sleeping when I left for work and sleeping when I got home. Some days, he’d be shy around me because, well, he barely knew his own dad. That’s not right, you know?

My wife Sarah basically raised our kids alone. She did everything - school stuff, doctor visits, all of it. She never complained, but I could see how tired she was.

The worst was missing Christmas, birthdays, all the good stuff. I was cooking fancy dinners for other families while missing time with my own. That just didn’t sit right with me anymore.

Why I Changed

I missed my sister’s wedding because the restaurant was too busy. I watched it on my phone in the kitchen while chopping onions. That’s when I knew something had to change.

Starting with Computers

Let me tell you - starting over was scary. I’d sit in the break room between lunch and dinner shifts, trying to learn this computer stuff on my old laptop. Most days, I felt pretty stupid. All these young kids knowing more than me about computers… but I kept at it.

The Hard Part Nobody Talks About

Money was tight. Really tight. I went part-time at the kitchen to learn coding, and we had to cut back on a lot. Sarah picked up extra shifts at her job to help out. Some nights I’d lay awake wondering if I was being stupid, trying to change careers at my age.

Getting My First Computer Job

Took me 4 months of trying. Got a lot of “no” before someone finally said “yes.” A small company took a chance on me. They liked that I knew how to work hard and work with people - turns out that matters more than just knowing computer stuff.

How Life is Different Now

These days, I’m home for dinner. Actually sitting at the table, not cooking in some restaurant kitchen. I get to see my daughter’s dance shows. My boy runs to hug me when I come home - that right there, that’s worth everything.

Sarah and me, we can go on actual dates now. Regular hours mean I’m home weekends. Holidays too. It’s like being a real family again.

What I Learned

If you’re thinking about changing jobs like I did:

  • It’s gonna be hard
  • You’ll feel dumb sometimes
  • Money will be tight
  • Family needs to be on board
  • But it can work if you stick with it

Still Love Cooking

Know what’s funny? I still love cooking. But now I do it at home, for my family. Made my daughter’s birthday cake last week - first time ever. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but seeing her face when I brought it out… that’s the kind of stuff I missed before.

Want to Do Something Similar?

If you’re reading this thinking about changing jobs, I get it. It’s scary. But sometimes you just gotta try. If a simple cook like me could learn computer stuff, maybe you can too.