As the art of fruit and vegetable carving becomes more and more popular, it still holds true as a “passion” career.  Many students have come to me over the past few years saying “I love this stuff!  I want to open my own company to do this full time.”  I just shake my head and think to myself “If you only knew.”

We’ve all heard “If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life.” This is not completely true in the world of fruit and vegetable carving.  I know of only a couple of individuals that solely depend on their skills, marketing ability and tenacity to support themselves financially in the fruit and vegetable display/garnish world. When I clarify further, I hope you will understand why this art form is truly for those of us that strive to live our passion.

Let’s add some qualifying parameters to consider whether someone feels that this grand art is their “job”:

1)    The art of fruit and vegetable carving acts as 75% or more of your monthly income

2)    You work in the culinary field  

3)    You have a an LLC or at least a DBA, and

4)    You are not retired from a former profession and have retirement income from it

These are very simple yet effective parameters to establish your status. Now as for myself, I work in the culinary field through multiple avenues.  I have an LLC and a DBA, but the art of fruit and vegetable carving does not earn 75% of my monthly income. 

There are two people that I know of that fit the criteria of Fruit & Vegetable Carving being  their job. The first is an American that travels, sells tools, competes, teaches, and carves displays.  He is an excellent marketer and is a great carver.  He is a Certified Executive Chef who caters but his main focus and income comes from this art.  The second is an Asian gentleman that I met at the Culinary Olympics in Germany. This gentleman derives the majority of his income from teaching his art to others and selling tools.  He doesn’t do many actual displays but rather travels the demo circuit all year long.  These guys are making it happen for themselves but it comes at a very difficult cost considering all the travel and business issues that they suffer.  With one of the gentlemen, it sometimes shows in how he conducts himself, but to each their own.

Getting back to the passion aspect, I can show 500 culinarians that are first and foremost just that: culinarians.  They love carving because it gives them a creative aspect that cooking doesn’t.  As with any passion-driven activity, carving takes you away from where you are or what you are doing and frees you!!! 

I have seen many chefs pick up the little knife for the first time and a whole new adventure starts for them:  a spark, a twinkle, or dare I say it a “light bulb” turns on!  But they know that is all it is:  something they can use as inspiration or an escape.  Either is fine for them, but it is not a new job.  I have been a “jack of all trades” for most of my life because I never took the time to really become the best I could be at anything.  Whether it was ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia or the manic depressive in me, I don’t know.  But what I do know is that this industry (culinary) has so many beautiful opportunities that are profitable it if they are sought out and identified.  I have been blessed because of the timing of when I entered this field as well as the people that looked out for me while I was in school.  They mentored me quickly and somewhat firmly even though at times I didn’t want to listen.  But it is drive that has taken me to where I am today and the others that has kept me from going where I should be. 

Yes the Food Network makes it look like all you have to do is go to culinary school and then you appear on a TV reality show and you are set for life.  Yes I fell into this and when the production company called the first time I asked “Who are you and who put you up to this?”  But for most part, is this really a passion or a food lust?  How many people are out there that have quit their jobs, put themselves through culinary school ($40K minimum) and are barely making it or not making it because they had to take a $10.00 per hour (if they are lucky) line job?  TOO MANY TO COUNT!!! 

Passion, it’s what we all should look for in life.

Falling in love with something is great, euphoric, and tingling but not realistic is some cases.  Fruit and vegetable carving is one of those passions.  It can brighten your day, it can brighten others day, but it just can’t pay the bills.  Use it for what it is:  an inspiration or a way to get away from reality, but be realistic about what it is.  I have, and I had all the right things going for me.