Home – Easy Recipes – Dishes – Cooking Guide

By: chef ssentongo

30 Side Hustles Great Cooks and Chefs Can Start for Extra Cas h

Here’s a curated list of 30 side hustles for cooks and chefs to earn extra income, combining culinary skills with entrepreneurial opportunities. These ideas are sourced from industry experts, gig economy platforms, and successful food entrepreneurs .

1. Sell Food Products

What: Homemade jams, sauces, baked goods, or spice blends.
Where: Farmers’ markets, Etsy, or local grocery stores.
Tip: Check local health regulations for home kitchens .

2. Private Chef Services

What: Cook personalized meals for families or events.
Earnings: $25–$40/hour. Use platforms like Miummium or HireAChef .

3. Meal Prep Delivery

What: Prepare weekly meals for busy clients (e.g., keto, vegan).
Profit: $20–$40/hour. Market at gyms or via Instagram .

4. Catering for Events

What: Small weddings, corporate lunches, or dinner parties.
Scale: Start with drop-off service; expand to full-service .

5. Food Truck or Pop-Up

What: Mobile or temporary dining with a focused menu.
Cost: $50K–$100K startup (truck) or lower for pop-ups .

6. Virtual Cooking Classes

What: Teach techniques via Zoom or YouTube.
Platforms: Udemy, Skillshare, or self-hosted .

7. Food Blogging/YouTube

What: Share recipes or reviews. Monetize via ads, sponsorships, or cookbooks.
Earnings: $1K–$10K/month with 10K+ followers .

8. Farmers’ Market Vendor

What: Sell artisanal bread, pickles, or ready-to-eat items.
Profit: $10K–$30K/year part-time .

9. E-Cookbook Author

What: Self-publish niche recipe books (e.g., gluten-free, air fryer).
Platforms: Amazon KDP or Shopify for direct sales .

10. Food Photography

What: Shoot dishes for restaurants or bloggers.
Gear: Start with a smartphone and natural light .

11. Food Styling

What: Plate dishes for photoshoots or ads.
Clients: Magazines, brands, or social media influencers .

12. Recipe Developer

What: Create recipes for brands, blogs, or meal kits.
Earnings: $50–$200/recipe .

13. Specialty Coffee Cart

What: Sell cold brew or espresso at events.
Cost: $2K–$10K startup .

14. Home-Based Bakery

What: Sell cakes, cookies, or bread.
Legal: Verify cottage food laws in your state .

15. Food Subscription Boxes

What: Curate themed boxes (e.g., global snacks, baking kits).
Platform: Cratejoy or Shopify .

16. Food Critic

What: Review restaurants for blogs or local media.
Start: Build a portfolio with unpaid reviews .

17. Culinary Tour Guide

What: Host food tours in your city (virtual or in-person).
Revenue: $50–$100/person .

18. Food Truck Consultant

What: Advise new owners on menus, permits, or branding.
Fee: $50–$150/hour .

19. Fermented Foods Business

What: Sell kombucha, kimchi, or sourdough starters.
Market: Health stores or online .

20. Food Podcast

What: Discuss industry trends or interview chefs.
Monetize: Sponsorships or Patreon .

21. Temporary Line Cook

What: Fill shifts at understaffed restaurants via apps like Qwick .

22. Food-Themed Merch

What: Sell aprons, knives, or recipe-themed art on Etsy .

23. Ice Cream Cart

What: Seasonal hustle with unique flavors (vegan options sell well!) .

24. Food Safety Auditor

What: Inspect kitchens remotely for compliance.
Certification: Needed (e.g., ServSafe) .

25. Cookbook Editor

What: Proofread or test recipes for authors .

26. Food Waste Consultant

What: Help restaurants reduce waste and save costs .

27. Virtual Meal Planner

What: Design weekly menus for clients.
Tools: Use Canva or Google Docs .

28. Food Truck Franchise

What: License a proven concept (e.g., tacos, BBQ).
Example: The Dumpling Lady (started as a truck, now a brick-and-mortar) .

29. Food Influencer

What: Partner with brands (e.g., cookware, groceries).
Platforms: Instagram, TikTok .

30. Airbnb Experience Host

What: Offer cooking classes or dinner parties in your home .

Key Takeaways

Low-Cost Startups: Home bakeries, blogging, or farmers’ markets .
High Earnings: Private cheffing, catering, or food trucks .
Trending: Virtual classes, meal kits, and sustainability-focused hustles .

For deeper dives, explore Escoffier’s culinary entrepreneurship guide or Shopify’s food business tips . Let me know if you’d like help tailoring a hustle to your skills!

20 Advanced Cooking Techniques for Every Che f

20 Advanced Cooking Techniques Every Chef Should Master

These skills will elevate your dishes from good to extraordinary, whether you’re a professional chef or a serious home cook.

1. Sous Vide Precision Cooking

What: Cook vacuum-sealed food in a temperature-controlled water bath for perfect doneness.
Use: Steaks (129°F/54°C for medium-rare), eggs (167°F/75°C for custard-like yolks).
Pro Tip: Finish with a sear for texture.

2. Spherification (Molecular Gastronomy)

What: Turn liquids into caviar-like spheres using sodium alginate + calcium chloride.
Use: Cocktail “pearls,” balsamic vinegar bursts.

3. Dry-Aging Meat

What: Hang beef in a controlled environment (34°F/1°C, 75% humidity) for 30+ days.
Result: Concentrated flavor, tender texture.
DIY: Use a mini fridge with a salt block and fan.

4. Fermentation Mastery

What: Harness microbes to transform ingredients (kimchi, sourdough, koji).
Key: Control salt levels (2–5% by weight) and temperature.

5. Emulsification Without Stabilizers

What: Bind oil and water into stable sauces (mayonnaise, hollandaise).
Trick: Add oil slowly while whisking vigorously.

6. Confit (Slow-Cooked in Fat)

What: Submerge proteins (duck, garlic) in fat and cook low and slow.
Temp: 180–200°F (82–93°C) for tender, flavorful results.

7. Dehydration for Texture

What: Remove moisture to intensify flavors (fruit leathers, mushroom powder).
Tools: Dehydrator or oven at 140°F/60°C.

8. Reverse Searing

What: Slow-roast steak first, then sear for a perfect crust.
Best for: Thick cuts like ribeye.

9. Smoking (Hot vs. Cold)

Hot Smoke: 225°F/107°C for BBQ.
Cold Smoke: Below 85°F/29°C for salmon or cheese.

10. Gelification (Agar, Gelatin, Pectin)

What: Create edible gels (panna cotta, fruit gels).
Pro Tip: Agar sets at room temp; gelatin needs chilling.

11. Butterflying & Stuffing Proteins

What: Debone and flatten chicken, fish, or lamb for even cooking.
Use: Roulades, stuffed breasts.

12. Consommé Clarification

What: Use egg whites to trap impurities, creating crystal-clear broth.
Key: Gentle simmering; avoid stirring.

13. Lamination (Layered Doughs)

What: Fold butter into dough (croissants, puff pastry).
Trick: Chill between folds to prevent melting.

14. Flash Pickling

What: Quick-pickle veggies in hot brine (30 mins to 2 hours).
Use: Topping for tacos, sandwiches.

15. Infusions (Oil, Alcohol, Vinegar)

What: Steep herbs, spices, or fruit in liquids.
Example: Chili oil, vanilla bourbon.

16. Pressure Cooking for Depth

What: Extract rich flavors in minutes (bone broth, stews).
Tool: Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker.

17. Curing & Charcuterie

What: Preserve meats with salt, sugar, and spices (pancetta, gravlax).
Safety: Use curing salt (Prague Powder #1) for botulism prevention.

18. Sugar Work (Caramel, Blown Sugar)

What: Cook sugar to precise temps for decorations.
Stages: Thread (230°F/110°C) → Hard crack (300°F/149°C).

19. Sous Vide Egg Yolks (63°C/145°F)

What: Silky, custard-like yolks for ramen or salads.
Time: 45–60 minutes.

20. Butchery & Fabrication

What: Break down whole animals (fish, poultry, lamb) to save costs.
Skill: Learn seam butchery to minimize waste.

Pro Tips for Mastery

Practice one technique at a time—start with sous vide or confit.
Document results: Note temps, times, and ratios.
Invest in tools: Immersion circulator, smoking gun, precision scale.

These techniques open doors to Michelin-star creativity or next-level home cooking. Which one will you try first? 🍳