Decisions, decisions....

[FatLazyContractor]

Better than NLYUK that can't be possible. The 'Lady' who has transported more sailors than the Ark Royal?

Ok, I'll discuss/contend that elsewhere.

Let us not hijack norrahe's thread discussing hookers

[TheFaQQer]

Take it.

I'm going to hedge my bets by not specifying what "it" is though

[TykeMerc]

My feeling is that it's an opportunity that you could regret missing, my first inclination is investigate any options that may allow you to take it. Assuming you actually want to do it of course

[tomtomagain]

In life you tend to regret the things you don't do rather than what you do do.

I say go for it.

[Scruff]

J.F.D.I. - Life is not a dress rehearsal!

[NickFitz]

If doing it won't actually leave you bankrupt, go for it. After all, it's what you really want to do

[norrahe]

If doing it won't actually leave you bankrupt, go for it. After all, it's what you really want to do

It's a bit more complicated than just the warchest issue (there's also losing expat tax rulings etc.. which would hit the pocket pretty hard). I would have just enough to cover myself in myco for the competition but then benchtime would be at the worst possible time in the Cloggers market.

It took me nearly 11 months to find summat this time round and the market is pretty dire over here, especially if you're not cloggy, you get passed over for gigs.

Am probably going to see if I can defer till next year, if not I'll just apply again.

I actually know one of the former judges as he's already judged me previously in competitions and will be judging me again in the upcoming competition, so may ask him to put in a good word for me.

I have no idea what the format of the competition is as I've never actually watched the programme over here and only watch the professional one on the beeb.

[administrator]

Well done on getting the offer! Tough choice. If you turned down the Fat Duck and don't regret it then I think you'll be OK with whatever you go with. If your plan in the long term is to work in the food industry then this would be a good start and could open doors for you. Depends if you want to be a foody full time or a contract bod for the rest of your life. If you want a career in the work you love then jump sooner than later IMO!

[norrahe]

Well done on getting the offer! Tough choice. If you turned down the Fat Duck and don't regret it then I think you'll be OK with whatever you go with. If your plan in the long term is to work in the food industry then this would be a good start and could open doors for you. Depends if you want to be a foody full time or a contract bod for the rest of your life. If you want a career in the work you love then jump sooner than later IMO!

Plan is to get the warchest in a good way and then start doing contract part-time and concentrate more on foodie stuff. Once Mr N is back in a job then the pressure is off me. There's a lot of things I'm doing now that wouldn't be possible if I wasn't a contractor.

Having worked in restaurants and run my own catering business, you did a lot of hours for very little money, while it was enjoyable, you just didn't have time with the people you love.

I have plans, but want to build up the finances so that the plan B becomes a reality.

As I mentioned I already know a couple of people who were masterchef finalists here and it hasn't really been an huge life change for them. I've actually competed against some of them in competitions.

[TykeMerc]

Whichever way you go I applaud you for being invited to compete, I like to cook and I can make some decent food, but having watched some of the Masterchef type programmes I'm totally amateur in comparison, it's not just enthusiasm, it needs talent

If you can defer competing to a later series that would appear to fit with your plans and circumstances as you've described, from the sounds of it you've decided to defer or decline and that sounds wise.

Still dead impressed you can cook to the level to be considered let alone be invited