‘I quit my chef job for a side hustle taking photos of food making £108K a year’

Sep 19, 2023 at 6:00 PM
‘I quit my chef job for a side hustle taking photos of food making £108K a year’

One side hustler is sharing how he turned his second job in photography into a thriving business worth the equivalent of £108,000.

Sean Audet, 30, is from Winnipeg, Canada and quit his role as a chef to work as a food photographer.

The young woman has successfully acquired a sizable book of over 200 clients which include McDonald’s.

Like many individuals, Mr. Audet took on a side hustle to complement his earnings and pursue a ardour challenge.

However, little did he know, that this job would replace his main career and earn him $134,000 (£108,000) a yr.

Speaking to CNBC, the photographer shared why his present function is a welcome departure from his work within the kitchen.

He defined: “Working as a freelancer comes with challenges, but for me, it’s mostly benefits. The biggest benefit is really the agency it gives me over my time and the ability to design my lifestyle around my job is invaluable.

“If you don’t come from a culinary arts background, you may not have the skills to work and style food but having worked in the industry for so long, I was essentially coming into this new career with those skills.

“Even from the very beginning, I was able to carve out this little place in this niche.”

According to the businessman, he normally expenses a pair thousand {dollars} for a pictures shoot.

This would normally be the levy for brand spanking new purchasers, however for extra established purchasers, the cost may very well be round $17,500 (£14,100).

When Mr. Audet first began his aspect hustle in 2018, he made round $8,403 (£6,785.46) however earnings doubled almost yearly.

In phrases of enterprise bills, the entrepreneur spent an estimated $19,000 (£15,300) in 2022.

The side hustler added: “Mainly, those expenses will be location rentals and hiring other professionals.

“So models, stylists and sometimes additional help. I worked in culinary arts as a cook and then sous chef in restaurants and pop-ups for five to seven years before I really started working in photography.”

He fell into this artistic occupation from working in analysis and improvement at school, which he did whereas managing a pop-up restaurant in 2016.

Mr Audet stated: “First, it turned just into a little side gig doing photography for a few clients that I would find. I always really enjoy making really beautiful food in restaurants. I was able to leverage those skills in the kitchen into a successful early career in photography.”