From Contract Catering To The UHNW & Consultancy World. A Whole New Ball Game.

Recently, I’ve been coaching a candidate who’s stepping into a completely different world.

Moving from contract catering into the UHNW (Ultra High Net Worth) and consultancy space isn't just a change of job. It's a change of environment, expectations, mindset, culture and, in many ways, identity.

The skills don't suddenly disappear because the playing field changes. But how you use them, how you present yourself and how you navigate the unknown? That's where the real work begins.

It's something I've experienced myself building The Chef Hub, and there are lessons along the way that I wish someone had drummed into me earlier.

So, if you're considering self-employment, consultancy, a career pivot or simply taking a leap into something unfamiliar, and, as The chef Hub turns 2 years old, here's what I've learned.

Believe in your skills. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. And whatever happens, keep going.

1. Believe in your skills

Imposter syndrome is real, yes, but - You've spent years learning your craft, developing your knowledge, making mistakes, solving problems and building experience.

Don't suddenly forget all of that because you're entering a different environment, they are the armour.

Your experience has value. Your ability to think on your feet has value. Your perspective, your work ethic and the lessons you've learned along the way all have value.

You might need to adapt how you deliver them, but never underestimate what you bring to the table.

You don't start from scratch. You start from experience.

2. You'll lose people who had you pigeonholed

This one's uncomfortable, but it's real. But thats ok.

Some people will only ever see you as the person you were. The job title you held. The industry you worked in. The role they associated you with.

When you start doing something different, some won't understand it. Some won't support it.

Some will very much insist on you returning as the person you were to solve a problem they have, and have an issue that you don't, trust me.

Others will quietly wait for you to fail so they can say they knew it wouldn't work.

That's their business, not yours.

You cannot build something new whilst constantly trying to convince everyone from your old world that you're capable of doing it. So don't.

Let your actions speak. Let your results build your reputation.

And accept that not everyone is meant to come with you on the next leg of the journey.

3. Forget “what if”. Focus on “even if”.

This is pure, manifestation, focus and clarity - What if I fail?

What if I don't get the contract?

What if nobody responds?

What if I make the wrong decision?

What if I'm not good enough?

It's easy to spend so much time imagining everything that could go wrong that you never give yourself the chance to find out what could go right.

Try changing the question.

Even if I fail, what will I learn?

Even if I don't get the contract, I'll improve my pitch.

Even if I make a mistake, I'll know what to do differently next time.

Even if it takes longer than expected, I'll have gained experience along the way.

You can't eliminate uncertainty. But you can decide how you respond to it.

Red. Car. Syndrome - look it up.

4. Do it scared. Do it imperfectly. Just do it.

You don't need to have everything figured out before you start.

You don't need the perfect plan, the perfect website, the perfect pitch or the perfect moment.

Sometimes you just need to get moving.

Send the email. Make the call. Have the conversation. Put yourself forward for the opportunity. Start the project you've been talking yourself out of for six months.

Will it be polished? Probably not.

Will you make mistakes? Almost certainly.

Will you look back in a year's time and realise you could have done some things better? Absolutely.

But you'll never learn those lessons sitting on the sidelines waiting until you feel ready.

Ready is now.

Do it scared. Do it imperfectly. Do it unpolished. Do it anyway.

Progress doesn't require perfection. It requires action. Persistence. Consistency breeds results.

5. Learn from failure, but don't live in it

There's a difference between reflecting on something that went wrong and allowing it to define you.

Get things wrong. Review what happened. Understand what you could have done differently. Take the lesson and move forward.

Don't spend weeks replaying a conversation, a missed opportunity or a decision that didn't work out.

You cannot change what happened, but you can change what you do next.

Every setback, however big or small, becomes another building block. Some teach you about your skills. Others teach you about people, timing, communication or the importance of trusting your instincts.

The trick is to take the lesson without carrying the baggage.

6. There isn't always time. Make your impact.

In consultancy, independent work and senior roles, you won't always have the luxury of months to prove yourself.

Sometimes you walk into an environment where the problems are already there, the expectations are high and the clock is ticking.

You need to listen, assess, prioritise and make a difference.

That doesn't mean rushing in and trying to change everything on day one. It means understanding where you can add value, identifying what matters most and making your time count.

You might not be there long enough to fix everything.

But you can leave things better than you found them.

And never underestimate the value of making a positive impact, even when you don't get to see the long-term results.

7. The nerves don't disappear. You learn to work with them.

Here's something people don't always tell you about stepping into the unknown.

The nerves don't necessarily go away when you get started.

They're there at the beginning, when you're wondering whether you've made the right decision.

They're there when you send the proposal and wait for a response.

They're there when you land the work and realise you've now got to deliver.

They're there when things start scaling, when expectations increase and when you're trying to find a rhythm that works.

And just when you think you've found your flow, something changes again.

That's part of it.

The aim isn't to eliminate every bit of uncertainty or become completely comfortable with everything.

It's to settle in, find your feet and learn to operate with those nerves sitting alongside you.

Sometimes they're a useful reminder that what you're doing matters.

Let them keep you sharp, not hold you back.

8. Keep going. Whatever the day brings.

Get set back. Keep going.

Get ghosted. Keep going.

Lose the opportunity. Keep going.

Win the contract. Keep going.

Get something wrong. Learn from it. Keep going.

Have a brilliant week. Keep going.

Have a week where absolutely nothing seems to go your way. Keep going.

Self-employment and consultancy aren't always a straight line from effort to reward. You can do everything right and still not get the outcome you wanted. You can work hard on something that never materialises. You can be the right person for the job and still not get the call. You can give advice to a client (or candidate) and they wont take it, choose a different path and see it fail, for THEN the penny to drop, it will happen.

That's the reality.

You have to be able to absorb the knock, reset and get back out there. Thats resilience.

Not recklessly. Not without reflecting. But without allowing one bad day, one rejection or one disappointing result to convince you that the whole thing isn't working.

Consistency breeds results.

Not overnight. Not always when you expect them. But showing up, learning, adapting and continuing to do the work gives you the best chance of building something sustainable.

9. Enjoy the wins. Don't take them for granted.

When the opportunity comes, enjoy it.

When the client says yes, celebrate it.

When someone recognises the work you've put in, take a moment to appreciate it.

When you land that contract you've been chasing, remember what it took to get there.

It's easy to become so focused on the next target, the next invoice, the next client or the next challenge that you forget to appreciate what's happening right now.

And in business, things can change in a heartbeat.

A contract can end. A client can change direction. Circumstances can shift.

That doesn't mean you should spend your time worrying about what might disappear. It means you should appreciate what you've built, look after the relationships you have and make the most of the opportunities in front of you.

Celebrate the wins without becoming complacent. Stay hungry without forgetting how far you've come. Gratitude to grounding.

A final thought: the only way out is through

Coaching someone through a career transition is a reminder that sometimes people don't need someone to tell them they're capable of doing the job.

They need someone to help them recognise what they're capable of, challenge the doubts holding them back and give them the confidence to take that next step.

Moving from one world into another can feel daunting. But your previous experience isn't a limitation unless you allow it to become one.

The skills you've developed, the problems you've solved, the people you've worked with and the challenges you've overcome have all helped prepare you for what comes next.

You won't get every decision right. You won't win every opportunity. You won't always feel confident.

That's fine.

You don't need to have all the answers today. You just need to be willing to learn them along the way.

Believe in your skills.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Learn from the setbacks.

Celebrate the wins.

And whatever happens, keep going.

Because the biggest risk isn't always getting it wrong.

Sometimes, it's spending so long worrying about what might happen that you never give yourself the chance to find out.

This month, The Chef Hub formally turn two years old operating as a full time business, and proud to see what has been built, from zero clients, zero candidates, and zero agreements to ongoing roles, great clients, returning and maintaining relationships, as well as having some incredible opportunities to progress where others have not, do not, and cant, in a sector that needs quality over transactions, or experience over systems, and care over speed.

Think I'm on to something...? Email me, perhaps I can help; tonylewis@thechefhub.co.uk

Tony Lewis Founder, The Chef Hub

Supporting hospitality people and businesses to develop, grow and find their next opportunity.