If they aren't tough on you at the beginning, you'll suffer. The food critics, for the most part, no nothing either. Even a well- schooled chef, at the start of his or her career is slow and not able to use a knife or pastry bag properly. This takes years. This is manual labor.
Cooking is full of skills.
That is why it is best to start young. And by the way, there is no safety in cooking. Unless you are your own boss, or working in a unionized hotel, you are only as good as your last set of ideas. He started life as a chemist and understood more about food chemistry than any other chef of his generation. But you'll start by peeling carrots and washing lettuce.