Learn what it takes to be a chef by getting a job as a kitchen assistant. Aspiring chefs will learn what this business is really like and if they can stand the long hours. No chef anywhere has learned this craft overnight and beginners won't either. Time is the most important ingredient to learn how to do this job and do it well.
There are questions that a novice must ask him/herself when standing at the bottom of a long culinary ladder. This includes whether or not he/she is motivated, creative and able to make split second decisions. Basically, there are two options for novice chefs to enter this competitive field.
Why Attending a Culinary School Would be a Good Idea
This will provide the skills and knowledge that can help get a foot in the door. In a focused learning environment students are given a clear road map, starting with the basics. Anyone who wants to be an executive chef, a pastry chef or a restaurant owner will get invaluable guidance in a culinary school.
Professional networking is another great advantage. Students may end up working together or working for one another.
Being a chef is more than learning how to cook. Anybody can make great food with even basic knowledge. Chefs need to be thoroughly schooled in the business side of the job including storage, food safety, sanitation, projecting revenues and recognizing what dishes are popular and ones that customers rarely ask for.
Culinary schools provide these lessons and they look good on a résumé. In a culinary school, students can afford to make mistakes. The instructors can tolerate a few messed up dishes when they have a class of new trainees.
Disadvantages of Attending Culinary School
The biggest drawback is that these institutions are not cheap. People will have to be absolutely confident that they can pay off those bills.
Those who are interested in a culinary school must do their research. Take a tour of the facility and interview the instructors if necessary. Ask plenty of questions and make sure classes are a reasonable size. A young chef will find it close to impossible to hone his/her skills in a class of twenty to thirty people.
Starting Work as a Chef Right Out of College
This option does have its unique advantages. In a busy kitchen a chef will get hands on experience, something that is not available in all cooking schools. Young graduates can start to earn wages immediately even though the money isn't fantastic.
Disadvantages of Working as a Chef After College
Nobody has the time to explain how a dish is made, or the history behind certain foods. To get this knowledge a chef will have to do his/her own research. This lack of education can hurt a chef in some environments. Mistakes are rarely tolerated and no one can afford to burn or undercook something.
In addition to this, the hours are long and the pressure is constant to cook dishes that meet customer satisfaction. While it's impossible to please everyone, too many complaints can put a big dent in a chef's career.
Accredited Cooking Schools
Accreditation provides many benefits. It creates public trust by ensuring accountability, high standards and professionalism. The following schools are recognized by the American Culinary Federation.
- The French Culinary Institute in New York City offers amateur courses in bread baking, pastry arts and wine, beer and food pairings. There are also advanced studies in restaurant management.
- Kitchen Academy has two campuses on the west coast of the United States. One is in Sacramento, California and the other is in Seattle, Washington. This school has an accelerated program through which students can get a professional culinary arts diploma.
- Le Cordon Bleu has several cooking academies across the U.S., mostly near large cities like San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta. The programs here cover a wide range of disciplines, from cooking French cuisine and preparing desserts to hospitality/restaurant management. Culinary management is offered in some of the schools.
What Are the Types of Culinary Arts Degrees?
Diploma programs are short, fast and intense. Associate degrees usually take two years to complete, and are skills focused, i.e. how to handle knives, cooking techniques and menu development. Bachelors degrees incorporate liberal arts courses with baking and pastry and take four years to finish. Masters degrees are more academically structured and take one to two years. Human resource management and nutrition and food science are important parts of this program.
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