Is Culinary School Right for You?

Wanted: Certified Culinarian, experienced with food preparation, plate presentation, and maintenance of quality standards. Knowledge of variety of cuisines and cooking styles a must. Good communication skills with FOH a plus.

Though self-taught career climbs are still possible, diplomas and certifications have become more and more critical to every job field. Chefs now seek skilled people with proven knowledge learned in culinary school. The apprentice environment is honed to specific methods and procedures – certificates do not come easy. The job-site kitchen is about production. Trainees are often taught location specific dishes. This leaves them with limited openings toward other restaurants.

A love of cooking does not assure excellence.

Neither does it enhance employment possibilities. Talent may come naturally, but skills are learned. Growth is a process of hard work, training, and sound career decisions. The profitable culinarian student needs exposure to the theories of good cuisines, a though knowledge of ingredients, an understanding of techniques, and the opportunity to practice.

Though a strong career can be built upon experience alone, today’s unstable job market presents specific complications. Thirty, fifty, and even eighty year old restaurants are falling to the wayside. If only your immediate associates recognize your job worth, skills, and expertise, what guarantees your future?

Job stability is not the only concern. Mull over the financial benefits of just one area of expertise. More than a third of corporate chefs hold a culinary degree. Twenty eight percent have college degrees. Fourteen percent hold advanced degrees. The average annual pay is better than $50,000, and twenty four percent reach into the $100,000 range.

Some people are not interested in top positions, or even changing job sites. They just want a little extra push added to their resume. Restaurants still promote from within, but landing that opportunity made be a matter of having spent the effort to get a certification or degree.

The best defense is a strong offense. Be prepared. There are no overnight certifications. As listed by the American Culinary Federation, the requirements to be a Certified Culinarian include a minimum job experience of two years as an entry level culinarian or an Associates degree in Culinary Arts, a high school diploma, a successful score on the written exam, and a 75% or higher score on a practical exam. You will also need to provide evidence of courses in Nutrition, Supervisory Management, and Food Sanitation. A step up from certification to degree will require a proportionate increase in training and expense.

The food service student can learn proficiency in a wide range of cooking skills, recipe manipulation, and measuring precisions. But a culinary school goes beyond cooking; it is a full career experience. The student will also learn management and interpersonal communication skills, conflict resolution, organization controls, inventory management, and consistent production planning. They will learn the culinary arts industry, develop professional business and human interactive skills, and have the pleasurable opportunity to build lasting relationships with peers and professionals alike.