| h1> | | | | learn how to purchase and store your ingredients. You |
| This article will talk about the steps an aspiring chef | | | | get to work together with other students as a team, |
| can take in order to become a professional cook. | | | | which is a very important factor in the success of |
| So you are interested in the possibility of becoming a | | | | your career. You may never see or prepare these |
| chef? You probably have many questions and are | | | | dishes again, but the techniques that you pick up in |
| probably wondering what route to take. Are there any | | | | Culinary School can be applied to many of the dishes |
| requirements for becoming a chef? What education is | | | | that you create in the future. |
| needed for becoming a chef? | | | | Depending on the school you attend, your curriculum |
| As the title of this article suggests, you basically have | | | | may include topics like pastry, nutrition, management, |
| two options toward becoming a chef and learning the | | | | butchery and more. You can also receive job |
| fundamentals of cooking. There are actually three | | | | placement assistance. You will learn more about the |
| options, but we will discuss the third later in this article. | | | | various culinary organizations out there, scholarships |
| You can either go straight to Culinary School and learn | | | | and other programs that may be useful. |
| the art of cooking under the close supervision of | | | | The Disadvantages of Cooking School |
| educated Chefs, or you can head out into the real | | | | For the most part, a Culinary school education is |
| world and learn hands on cooking techniques in a fast | | | | theoretical learning. Cooking school is not going to |
| paced restaurant setting. We will now discuss the | | | | prepare you for the busy and stressful environment of |
| advantages and disadvantages of both options. | | | | a real world kitchen, and this lack of preparation may |
| ON THE JOB LEARNING | | | | present a problem when you start looking for a job. |
| The Advantages | | | | Culinary Students have also acquired a bad reputation |
| The traditional method for becoming a chef was quite | | | | over the years unfortunately. The popular opinion is |
| different years ago. One did not attend a Culinary | | | | that graduates from cooking schools are in no way |
| School first before they began working. Instead, a | | | | prepared to handle the stress of a busy kitchen. Why |
| person learned by working from the bottom up. This | | | | have Culinary Students been given such a bad |
| gave the cook hands-on real world experience, | | | | reputation? It is because many have tried and quit |
| something not readily available in cooking schools | | | | when the going got rough. So the only way to |
| today. This real world experience is more respected | | | | overcome this is to prove yourself. You will have to |
| then a student fresh out of Culinary School, and I am | | | | dedicate yourself no matter how hard things get. |
| sure you can understand why. A restaurant owner is | | | | Lastly there is the cost associated with a Culinary |
| not going to be impressed by a resume filled with all of | | | | School Education. It can be very expensive. Not only |
| the classes you took in cooking school. He or she will | | | | do you have to pay tuition, but you also have to pay |
| be more interested in whether or not you can perform | | | | for your books, tools and other accessories. Things |
| in a busy and stressful kitchen environment, and you | | | | can really add up. If you decide that it is not the right |
| will only gain that experience by living and doing it on | | | | career path for you, you will have lost a lot of money. |
| the job. | | | | GOING TO SCHOOL + ON THE JOB TRAINING |
| The Disadvantages | | | | Now on to the third option that I told you we would |
| Working on the job also has its disadvantages. In a | | | | cover later in this article: working on the job while you |
| restaurant environment there is one main objective | | | | are attending cooking school. The advantage to this |
| and that is to prepare quality dishes in a timely manner | | | | option is that you will be practicing what you are |
| so that the customer is satisfied. Your head chef and | | | | learning in school. You get to truly experience it and not |
| co-workers do not have time to explain how a dish is | | | | just read about it in some textbook. |
| made, or the history and culture behind the food that is | | | | This is by far the best option of course but not for |
| prepared. It is simply too busy. So you will have to | | | | everyone. There will be many sacrifices when taking |
| seek out your education on your own, unless of | | | | this route toward becoming a chef. Holding a job while |
| course someone is willing to take the time and teach | | | | going to school will be very difficult. You will be |
| you, but this is rarely the case. | | | | exhausted both physically and mentally, and if you do |
| CULINARY SCHOOL EDUCATION | | | | not work extra hard, your grades will suffer. If your |
| The advantages of Attending a Cooking School | | | | grades suffer, then you may get less attention from |
| Culinary school can be a truly rewarding experience if | | | | your instructors. On the flip side, you may impress your |
| you keep your eyes and ears open and apply | | | | instructors with your hard work and interest. |
| yourself. There is much to be learned and exposed to. | | | | So whatever path you choose, remember the most |
| This is where the history, culture and techniques | | | | important thing is perseverance. Without staying power |
| regarding the preparation of the food comes into play. | | | | and patience you will have a difficult time making it as |
| You can learn where the dish came from and the | | | | a chef. I wish you all the best and God Bless. |
| variety of ways to create certain dishes. You can | | | | |