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Culinary School: Obtaining Great Culinary Training
Culinary School: Obtaining Great Culinary Training
Are you interested in attending a culinary school? If you want to turn your passion for food into a career within the fast-paced and challenging culinary industry, attending a culinary school is the first logical step. However, there are a few things you should consider to help ensure that the school you choose is the right match for your culinary training.
Program Choices
Before you can choose a culinary school, it's important to first have a clear idea of the type of program you are looking for. From restaurant management to culinary arts, there is a broad range of programs that fall under the umbrella of culinary training. Therefore, one of your first considerations about a culinary school should be to decide the exact outcome you want your culinary training to have.
Once you have decided on your area of study, it's also important to consider what education level you wish to pursue. Depending on the culinary school, you could have the option of choosing between certificate, diploma, or degree programs. Culinary training at the certificate and diploma levels tends to be short-term and career-focused, while culinary degree programs are often two to four years in length, and can also include management and general education courses.
Insight on Instructors
Instructors are a vital part of your culinary training. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable instructors can take you beyond textbooks and lectures, passing on their real-life experiences, and providing you with a mentor. Therefore, when you are considering a culinary school, it's a good idea to learn about the instructors. Most school websites include at least a basic biography, which usually contains career information and teaching qualifications. Some may also include student testimonials, which can give you valuable insight on teaching styles, classroom atmosphere, and more. Often, schools will offer an open house, or the option to visit the school in person for a personalized tour, which can give you the chance to meet the instructors in person, and decide for yourself if they would be a good match for your learning style.
Tools of the Trade
In order to graduate with the industry-current skills and knowledge that employers demand, the school you choose should be able to offer hands-on training using modern facilities, and the latest equipment. Many culinary schools have an on-site industrial kitchen, which is used as a laboratory—giving you the chance to work with the same equipment found in the workforce. Again, this is where performing research on the school's website, or attending an open house or personalized tour can help ensure the school meets your expectations.
Real-Life Culinary Experience
Although formal training is necessary to break into the culinary industry, nothing can compare to actual, real-life experience. However, there's no reason a culinary school can't provide you with both. Many schools boast an on-site restaurant that serves the public. This gives you the opportunity to gain experience working in an actual restaurant, serving customers. Other schools may include an externship as part of their curriculum. This can allow you to work within an off-site culinary business. While externships are typically unpaid, they are extremely valuable, in that they allow you to "test-drive" your career choice within a real-life setting. They can also allow you to network with potential employers.
Now that you are aware of some of the culinary training factors that should play in role in your decision-making process, your next step is to begin the research portion of your educational journey. This guide to culinary schools is a great place to start!
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