4 Jobs You Didn't Know You Could Do with a Culinary Degree
When you think of culinary arts graduates, you often imagine those who will be cooking and serving food to hungry customers in a restaurant. But if you don't want to deal with the heat of the kitchen, there are plenty of other options in the food world for those with culinary arts degrees. Here are just a few!
1. Working on web or TV food show
Have you ever thought about hosting a show about food? There are more venues to do so than ever before, and there are plenty of resources for you to make a show on your own. Content is the key, and the more you know about food, the more interesting and original your show can be. Standing out is everything, and an education in preparing food, understanding ingredients, and knowing a wide variety of cuisines will go a long way in helping you launch a successful food program.
If you build a strong web audience, perhaps the TV networks will come calling. TV cooking stars like Nadia Giosa and Laura Vitale got their starts on YouTube.
If you'd rather work behind the scenes on a show, there are plenty of opportunities where a culinary arts education can be hugely helpful. Shows need staff who can provide the right ingredients for their hosts, or who can make food look as delectable as possible on camera. If you know your ingredients, or how to present a beautiful plate, you can easily combine that knowledge with other skills to find work in food media.
2. Food photography
It seems that everyone is posting pictures of their meals on Facebook and Instagram. But the widespread reach of amateur food photography only highlights the importance of professionals who can make a meal look as delicious as it tastes. With cookbooks in seemingly endless demand and restaurants needing a strong web presence to compete, there are plenty of opportunities for the photographer who understands both a quality shot and the elements of a dish that will make the photo look delicious.
A food photographer who knows from experience how a slice of fruit looks in certain lights, who understands the precise moment a freshly baked pastry looks most scrumptious, or how to style a plate photogenically, will have a significant advantage over other photographers.
3. Non-profit work
Some of the most important issues facing society revolve around food. From educating young people about healthy eating, to coming up with creative ways to feed those who are hungry, there are endless food-related issues that have a significant impact on our culture and quality of life. A culinary arts education can go a long way in helping you help others. Helping kids eat more healthily is easier if you have wide knowledge about food nutrition.
Providing nutritious food for the needy is easier if you know how to source quality ingredients at good prices. You might also be able to help local food businesses that are trying to compete with large corporations. If, that is, they know how to make top-notch products, the better their chances for success. Our world revolves largely around food; the more you know about food, the more you can help our society.
4. Food writing
One of the oldest adages about writing is "write what you know". If food inspires you to write, it makes sense that you would study it in a formal setting. In a culinary arts program, you can wildly diversify your knowledge of cooking, baking, and international cuisine. Curiosity and pursuit of knowledge have long been the cornerstones of great writing, and if you're a food writer there is no better way to learn more about your passion than pursuing a culinary arts degree.
Are You Ready?
Whether you want to be in the heat of the kitchens or performing a food-related job other than chef, a culinary arts degree could lead you to the kitchen of your dreams! If you would like more information about earning an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, be sure to contact ECPI University's Culinary Institute of Virginia to speak with a helpful admissions advisor. It could be the first step towards a bright future in the culinary world!
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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