How Do You Pursue a Career in Culinary Arts?
If you're passionate about food and want to make a career out of it, you might be wondering: What are some steps a person can take to reach their goal of being a professional chef? Why is it important to get an education before pursuing this career path? What are the advantages of going to school versus on-the-job training?
Steps to Prepare for a Culinary Arts Career
To be successful in the culinary arts, aspiring chefs should take these steps.
- Explore different types of cuisine. While most restaurants focus on one type of culinary experience, chefs who are familiar with a number of different cooking styles are more successful. Their wide palate gives them an advantage over those with more limited taste experience.
- Practice your knife skills. Chopping, slicing, dicing, and other knife skills are essential in creating beautiful and delicious dishes. Professional chefs should be confident in their ability to create a number of different cuts quickly and efficiently.
- Get in shape. Cooking is a physical job. Standing, walking, and handling heavy pans and boxes of ingredients can take its toll on the body. If you aren't used to strenuous physical activity, take some time to acclimate your body before starting on your culinary adventure.
- Make a plan. Having an ultimate goal in mind helps you shape the ideal career path. Do you want to run your own eatery, manage a 5-star steakhouse, or work under some of the best chefs in the world? Decide where you would like to see your career take you and make a plan to get yourself there.
These strategies should prepare you to accept the challenges of working in a commercial kitchen.
The Importance of Formal Culinary Education
There are a number of important reasons to start your culinary career with a formal education.
- Networking opportunities. Some of the best cooking employment opportunities are never advertised. The only way to find out about these positions is through friends, coworkers, and professional associates. A formal education expands your professional network and increases the chance of finding great opportunities to advance your career.
- Expanded food knowledge. As mentioned before, your understanding of flavor and texture is an essential part of the long-term success of your career. A formal education features courses that introduce students to some of the most popular and versatile ingredients available.
- Food safety knowledge. Food safety laws and practices ensure that workers and customers stay safe and enjoy their experience. It's also an important part of protecting a restaurant's profitability. Your formal education gives you a firm and thorough understanding of the role of sanitation in a commercial kitchen.
A culinary career built on a foundation of formal education creates more opportunities for aspiring chefs.
Formal Education vs On-the-Job Training
Many chefs choose to start their careers with positions that offer on-the-job training. There are some advantages to choosing this route. However, a formal culinary arts education is a better choice for most aspiring chefs.
- Employers offer on-the-job training to quickly fill their staffing needs. However, since these workers offer very few usable skills, starting pay is minimal. It can take years to accumulate enough experience and trust in your skills to advance to a more comfortable salary. Culinary school graduates bring a range of useful skills that allow them to start working with higher wages.
- Often, the only way to advance in your culinary career is to change companies. With on-the-job training, this can be a difficult task. Most employers only offer training on the techniques and cuisines featured on their menus. Moving to a new restaurant could mean starting over from the beginning of your career. With a culinary degree, you are exposed to a variety of different cooking styles, which makes you a better match for a greater range of positions.
- Working in a commercial kitchen is vastly different from cooking at home. Most aspiring chefs are unaware of the particular demands of restaurant work. A formal education gives you practical experience in a working kitchen that is valuable in evaluating and crafting your career goals.
Is Culinary School the Right Career Move for You?
If you want to become a professional cook, the first step on your journey could be culinary school. If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts Degree, consider ECPI University's Culinary Institute of Virginia. For more information on this exciting program, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Culinary Arts - Associate’s
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