IT’S MORE THAN COOKING: THE CULINARY ACADEMY

There's a great deal more to being a professional chef than knowing how to create a nice beurre noisette. You're the captain of a ship. You'll be planning menus, locating resources, hiring staff, directing restaurant development and being something of a celebrity to your clients. You can't learn these skills from a cookbook. But you can get the education you need form a culinary academy.





Know Thyself
First, know your own skill level and choose accordingly. Technical and vocational schools offer excellent programs for the new culinary professional. These schools, often part of the county or state school system, will cover cooking, nutrition, menu planning, and business. Private schools also welcome the new chef. In almost any big city, you can find a world-class culinary academy. The Cordon Bleu has branches in the United States, for example.

Many four-year colleges also offer an associate's or bachelor's degree in the culinary arts, often with either day or evening classes. And as part of a larger school or college, you have the option to take electives to make you a better chef. Interested in growing your own ingredients? Cross-enroll in some horticulture classes. Want to work in a hotel or spa? Sit in on some hospitality management classes.

Crème Brulee Or Boston Brisket?
You can find a culinary academy in every state in the union and in many other countries. No matter where you go, a basic culinary education focuses on French methods. But if you want to study other cuisines, look carefully at the location.

A culinary academy in Maui might sound ideal, but maybe it is not for the future pastry chef. California is beautiful too, but will you find teachers and local chefs interested in New England food? The point is, pick a school that you know matches your interests. Maui might be ideal for learning Asian cuisine, and or consider moving to New England if you want to learn chowders.





Cost Considerations
A public school and a private academy have very different price tags. Private school courses can cost up to $30,000 a year, and if you have to borrow money to pay that, your post-school financial life may be bleak for a few years.

For the new chef who is starting an associate or bachelor's degree, a public school might be the best choice. Check to see the services they offer to students and alumni. Any culinary program should have connections for internships, job placement assistance, and successful alumni mentors.