| Have you ever thought about the possibility of | | | | will find hundreds of leads to schools worldwide. |
| going to culinary school to become a professional | | | | Type in culinary schools with a city and it will |
| chef or start a new career in hospitality | | | | narrow down the field even more. |
| management? Maybe you want to go to school | | | | There is also a listing of top schools listed by |
| just to be a better cook at home? The good | | | | state at The Reluctant Gourmet web site. Go to |
| news is there are a lot of great schools and | | | | and click on the state of your choice and pick a |
| colleges in every state to help you accomplish | | | | city of interest. |
| your goals. | | | | Once you find a few schools that look promising, |
| Based upon the number of cooking schools | | | | read a little about them to see what they have |
| opening each year, there must be a lot of folks | | | | to offer. Most sites will provide a short form that |
| interested in getting into the culinary world. I | | | | you can fill out for more information. Once you fill |
| recently read an article in our local newspaper | | | | out the form and send it back to the school, |
| about the growth in local culinary schools, and the | | | | someone will call you within a day or two to |
| numbers surprised me. It appears that | | | | answer your questions, provide you with additional |
| supermarkets, gourmet stores, local restaurants, | | | | information, and offer to send you some |
| colleges, ex-chefs, and just about anyone else | | | | brochures and an application. |
| who has the room and expertise is putting on an | | | | Be sure to have a list of questions you want |
| apron and opening a school. | | | | answered when you speak with a school's |
| Many of these schools are there for absolute | | | | representative. You might also ask for a list of |
| beginners who just want to learn how to boil | | | | current students and graduates to contact for |
| water and get around in the kitchen without | | | | their assessment of the school. |
| hurting themselves. These classes tend to be | | | | This is also a good time to ask about scholarships |
| more fun where you watch a professional chef | | | | and what the school has to offer. If financing is |
| prepare a meal and then you get to share it with | | | | going to be an issue, it's better to find out |
| the rest of the class. It's a good way to meet | | | | alternatives now rather than wait until you have |
| some interesting people, learn a few culinary | | | | been accepted. Remember, the school |
| tricks, and taste some delicious food. | | | | representatives are there to help and most, I've |
| And then there are schools for home cooks who | | | | found, don't push too hard--although it is their job |
| have some experience but want to build upon | | | | to sell you on the school. |
| their skills and learn some new techniques. These | | | | Step 4 - Narrow down the field. |
| schools tend to have classrooms with individual | | | | Once you look over what the schools have to |
| stations where the students learn by doing. Often | | | | offer and have spoken with the representatives, |
| these classes will specialize in one particular | | | | start eliminating those that just don't fit in with |
| technique or cooking style. | | | | your needs. Maybe a school is too far, too costly, |
| But what about the individuals who wants to | | | | or just doesn't offer the courses you are |
| make cooking their career and go back to school | | | | interested in taking. |
| for a degree in culinary education? They may | | | | Step 5 - Visit the schools that fit best. |
| want to learn about hospitality management to | | | | In my opinion, this is one of the most important |
| master the skills needed to run a resort, | | | | steps you can do to make sure that you are |
| restaurant, or theme park. Or they may want to | | | | going to be happy at any cooking school. You |
| become professional chefs and cook in some of | | | | want to see the actual classrooms you will be |
| the best restaurants in the country. | | | | attending, see some of the teachers and students |
| Lucky for them, there are now more than 500 | | | | in action, and get a feel for the surroundings to |
| vocational, college, and university programs | | | | make sure you will fit in. |
| scattered around the country with more schools | | | | I once made the mistake of taking a new job on |
| opening each year that offer first-rate educational | | | | Wall Street with a competitor without ever seeing |
| degrees in this field. The bigger question is: how | | | | the offices I'd be working in. Sure the money was |
| do you choose the best culinary school for you? | | | | better and I thought I would make faster |
| Here are a few steps to help you narrow down | | | | advancement, but when I arrived for my first |
| the field and simplify your decision: | | | | day of work, I couldn't believe the conditions they |
| Step 1 - Figure out what you want to do after | | | | wanted me to work in. The office space was old, |
| you graduate. | | | | dirty, and outdated compared to where I was |
| Do you want to start a catering company, make | | | | working. I was horrified and only lasted about four |
| pastries and fancy desserts, or how about | | | | months! |
| manage a restaurant? Once you have an idea of | | | | So, make sure that the school in which you are |
| what it is that you would like to specialize in, you | | | | thinking of investing your time and money is as |
| can limit your search to only those schools that | | | | good, if not better, than the brochure they send |
| offer the necessary classes. | | | | to you. |
| If you have no idea what you would like to do in | | | | Step 6 - Apply to your top picks. |
| the culinary field, be sure to go to a school that | | | | After you make your visits, narrow down the |
| offers a number of choices in every field of the | | | | field to your top choices and prepare the |
| industry- sort of like taking a liberal arts' approach. | | | | applications you were sent. Be sure to be neat |
| Step 2 - Determine what's most important to | | | | and complete, and provide the schools with |
| you in a school. Some topics you may want to | | | | everything they ask you for. If you have any |
| think about before choosing a school are: | | | | questions about the application, pick up the phone |
| Location | | | | right away and get answers. You don't want to |
| Entry requirements | | | | be sending in incomplete forms. |
| Length of program and class schedule | | | | Step 7 - Choose your school. |
| Costs and financial aid | | | | Once notified by the schools of your acceptance, |
| Class size and student-to-faculty ratio | | | | you can decide which school works best for you. |
| Classroom facilities | | | | Because you did your homework and followed |
| Class schedules | | | | the steps above, this final choice should be easy. |
| The school's faculty and reputation | | | | Be sure to inform the school of your choice that |
| Degrees and accreditations | | | | you will be attending, and find out what steps are |
| Externship opportunities | | | | required to get you enrolled and what you will |
| Location and housing | | | | need to start school. |
| Schools contacts, job placement, and/or | | | | Although this article was written for those of you |
| internships | | | | interested in going to culinary school, you can |
| Step 3 - Create a list of schools to contact for | | | | follow these same procedures when choosing any |
| more information. | | | | continuing education degree. If you think about it, |
| You can start with your local yellow pages but if | | | | it's just like getting everything prepped and ready |
| you don't find a school close enough, or one that | | | | to go (mise en place) before starting to prepare a |
| strikes your fancy, try doing a search on the | | | | meal. |
| Internet. Just type in "cooking schools in [your | | | | Copyright © 2005 G. |
| state]", or "culinary schools [your state]", and you | | | | |