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Slice the Fat: A Taste Test of Culinary Arts Education
Do How Government Student Loan Debt leave you craving a bit more crunch? Find yourself attempting to take a bite out of bio? Are your literature courses a touch too sweet, and your poly-sci courses a little too sour? Perhaps a traditional liberal arts education isn't exactly your cup of tea... What is? Culinary study.

The Call of your kitchen

If you'd rather spending some time studying a cookbook when compared to a chem book, you almost certainly know it already - most culinary schools appear to have an inclination toward the kitchen before they graduate high school. What you may not know is that your passion can translate to a very exciting and lucrative culinary career.

"I spent my freshman year at NY University (New York, NY)," say Debbie Shure. " more info had a kitchen in my own dorm and I would always cook for my friends. It had been a great hobby, but I never knew that I needed to make a career out of it." Things have since changed, as Debbie recently graduated from Johnson ... Wales' (Providence, RI), a world-renowned culinary school, and now has a successful culinary career at Chocolatier magazine.

Exactly the same held true for Nathan Rhodes, who worked in Enterprise Rent-A-Car's corporate office after high school. "I usually had a passion for food, and I found on that in early stages," says Nathan, now 24 and their studies at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA, Hyde Park, NY)."I was working a corporate job, because that's what I thought I was 'supposed' to do. I QUICKLY saw a television special on WOLFGANG PUCK [a famous chef and restaurant owner]. It inspired me to use to culinary school, and today I love it to death!" Well - death by chocolate, maybe.

Nathan was able to find the ideal recipe for his culinary career dreams. How to start? By choosing the best culinary school for you personally.

Culinary Schools: Not Your Average Classroom

You might have a knack for whipping up late-night mac n' cheese or adding just the right amount of cream and sugar in your morning coffee, but culinary school is going to be a little more demanding.

"CIA's associate's program is approximately 85 percent hands-on learning," says Nathan. "Your day starts with a lecture that reviews recipes and answers questions, and for the next five hours you're in your kitchen. Then there is a lecture to close the day."

But the effort pays off. "The thing about culinary school is you obtain out what you devote," says Debbie. "If you work hard, you'll learn quite a bit. Your instructors are completely willing to help you as long as you're motivated."

The Real (Culinary) World

Because the recent reality show, "The Restaurant" showed, the day-to-day operations of a culinary career - particularly inside a popular eatery - are frantic, fast-paced, demanding, and most importantly, exciting. Most culinary schools involve some sort of externship program, where you work on site, to help give you a taste of what a culinary career is similar to.

"CIA's externship lasts 21 weeks and you can go to any of the 1,700 approved sites," explains Nathan. "It's sort of like a resume, where the restaurants want to employ students. You apply, continue an interview, and hopefully obtain the position." For students embarking on such study, finding a culinary school that places great value on in-the-kitchen experience is key to your future culinary career.

A Culinary Career Smorgasbord

Perhaps the most important thing to learn about earning a culinary degree at culinary school is that it will not limit you to the kitchen. "The food industry is experiencing an enormous boom right now, and there are lots of more jobs than there was previously," says Colleen Pontes, a CIA graduate and former Chocolatier food writer. "The popularity of MARTHA STEWART opened the door for food media and food TV, and the in general is generating so much excitement and interest at the moment."

"You want to show people the culinary career opportunities that are on the market," says Kathy Shaw, sales and marketing director at Le Cordon Bleu (Ottawa, Ontario), and graduate of the school's culinary school programs in Paris. "I started out wanting to be considered a chef, now I really do the school's marketing. There are numerous ways to make this passion a lifetime career."

"There are countless culinary careers beyond being truly a chef like catering, food TV, food writing, food art, event planning, food critic positions," agrees Nathan. "Even research and development at major food companies like Hershey's or Campbell's - all the sauces, candies, soups and flavors those mega companies released are designed by people with culinary abilities."

And you'll never be stuck in a single place. "When I first started, I needed to be in the kitchen making desserts for folks," says Debbie. "Now I realize I wish to be a food writer, which is great. I could combine most of my food knowledge with my writing skills and help Americans understand what good food is focused on!"

To find college and career schools in your area, surf http://www.CollegeSurfing.com.

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Paul D. Rosevear is really a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about getting a school or career that's right for you!
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