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6 Things Culinary School Won't Teach You
Andrew Garrison | Chef's Blade
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I believe there are a few things culinary school either doesn’t tell you or misleads you to believe (whether intentionally or otherwise).
Ignore, for a moment, my pomposity and consider these points, which I consider to be rather serious. Some students, or prospective students, may already know this if they have had any experience in a restaurant, but to those that don’t, I hope I can provide a service. I would never discourage anyone from going to culinary school, if that is where their passions lead them, but make sure you know what you’re getting in to.
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Featured Author: Andrew Garrison
Andrew Garrison is the Sous Chef at Stout’s Island Lodge in Birchwood, WI and The Commodore in St. Paul, MN; he recently graduated from culinary school in December 2008 and has a lot to say about the transition to the work place. In the kitchen, he works primarily with local/seasonal food, prepared using classical French technique, though he occasionally delves into the more mainstream applications of molecular gastronomy (spherification, powders, foams, suspensions) as a means of accenting a dish without overpowering it. When he’s not in the kitchen, he’s out exploring restaurants and dive bars, going to concerts, playing guitar, reading, but mostly sleeping. He also blogs at Plays with Knives.
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PlaysWithKnives
4 months ago
14 comments
Don't get discouraged jsanders85, bust your butt, learn everything you can, fast and well, hold yourself to a higher standard than the majority of your peers, and you'll go far pretty fast. I'm two years out of culinary school (7 years total of pro cooking experience) and I'm now the Executive Chef and GM of a small, historic resort. I won't deny that I still have a whole lot to learn, but I take it upon myself to keep learning, and I have a strong network of really talented peers to ask questions and bounce ideas off of.
And to address other comments - I totally agree that it's all about what you learn and personal integrity/reputation over any school you could go to. If I hadn't gotten such an awesome opportunity right out of school, the cost of LCB would have pretty much been a waste. My current Sous Chef went to a state school and paid about 7k versus my 36k, and he is an absolutely phenomenal cook, but that's because he is really passionate and constantly curious, always learning. It all boils down to what you as an individual are driven to do.
jsanders85
5 months ago
2 comments
i am enrolled in a community college now for culinary arts and 3/4 of the students all want to own their own restaurants. there is no talk about paying your dues and working your way up in a kitchen. so discouraging. unfortunatly i also want to own my own restaurant but i know that if i ever get to that point it will be years and years away.once experience and education make me seen as someone worth hiring.thanks for all the great info!
CulinaryInfusion
7 months ago
12 comments
hefMaker I totally agree with you. Elgin Community College's School of Culinary Management was ranked 5th in the nation for their Culinary program, when I was in the program ('02-'04) and that figure took into account Kendall College, Johnson & Wales and the top dog CIA. So to be so close to those programs we a really nice thing, tuition wasn't too bad either.
One more thing they fail to teach you in culinary school is you can spend up to 10 years "paying your dues" before you are ever a Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine and or Executive Chef. The pay is often not the best for the type of work and they fail to mention that either. But this field can rewarding if you like to do the work, personally rewarding that is. Also you most likely will never get health, vision or dental insurance unless you are a KM in a chain, so you have to live each day hoping you don't get sick if you have no health ins.
SouscioPath
7 months ago
24 comments
Top notch info. If I would have known then what I know now, Id have gone back to truck driving. But I love it and its who I am. As far as school, when I hire people ill take experience over culinary school any day. I only made it through half of culinary school (read about costs above lol) and I, fresh out of school was better then most people with degrees. Was a good time though.
meaton
7 months ago
2 comments
I have been in the biz for almost 25 years now and I just got a letter from the social security people it states that the most I have ever made is 28500 a year, which is what I was paid when I made the decision to go it on my own , dumb mistake. Now I am a night baker at a very good hotel with a nice benefits package but low pay and this week I only was scheduled 3 shifts. Honestly if I had to do it all over again I would run as far and as fast as I could in the opposite direction.
CajunChefRyan
7 months ago
12 comments
And you work weekends, nights and holidays, when all your family and friends are out playing or enjoying time at home.
jocko
7 months ago
2 comments
i am enrolled in food handlers certification class right now and today i learned how to
saute and i also learned todice properly. i just thought i would throw that out yo you.
Chefstevenhoward
7 months ago
112 comments
Hey Play,this is outstanding! A great read with lots of real-life insight.
As it relates to the cost and quality of Education, I am one who believes Reputation is not as important as Experience. Regardless of you alma mater pedigree, the people you end up working for for the next 15 years after you graduate have a far more influential outcome on your cooking, creativity and career path than where you went to school.
Therefore, I recommend to anyone who asks, that if you can find a smaller university or even top level community college program to do your schooling, you will spend 1/4 to 1/2 of what the CIA's, Art Institutes and LeCordon Bleu's of the world cost and even if your instructors aren't quite as "lauded" as those institutes, there's only one way to make hollandaise or trim a tenderloin PSML and your future employers will teach you more than school will anyway.
In Arizona, we have a small Community College called Phoenix College and two of my friends went through their program and got virtually the exact same education as chef's who worked for me that went to LeCordon Bleu & Scottsdale Culinary Institue.
Plus, I had to teach all of them how to Prepare and execute my style of cooking anyway. Chef
FocusedZan
7 months ago
28 comments
It's definitely true, the industry does choose you. Sticking with it provides a future for you, but no, it's not going to make you wealthy. However, the sacrifice does pay back and has advantages. Working smarter and harder is a sure way to get noticed, that's for sure!
ChefMaker
7 months ago
4 comments
Culinary school doesn't have to break the bank. There are many outstanding culinary programs at community colleges across the country that provide the same (and often better) education for a fraction of the price!
briteblsn
10 months ago
10 comments
I've said before... resturant work is not a mystery to me. It's the business end that I need to learn, ultimately. But the culinary school part is to teach me the things that I don't know about food. The pairings, the flavors and the techniques that I may be missing.
vdjohnson
10 months ago
2 comments
wow awesome article