Tips for choosing a culinary school

Interested in pursuing a career in the culinary arts ? How do you decide which one is

right for you.

Many old-school chefs claim that real-life restaurant experience is more valuable than anything you can learn in a classroom. Real life experience is important. However with so many of today's most successful chefs holding multiple culinary degrees, a pattern of success may be established.

It becomes evident that, more and more of the top chefs in the top kitchens are culinary school graduates — and often in hiring positions! Chances are great  they'll be looking at that "education" line on your resume for a culinary arts degree. Once you've decided to attend culinary school, your next step is to determine which culinary school? There are five basic considerations that will assist in your selection.

1. ACF Accreditation

Does the school have  American Culinary Federation  (ACF)accreditation ? ACF is the top professional chefs' organization in North America and is the organization responsible for regulatory oversight of culinary schools. 

Schools wanting ACF accreditation are subjected to thorough evaluation of their curriculum, facilities, student-teacher ratios, certification of instructors and more. ACF accreditation is like a seal of approval from the culinary industry, so you can be confident that an ACF-accredited culinary arts program is going to adhere to a uniform standard of instruction and provide a top-quality culinary arts education.

(Check for accreditation in your area, if available. Or, they may be government or state-approved schools)

2. Cost

While you're working toward your dream of success in the culinary industry, the reality is that entry-level foodservice jobs aren't exactly high-paying. It's not uncommon for some culinary schools to charge $40,000 or more, that often means incurring a large amount of student-loan debt. 


Fortunately, many local community colleges offer ACF-accredited culinary programs at prices that are incredibly affordable. For instance, the culinary program at any of thecommunity colleges in California will cost state residents around $1,300. When you consider that ACF accrediting ensures a standard level of quality (not to mention the fact that many programs that charge upwards of $40,000 have no accreditation whatsoever), an excellent culinary education does not need to be an expensive one.

3. Age of School

The popularity of cooking reality shows such as "Top Chef" has led to increased interest in culinary schools. To meet this increased demand, more privately operated culinary schools come into existence. But newer schools aren't necessarily better. For one thing, ACF accreditation doesn't come overnight. It takes a consistent track record of excellence to receive the ACF's seal of approval, and many newer schools just aren't there yet. 

Something else to remember is that the longer a school has existed, the broader its network of alumni will be. And that translates into jobs. If a school has been around for 50 years or more, chances are that hundreds of its graduates are working in kitchens throughout the area and beyond — many of whom may be the executive chefs or sous chefs who do the hiring.

4. Modern Facilities

The flip side of the age of the school is the state of its facilities. Community colleges may have been around longer, but their budgets may also be relatively small. That makes it tougher for them to purchase new equipment or outfit modern classrooms and kitchens. On the other hand, the newer schools with the higher tuitions often boast newly constructed, state-of-the art facilities. 

Then again, not every restaurant out there is going to have state-of-the-art facilities, so taking classes in the comfort of a shiny new high-tech kitchen may not adequately prepare students for the gritty realities of the culinary industry.

5. Hands-On Instruction

A good culinary program should have some sort of student-operated restaurant that allows them to get a sense of real-world restaurant service — and in fact, most of them do. The question is, how realistic is the experience it offers? If students are only serving 20 or 30 guests per day, it's probably not enough to approximate the pressures and demands of a real restaurant. At the other end of the spectrum, culinary arts students at Los Angeles Trade-Tech College serve more than 800 guests daily in three separate dining facilities. 

Of course, there's no substitute for real restaurant experience. Some programs encourage or even require some sort of internship or "externship" whereby students earn course credit through work in a local restaurant.

Culinary School Listings

Check out these profiles of U.S. culinary schools divided by region:

• Western States
• Midwestern States
• Northeastern States
• Southern States

source : about food

      

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