Summer job then culinary school or summer job and learn on-the-job ?

Hello. This summer I am thinking of taking a summer job as an apprentice chef to get experience and decide if I want to persume this career. I already have 2 weeks experience in a resturant I did a year ago but I mostly did prep work and didn't face the stereotypical 'rush-rush' scenario like most resturants are. I also at the minute am doing a catering course called ABC Level 1 in Hospitality & Catering which gives an inside into the industry and am currently enjoying my time doing the course and have been accepted to job the next level up in September.

What I am asking for is advice from Chefs and people in the industry for if I should get a summer job and perhaps learn on the job and if I want to carry on and see if I can choose to opt out of culinary and then carry on as an apprentice or if I should go to culinary school first then become a commis and work up ?

Thanks.

PS - the culinary school I intend on going to is free of charge because if I choose to do the course I will be under 19 and it will be full-time so I won't have to pay.

PMJ...good questions, good questions, indeed.

If the school is free and your family can afford to support you while you attend, as you supplement the living costs with a part time job, definitely, take the free schooling.

During the summer, work your buttinski off in the highest traffic, high end restaurant that will hire you. The experience is absolutely invaluable. Then you'll have a much better perspective on whether you want to make food service a career.

That said, if the school was going to cost you $20,000 US dollars a year, I'd advise you to learn on the job.

Work to see if you want to do it

I am about to turn 23, went to culinary school when I was 19. This profession can be very difficult and very frustrating but very rewarding at the same time. As long as you understand and accept the fact that you work long hours (almost always nights), it's very labor intensive and not always as glamorous as the food network likes to make it out to be, it's really not all that bad. I've worked 90 hour weeks, 18 hour days and even worked on a cruise ship working 5 months without a day off. But, this job has taken me to Italy, Hawaii, Houston and I'm moving to New Orleans in the fall, and Im from a small a** town in the midwest. Plus knowing how to cook really well can really impress people (like in-laws), not to mention, if you eat at work 5-6 nights a week, think of what your grocery bill is. As far as working then going to school, thats about the smartest thing you can do. A lot of the people I went to school with dropped out or graduated then never went on to do restaurant work, it's not for everyone and I totally understand.

Hmm, thank you both for your responses.

RE: RSteve - Yes my parents will be able to support me and the college will by giving a student a sheet for them and parents to fill in if the student is struggling to cope with the finance and if I do get accepted for an interview and get hired I will work by butt off .. besides, if you don't you get the sack, right ?

RE: YoungBeck - While you told me the industry is a very hard and both mentally and physically tough job I am aware of that due to the fact I have just ordered that "Kitchen Confidential" book I have seen most Chefs on here recommending reading to get an understanding of what I will get myself into but thanks for pre-warning me anyways.

I admit I also am aware of the unsocialable hours etc but i'll admit (alot of admiting coming through) i'm not the most social of people, but if this career means I get to travel/work in foreign countries (i'd like to work in either Greece , France , Canada , USA , Italy and maybe other places like Australia or even Sweden.) then I guess being unsocial will pay off one day).

Thanks both RSteve & YoungBuck for your advice and wisdom, I think I shall try and get the summer job and if I feel I am learning more and will obviously get more experience from the job then I may write to my college and see if I can give up my position at college and perhaps I will get a full time job at this restaurant (this part time job is 37.5 hours and will give me £120 a week [I think that is about $240 a week to you Americans but my currency conversion isn't the best]).

Thanks again, and if I need advice I know I just got to post another thread.

Well i'm glad you hire people out of culinary school but is this an isolated case though ? Because I have heard that you shouldn't go because it doesn't accurately show what working as a Chef is, atleast that is what I heard and also gives a false sense of reality and based on what Marco Pierre White says you should only do day-realise course and learn on the job.

Thanks for the advice and saying it is one of the last few careers where many options are avaliable, even if I choose not to be a Chef it will be a bonus in that atleast i'll know how to cook good food for myself and guests.

Bring this topic to a close, I think I will try and get the summer job and if I do bonus, but if not I will wait until culinary school and learn from there and get a job afterwards or in between breaks from the course afterall, i've found a website where people are willing hire students in Hospitality & Catering but in other fields so if I choose to do another course in something else I may still get a job.

Thanks everyone for your advice and wisdom, i shall put it to good use and as always, if in need of help, turn to ChefTalk.