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Looing for advice! Please help! Subject:Catering

#1
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7/3/09 at 6:29pm
  • Joined: July 2009
  • Post Count: 4
Hey all! So I'm pretty set that I would love to own a catering company one day. Im currently going to school at a JC to get my AA but I'm not sure what to do after that. Im stuck between if going to a JC culinary school and reciving a AS Degree in Culinary Arts is going to help. Should I/ Do I need to go to culinary school to become a successful caterer? Then if I do go should I go to the big name La Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, Ca or is a JC culinary arts AS Degree enough? Thanks for any and all help!
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#2
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7/3/09 at 7:37pm
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Wisconsin USA
  • Post Count: 9,537
Hello Mike, and welcome to Chef Talk. Have a look around at the forums, and you'll see we have a culinary students' and culinary schools forum, a catering forum as well as other professionals' forums. I'm moving your post to the culinary students'/culinary schools forum, as you'll get the answers you want from people who hang out there.

Good luck! Why not come back to the Welcome Forum and tell us how you became inspired to go into a culinary career?

Best of luck! Enjoy the site,
Mezzaluna

Moderator, Welcome Forum
***It is better to ask forgiveness than beg permission.***

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#3
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7/3/09 at 7:45pm
  • Joined: July 2009
  • Post Count: 4
Thanks!:roll:
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#4
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7/9/09 at 1:53pm
  • Joined: December 2008
  • Location: Chicago
  • Post Count: 121
So you are getting a general AA at a community college, correct?

Have you ever worked in a kitchen?

Do you need to go to culinary school to become a successful caterer? No. But it helps. I have worked in the LCB systems and the people that tout their school the most are employed by them. Ask industry professionals, particularly in catering, what they look for in an employee. Who knows, they might even train you.

A JC culinary arts degree can be enough. Don't let the salesmanship and fear tactics tell you otherwise.

If you do end up getting your AA and end up wanting to get a BA in Business along with a culinary catering certificate, let me know. You would have to travel, but we offer that program where I work currently.
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#5
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7/10/09 at 12:37pm
  • Joined: October 2006
  • Location: Chicago
  • Post Count: 607
Do you need school? No, but as mentioned, it couldn't hurt your chances.

Go for community college, all the way. Forget the big name schools. Overpriced with a swollen ego to match. I paid more than I had to for a LCB degree with no overall quality difference from a community college.

Try applying for a job at a banquet halls/hotels/etc. Be ready to start off doing basic things like peeling vegetables or even dishes. Our main banquet prep cook is 20, never went to school. He got hired as a dishwasher and moved up. Museums, schools, parks, and other public oriented businesses usually hold catering functions as well and seek out volunteers to help. I know working for free isn't ideal, but its a great way to establish connections and get experience.

Hope this helps. Don't get discouraged, as you will run into negativity as you move forward.
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