did i make the right move?

[ihsus]

I am currently enrolled in a le cordon bleu cooking school in sydney australia.it's a 2 1/2 year program which teaches pretty much the same things other schools offer.they offer a diploma in commercial cookery and claim that i can find work as a demi or commi chef once i finish my education with them. how reputable are the le cordon bleu schools? how important is the school one studies cookery in? is it worth paying the high price tag to go to a school like this? anyone with answers,opinions or any other advice,please reply. thanks.

[Laprise]

The school does not make the cook.

It is much more important for you to really put your efforts torwards learning has much as possible.

Cordon Bleu can give a great education and great refferences. BUT! you still need to become a great chef after school. And that could take many years, depanding on your potential and skills to learn quickly.

[Jim]

It is much more important for you to really put your efforts torwards learning has much as possible.

I agree... almost. Without the proper guidance, how do you know what is important to learn? Sure, the best answer would be "learn everything!" That's a heavy load to carry for a young culinary student. So, selecting an educational forum is critical to ensure future success. Is it everything? No. But, it is something.

[Laprise]

Find a mentor that would be a great example for you.

Most cooks can handle the food part of things, but there is a major lack of management skills in most cooks these days. The ability to talk to co-workers and boss in an uplifting positive manner. The ability to fire someone because of poor performance and still have the employee shake your hand before leaving and say thank you for everything The ability to take from a co-worker that is clearly better than you and trade skills instead of hoping that he/she get fired to make more space for you!

A mentor will show you how to be a better co-worker, a better cook, a better example, a better manager, and yes overall a better human!

[Mikeb]

Originally Posted by Jim

I agree... almost. Without the proper guidance, how do you know what is important to learn? Sure, the best answer would be "learn everything!" That's a heavy load to carry for a young culinary student. So, selecting an educational forum is critical to ensure future success. Is it everything? No. But, it is something.

I disagree. You need to learn from everything/everyone in your life, good/bad, doesn't matter. I've made many mistakes, poor decisions, instead of regretting them or putting myself down, I just got up, learned from them, and did everything twice as good the next time. My biggest mentor (the chef at my first fine dining job) told me, it's OK to make mistakes. But its NOT OK to ever repeat them.

Learning "everything" is a heavy load, I've tried, but all the hardships I've been put through have made me a much stronger person than I ever thought possible. After getting rejected from culinary school (partially due to funding and a small feud with the professional establishment), I got hired in a fine dining restaurant (which has won many awards), and was a Chef de Partie by my 20th birthday. School is not necessary, it just makes things a little easier.

As for the original post, school does not make the cook (I think that's been said). It certainly helps, but it's not the only path. LCB schools have a decent reputation, looks good on a resume, but that alone guarantees nothing.

[Laprise]

ihsus!

You can drive a car without a license, you can even become a parent without any papers! So you certainly don't need a diploma to be the next Charlie Trotter... BUT, School will give you a foundation that is faster to get in school than at work.
Once you have to pay bills, many of your decisions from that point on will be based on that, and less on learning. We all had to do it... Accept a job that was not exactly THE ONE, but the money, location or schedule was good enough to take it. While you are at school, you will have time to learn your trade without too much destractions.

Anyway, like MikeB said, either way, you still need to fall down on your nose once in while to really learn your trade.

[CulnJack]

I agree with laprise's comment " The school does not make the cook "

cooking is NOT one of those fields where you can simply become chef-know-it-all simply by going to some famous school. * although i'm not saying you shouldn't go to a le cordon bleu cookin school.

experience is the key. and you gain it by busting ur *** in the core of the kitchen. going into a great cooking school will help. but like Laprise said.. " you still need to become a great chef after school. And that could take many years, depanding on your potential and skills to learn quickly "

i'm just enforcing his advice to you.. because it's as true as possible.