[desaracho]

Hello to all, I am new on this forum. I'm 37 and am planning on changing venues in my life and I am seriously thinking about the culinary industry as a viable option. I will be interviewing in CCA soon and I really don't know exactly which program to take on. Pastry is shorter, culinary arts seems more complete and the administration program is what I am most familiar with since that is what I actually do in a food processing plant.

Fact: My plans are to open a restaurant, catering, or a pastry business in 10 years or less from today. I'm thinking of attending the CCA and doing one or two Le Cordon Bleu programs.

1- I would like to know where I will be after I finish any of the programs, as far as getting a job is concerned in the hospitality industry? Pay amount?
2- How many years of experience do I need before I can get a job as a manager or a chef?
2-Is this a realistic approach?
3-Are my chances going to increase significantly after I graduate from one of these programs than if I did not attend any to them and worked my way up as an apprentice at a restaurant?

[Mezzaluna]

Hello Desaracho and welcome to Chef Talk. Since most of your post contains questions you'd like answered, I'm moving it to a better forum. We hope you'll visit Chef Talk often to learn and share.

Good luck!
Mezzaluna

[foodpump]

Same advice as for anyone else, work in a restaurant for a few months to see if it fits you.

Salaries and pay rates in the hospitality ind. are usually based on experience. For someone fresh out of school and with little or no experience for the job you are applying for, salary maybe below on just on par with your financial existence level. Are you prepared for this?

How long to become a Chef? Depends on what your idea of a Chef is, and what the employer's idea is. There are people who having completed a two year cooking course feel "equipped" to manage and cook for the boh of a 65 seat restauarant. Others work in a variety of good houses for at least 4 or 5 years milking all the knowledge and real-life experiences they can get from the Chefs and owners before consdiering themselves "equipped" for the same job.

[desaracho]

Thank you for your insight. I think that right now the most important aspect for us is to weigh the fact that we may be going from a well paying steady job into a field that will take time to develop before it becomes sustainable on par or above of my current job experience and financial opportunity.

[desaracho]

Any one have any feedback on this school located in Monterey Bay?