Kendall or CHIC or groveling to get a dishwashing gig?

I have finally come to terms with the fact that all I want to do is be in the kitchen...with hopes of someday welcoming guests into a place of my own...I am currently a travelling sales rep and my current schedule does not give me the flexibility to work a few nights a week in a kitchen. So, I must make a drastic lifstyle change...quit my job and live on much less $...but I am wondering if anyone has any input on two Culinary schools in my area...Kendall College and the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago...and further, might it be wiser to try to get into a kitchen and learn from a prominent Chicago Chef...I have a B.A. in Business...am 29 years old...and must use the few financial resources I do have wisely...Is cooking school the best route..especially if these two schools are my best options due to proximity to my home?
Thanks in advance for your replies...

[theloggg]

I can't answer your question about those schools specifically, but I can relate to your post and give a little advice.

I'm 30, work a cube job and decided a year ago I wanted to hang it up and cook. I have a BS in Business as well. I am in Nor Cal but I decided to pass on CCA and I looked elsewhere. I considered NECI, J&W and Art Inst Seattle. I settled on J&W in Denver because they have a program specifically for students who already have a Bachelors (in anything). It's a one year accelerated program and costs approx $22k, which is less than most big schools charge for their programs. You get an AA in Culinary Arts and J&W has a great rep. Like others, I found that many programs are cheaper (community colleges) and a handful are more expensive. I felt the students may be a little more dedicated/serious at J&W, could be wrong though. We'll find out.

Your situation is tough because you'd have to quit your day job. I was able to take a night gig for 2-4 nights a week because I don't have the travel requirement. First off, I woundn't recommend quitting and starting in a kitchen unless you can live off $7-10/hr. Chances are that is what you'll make with no experience (I'm assuming you have no experience). If I were in your shoes, I would enroll in school and take a part time kitchen job while in school. Or, if you needed more $, check into whether or not the school has a night program and you could find a new day job that doesn't require traveling. I know the Art in Seattle has a night program. I would imagine finding a job with a great CHicago chef would be competitive and would be tough without experience.

Just keep in mind, in the short time I have been doing the kitchen gig, I have learned one thing. The love of cooking in your kitchen, with your friends, family, etc. does not translate into the love of cooking in a restaurant. It's very different so I would keep that in mind as you go through school.

Sorry so long, but I'm passing on all the wonderful info I've received through my chef, Cheftalk, my brief experience in the culinary world and others around me. Good luck!

[UniChef]

Great advice logg.

Want2- I've worked with some chefs out of Kendall and they seem to be pretty good cooks.

Good luck

Wantocook:
I've worked in Chicago (and area) for 20 years. Its a great culinary city.
Kendell has had a good rep for many years now.However, Chic (the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago) has recently made big strides to be a force in the industry. I have known students from both schools, and found Chic to have shown the most improvments.I might go as far as to say they are equal in the quality of their respective repertoires. Check out the $ of each and find out which is best for you and your schedule. Also compare their apprentice programs.
Mind the advice of Theloggg. You will be starting out at the bottom. Good luck!

So then, is it your opinion that it is worth it to go to one of the two above schools- for 20K versus a community college. I really don't want to go to a community college, but I want to be smart about where I put my money. Will have to put forth serious effort to afford the former.