Question about my next step after Culinary School

[sdm3989]

My situation is not particularly unique, but after searching for a number of hours through different forums across the web, I am still unable to guage what my jobs expectations should be after completing culinary school. I'm 23 and about to attend Orlando Culinary Academy in February. I have been working in the service idustry for over 5 years now. Like most everyone, I started washing dishes, worked my way up to busboy/server/bartender then cross trained as a line cook. My first job on the line was in a mexican restaurant where I did not really learn all that much about cooking, but did learn what it was like to work on a line (bad pay, awful hours, stress). I loved it. I soon moved from rinky-dink Lafayette, LA to New Orleans to attend college.

In NOLA, I was a bartender at a college bar until a massive category 5 hurricane demolished it along with a good chunk of the rest of the city. After most of us were able to live in the city again and the restaurants were back up and running, TONS of job openings were available. I took a great waiting job that I would never have gotten before Katrina at one restaurant and then got a great cooking job at a fine dining Italian restaurant with far less than the normal required experience. They were happy just to have someone who could speak english and filter a frier. Because of the situation at the Italian restaurant, they forced me to learn A LOT in a very short amount of time. I have since moved back to Lafayette and have continued to work as a line cook and occasionally a server(we all need money) for a few years. My point to all this rambling is that I actually have experience in the industry. So my question is: After I complete my culinary training, what is my next step? What should I expect? Do I just go back to being a line cook for 8-10 bucks an hour or should I look for higher pay or a better position (I can already work grill/broil and sautee stations in high volume)? What kind of restaurants/hotels should I look for to work at?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I would really like to understand what if anything changes for me after I take this step(and borrow more money).

[oldschool1982]

As far as the school thing goes the advice is simple.... Keep your grades up and do the best you can. The higher the GPA the better chances of being more marketable right out of school. The one thing that will solidify that marketability is to hone your practicle skills by continuing progressive employment. Progressive, practicle experience can be stood on alone but the schooling can't.

I have no idea what the market is like in Lafayette but I have been to N.O. and can only guess that if you can continue with things there you'll do better. Just keep your feet planted on the ground no matter what any recruiters or school officials tell you. Learn to walk the talk as soon as you can but don't expect an employer to throw money at you sight unseen and at your word only.

If you take some time after graduation and not become to impatient..... Build a solid foundation in skills and you stand a better chance of being able to write your own ticket. More so than you would if you overstep your abilities and then crash and burn. I mean no disrespect but at the age of 23 you have a good amount of time ahead of you to reach what ever goals you set for yourself. Above all keep the eye's and ears open and the mouth (for the most part) closed. That advice was given to me often many years ago. Unfortunately I didn't use it as soon as I should have.

[Suzanne]

The most important resource you'll have when you are done with school will be your relationships with your chef-instructors. If they are anything like the ones where I went to school, they have a lot of "real-world" experience and, more important, still have ties to the business. So while you are in school, besides learning all you can and asking lots of questions, you should get to know as many of the faculty as you possibly can, and let them know what you are capable of doing. Their help may be much better than the school's placement department, especially if you are able to move somewhere else in the country.

And even if you want to go back to N.O. -- you'll have a higher level of much-needed skills, and be able to take the next step up. But as oldschool said, keep your head, and check out any situation thoroughly.

[Breton Beats]

I think the question shouldn't be "what am I going to do in 2-years/when I graduate" but rather "where do I want to be in 5 years/10 years?" If you have a goal past just school, it will help you tailor and focus on your foundation instead of just going through them until the end then wondering "what next"

With goals you will better be able to connect with chef/instructors who might have contacts or can help you along. You are also better able to directly contact other chefs in the industry to help you with your plan.

Questions you might ask yourself are:
Why do I want to continue in this industry? Do I want to work in a big establishment (hotel) or independant restaurant? Do I want to do food? pastries? catering? managing? airline food? Corporate chef? What type of cuisine do I want to cook classic french? Japanese? Vegan spa? What part of the world do I want to live in Nebraska (blizzards)? Louisanna (hurricanes)? or France (riots)? etc....

Maybe you don't know enough about the particulars of the industry to know what you want. Then make sure you have a solid answer to the first question. Then feel free to ask yourself What are your dreams? What steps do I get there?

And yes what Old School said. Take time building your foundation, You will learn a lot about yourself and your cabablities and interests. don't let your previous experience rush you into a job as a "chef" right out of school. If the job comes easy, chances are your not pushing your self high enough. Your previous experience will give you a leg up as far as life experience is concerned. (The difference between a tourist at Mardi gras and an local at Mardi Gras.) and believe me as an employer I am happier If don't have to hold someones hands in the dish pit, or explain food cost, or how to filter deep fryer oil, than if they can brunoise a salmon.

[Clove]

You can aim as high as you want. Even the top kitchens in America will hire people right out of culinary school.
While I was going to school in Napa, I knew of two people working at The French Laundry as their first job out of school. Sure, competition is tough to get into a place like that, but you don't have to limit yourself, either.
Like others have said, decide where you want to be down the road and try for a place that will help get you the experience you need to get there.

[sdm3989]

Thank you, and I appreciate the insight. I haven't really done a lot of thinking about the distant future since I decided not to attend law school. I know a fair about working in a restaurant, but never thought much about a culinary career. I knew exactly where I would be going out of Loyola or Tulane Law thanks to good old Southern nepotism, but I was confused about how you go about building a culinary career. I love to cook and I love the stress of a restaurant, but I still have no idea WHERE I want to cook and even what type of food I want to focus on (New Orleans Creole and Cajun are my roots but I don't enjoy using that much seasoning and would love to branch out). I guess now I'll just have to figure it out as I go. Thanks again.