Tattoo problems in culinary school?

[Blagueur]

I am enrolled to start culinary studies in Sydney ,Australia in July.

This sounds like the mid year intake for the Sydney campus of Le Cordon Bleu Australia. Would this be right?

I am from Los Angeles and I have heard of students having problems with teachers and culinary schools in regards to being tattoo'd. I have full sleeved arm tattoos and some on my hands.

Two things here. One, is that what you've heard is, well, hearsay. Have you inquired as to what you've heard is true? It may well be it's the students that are having problems with getting used to professional standards.

Two, you are about to hit a culture that is vastly different from your own. Be prepared to be taken out of your comfort zone and encounter things that will be totally alien to you. What is accepted where you are won't be accepted here and vice versa.

What is the deal with teachers and schools having such a problem with this?

What you may have heard is the response elicited by some students with regards to on site presentation. A lot of people are averse to rules. After all, our 'MTV, sex, burger and fries' society teaches us that no rules equals personal freedom. As such, people feel certain rules encroach on their personal rights but fail to pinpoint the fact that with anything in life, there is a modicum of responsibility required too. Others have already mentioned what these are in relation to professional cooking so I won't revisit them.

As so many chefs have multiple tattoos.

If that's the way it is in your backyard then that's cool. But you take a walk around Sydney and you'll be hard pressed to find any chef in a half decent restaurant with tattoos that you can see.

You would think they would just be happy with the high tuition they just got.

The reality in Australia is that things are done very differently here with regards to training. It's not the done thing to skip off to culinary school and expect a career. Bottom line is, mate, people won't give a toss how much you paid for your classes. Domestic students as well as their international counterparts spend just as much as you do going through the apprenticeship system which is very competitive and standards are world class. Culinary school is very much considered the second option. If you don't think you'll be able to hack this then it might be worth considering staying where you are But if you want a challenge and a very good education then grasp this amazing opportunity, hook in, abide by the rules and you're in for a bloody good time.

[lizabu]

There's an easy solution to this problem. Just cover them up. There's a make up called Dermablend which will work on the neck or face. It can cover up just about anything. For the hands it probably wouldn't be such a good idea as the makeup could rub off, maybe wear gloves...I dunno. Good luck and don't worry too much, maybe its not as bad as you heard.

[jenni1912]

I don't think that you should be discriminated against because of tattoos. People have them all the time now - it doesn't take away from your cooking ability

[yorvo]

I've been in the field over 20 years and I am heavily tattooed. I was not when I started. My collection grew over the years. This should be a sign for you. You're already experiencing problems with your tattoos and you're not even out of school. There will be plenty of places in your life that will not hire you because of your tattoos. Get used to that. The exception is when you are a dazzling chef. But if you're still in school there's no way you are.

Your hands being tattooed at such a young age is a sign of disrespect to tradition. Jeez, isn't that why we get tattooed in the first place. That said, it is possible. I was Ex Chef at a hip local place and the fact that I had exposed tattoos made people curious. I walked through the dining room every night. People liked it. It all depends on where you work and how good your food is. And how good your tattoos are.

If you want to do your own thing then do your own thing. You can open your own place. Be your own boss. But the customer will still have the final say.

Kind of funny after over 20 years in the biz I gave it up. And for what? Now I'm a tattoo artist. I can look how ever I want.

[Blueicus]

Although I'm typically pretty libertarian with regards to what people should do there will be places (like large luxury cruise or hotel chains) that enforce and outline strict dress and grooming codes (like the place I'll be working at), not only for supposed safety reasons but for professional reasons as well. The ban on visible tattoos is just one of them.

As a result it stands to reason that some/most culinary schools would enforce similar dress codes... though really, just because a bank requires one to go to work in a suit doesn't mean they had to go to school wearing a suit.

[RAS1187]

New Exec. Chef, he made everyone shave.

I didn't like it, but rules are rules.