Culinary Schools \ Culinary Students Research culinary schools, and talk with other culinary students.

Culinary School Search
Advanced Search >>

powered by CollegeandUniversity.net
School Type:
 Campus   Online  Show All
Zip/Postal Code:

 

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 04-10-2008, 12:36 PM
MartinK Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Culinary Student
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1
Default Tattoo problems in culinary school?

I am enrolled to start culinary studies in Sydney ,Australia in July. 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. What is the deal with teachers and schools having such a problem with this? As so many chefs have multiple tattoos. I can understand if i was working on a buffett line at a wedding. But for school... Give me a break. You would think they would just be happy with the high tuition they just got. Any input on this?
Reply With Quote


  #2  
Old 04-10-2008, 12:45 PM
Anneke's Avatar
Anneke Offline
ChefTalk Moderator
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,998
Default

It would make no difference in my hiring practices, so I don't see why an instructor should make a big deal of this either. It's one thing if you are a lawyer with a pierced tongue/eybrow, but a chef?

Hold on: you don't have obscenities tatooed on your eye lids, do you?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-10-2008, 01:02 PM
foodpump Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 1,528
Default

Big deal, very big deal. The student represents the school, and students usually find jobs in the hospitality industry.

I don't have a problem with tatoos that are covered , but on exposed areas--hands, face, neck, I have a large problem. Behind the line is one thing, but when serving customers, tattoos have a nasty habit of turning customers off, and turned off customers don't come back and don't say why they don't come back. Money and reputation lost for a splotch of ink that will look like cra* on that person's body in 20 or so years. For fun and edification go to your local old folk's home-- or give your elderly parent a bath and see what a 60 yr old tatoo looks like on a 80 yr old body. But I digress...

The second problem is that tatoos are designed for one, and only one thing--to attract attention. Why does this person want to attract attention to his hands/face/neck?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-10-2008, 01:12 PM
adamm Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Line Cook
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 246
Default

alot of schools want to practice the highest of profesionlism. Im pretty sure the rule at my school was girls werent even allowed to wear ear rings in the kitchens even studs. schools have an image they want to maintain. I know of a 5 star resort that took externs from my school and they didnt want people of have tatoos where you could see them. you may never work at one of those places but rules are rules.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-10-2008, 01:40 PM
RAS1187's Avatar
RAS1187 Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Line Cook
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 588
Default

While I might argue about the enforcement of professional standards at the big name schools, it appears this is something they take seriously.

As a student, you are expected to follow the same levels of professionalism as an employer would have. For the hospitality industry, it has generally been deemed that visible tattoos are not professional.

Essentially its simple, foillow the rules, or don't go. Sounds like a bad deal, but I don't make the rules.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-10-2008, 06:31 PM
bughut's Avatar
bughut Offline
ChefTalk Supporter
Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,166
Blog Entries: 4
Default

Whats the big deal. It's not a hygene issue. I can see how some folk lined up at a buffet might be offended, but it's not going to stop them eating is it? I could understand if your line looked like a bunch of tattoo'd hairy greasers, but anyway i'm biased. My 2 chef sons are well tattooed. And theyre damned good at what they do.
I'm booked myself for a wee tribal on the wrist tomorrow (read today AArgh)
Like i say, whats the big deal?
__________________

"If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?" Jo Brand

Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-10-2008, 10:20 PM
RSteve's Avatar
RSteve Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Caterer
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Retired but halfway to 1st base.
Posts: 252
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bughut View Post
I can see how some folk lined up at a buffet might be offended, but it's not going to stop them eating is it?
Yes, for some, it will stop them.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-11-2008, 12:05 AM
Anneke's Avatar
Anneke Offline
ChefTalk Moderator
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,998
Default

So what are you going to do: refuse them admission? Our professional uniform covers everything from the neck down except the hands. Beyond that, any tatoos showing (face/neck) is their own mistake they'll have to live with.

I don't see it as a big deal as long as everything is clean and piercings are removed. Frankly I'm outrage at the lack of hygiene of the average cook much more than their tatoos...

Lynn Crawford is a great chef, currently the exec chef of the 4 Seasons in NY. She's done lots of television up in Canada, was on Iron Chef. She has a couple of large, odd-looking tats in the palms of her hands (ouch!). But the rest of her looks so professional, I can't imagine anyone objecting to her appearance and calling her unprofessional.

Last edited by Anneke; 04-11-2008 at 12:18 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-11-2008, 02:50 AM
remie Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Cook At Home
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 12
Default

I think for some it would really matter along with the hygiene of the person. Culinary is all about cleanliness and order. If you have tattoos already then they can't do anything about it anymore, right?? You just have to make sure that you will prove to them that your not all "dirty" you know and stuff like that.
__________________
I love my kitchen for it is where I can conjure even the weirdest recipe I can think of...
Cookware and Bakeware
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-11-2008, 06:01 AM
tessa's Avatar
tessa Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 587
Blog Entries: 6
Default i dont think it should be toomuch of a problem

generally , i have two tattoos but they are not visible generally and i also have a nose peircing , which i wear a dainty little stud thats discreet and two peircings in my ear lobes, which i wear studs and sleepers with no problems
there is a japanese guy in another class and when we are not in chef whites we are in a white shirt black pants, black vest black tie uniform, its been very warm here at the moment and he wears short sleeved shirts and he has very colourful tattoos down to his wrists, He doesnt seem to have been told off about them as he still wears short sleeves.
I think it would really depend on what the tattoos are and if they contain bad language or not. If the school has a prob with you having tattooed hands what about wearing disposable gloves when you work

Tattoos on your hands can give a bad impression sometimes, in our conservative industry , people might think it was crime related in some way maybe , but i dont genereally see any kinds of probs with tattoos normally

good luck with your school
__________________
when life hands you lemons, make lemon gelee, lemon meringue pie, or any other dessert your heart desires

www.theunknownchef.com
www.theunknownchef.co.nz
www.shoebridge.co.nz
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-11-2008, 09:31 AM
foodpump Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 1,528
Default

The whole thingee about tattoos is not what you think or feel about them, it's what your employer thinks about them. Actually, it's what your employer's customers think about them.

This topic has come up on other sites, most noteably about a young man with facial tattoos. He had excellent skills and attitude and all that, but it was patiently explained to him that he would experience some difficulty in finding the job he wanted.

This is not illegal, not to hire a person with tattoos. The tattoo-ee was not born with them, wasn't tattooed at birth or tattooed with a gun pointed to his/her head, it was a clear and conscious decision on his/her behalf, and only they can take the responsibility for this decision.

Keep it covered up and know one knows are cares. When it is visibile on your face/hands/neck most employers will want to know why you want to display this, and what kind of problems they can anticipate from you.

Like I said before, tattoos are desiged for one, and only one thing: To attract attention.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-11-2008, 10:06 AM
shakeandbake Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: California
Posts: 175
Default

The OP is not debating whether or not kitchen staff can be tattooed, his/her issue is with schools. I agree each employer has the right to staff as they see fit, but I don't think a school should discriminate and deny enrollment to a student based on their tattoos...unless they contain content or words that are socially unacceptable/offensive. I'm assuming schools would include tattoo discussion as part of the training, since it obviously can limit some employment opportunity.

I think folks who are heavily tattooed already have come to terms with the employment issue. I have tattoos and I'm planning more.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-13-2008, 10:19 AM
andy009g Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 8
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinK View Post
I am enrolled to start culinary studies in Sydney ,Australia in July. 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. What is the deal with teachers and schools having such a problem with this? As so many chefs have multiple tattoos. I can understand if i was working on a buffett line at a wedding. But for school... Give me a break. You would think they would just be happy with the high tuition they just got. Any input on this?
You shouldn't have any problems with tatoos, if you have some hide them
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-13-2008, 09:16 PM
RAS1187's Avatar
RAS1187 Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Line Cook
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 588
Default

The school makes the rules and enforces them. That's pretty much the bottom line. Just as employers can be picky about their applicants, schools can be too (at least for now). I have been put in situations where I did not agree with the rules, but pretty much I either had to follow along or choose to go elsewhere.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-14-2008, 12:01 AM
skaiwalker's Avatar
skaiwalker Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Other
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 23
Default

The rule are the rule.. we cant ignore them.
__________________
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is culinary school right for me? crit0086 Culinary Schools \ Culinary Students 1 08-11-2007 10:28 PM
What's it like in a Culinary School?? white_gryphon18 Culinary Schools \ Culinary Students 13 04-13-2007 04:24 AM
About Culinary School Chef Douglas Culinary Schools \ Culinary Students 4 02-14-2005 08:42 PM
Anyone have or thought about a tattoo??? chefAZ The Late Night Cafe (non-food/cooking discussion) 15 01-01-2004 11:46 PM
Best Culinary School In USA - Where? Mr Gourmet Culinary Schools \ Culinary Students 27 10-24-2002 08:18 PM