Career Track and Direction Questions

[Maestu]

Hi
Tomorrow I begin my first day in a Culinary and Commercial Foods course given by a local technical school (Sheridan Technical Center, for those who might be locals).

After being unemployed for almost a year after having lost my travel related job shortly after 9/11, and spending a great deal of time thinking of what career path I wanted to take, I finally chose Culinary Arts.

Just to be safe, I decided that I would go to this technical school and take the 14month long course full time and see how it fits. After all, I love to cook, but cooking commercially and at home are two very different things. So before I went out and spent a large amount of money on J&W, I wanted to be sure by taking the smaller and less expensive course.

To be honest with you, I think I am going to enjoy it, and I know it'll be hard work (Thanks to reading a couple books by Michael Ruhlman).

I am planning on completing this course, and then going to Johnson & Wales in North Miami for a Bachelors in Culinary Arts.

My question, I was also thinking that while I am getting the education at this technical school, would it be advatageous for me to take get an Associates in Food Service Mangagement?

The course at the tech school will give me 12 college credits, and since the college is a block away, I don't see the harm.

My main focus is to get as much necessary education in and out of school, but to have the qualifications necessary to suceed in the industry and to also have different options open to me.

I know that my real education begins once I leave school...but am I overthinking or over preparing?

Will these degrees give me more flexibility in the industry and make me more marketable in and out of the kitchen?

Any advise or comments would be greatly appreciated.

M

[Greg]

Actually, the best thing you can do to prepare for J&W is to find a job in a restaurant kitchen. You might have to start out as a prep or pantry cook, but you'll be getting paid to learn. Plus, this will give you a better idea if this is the industry for you before you spend a hefty chunk of change at J&W. Cooking commercially and cooking in culinary school are also two different things. Also, J&W recommends that you spend a year working in a kitchen before you attend. The tech school would teach you more than taking an entry level job, but as your plan is to attend J&W eventually anyways, you'd just be doubling up on the culinary education. As far as the associates in foodservice management, I think the last two years of the culinary bachelor degree program will teach many of the same things; I'd contact J&W and see what they say.

[katbalou]

dear maestu,
you should also contact J&W to see if they will accept the other colleges credits for transfer. it would not make sense to have to repeat a course. the other problem you might run into is time, will you have enough to handle all the courses you plan on taking? if you can do it, and the courses can be applied for credit i think you should go forit. higher education has never hurt anyone that i know of.
kat