School vs Working your way up

[htaps]

Hey guys this is a great site you have going here.

I been asking chefs around. And they give me no reasoning behind their advise.

What are the advantages between going to Culinary School vs. working my way up in restaurants to get a chef title. I been working in restaurants for two years and I don't know what road to take.

I been looking into schools and the cheapest one is 8k. Thats pretty expensisve already for me.

[culinarian247]

Try a CC (community college) if you want to go to school. To gain the view of a variety of chef-instructors, as opposed to just one chef is a good reason to go to school. You think $8k is a lot, there are schools that climb up to the $40-50k range!!! You've been doing this for two years so you either love it or are a glutton for punishment. I say go to school. Nowadays employers really like to see degrees on applications whenever possible.

Oh. Graduating from a culinary school ( I don't care which one) will not make you a chef. Yes, there are some who take positions of chef right out of school (ill-advised). School is a more forgiving environment. If you make a really bad mistake in school, you clean up and move on (mostly. If you lop off a finger.......) Do the same thing on the job you may have to polish the ol' resume. Most of the time the executive chef won't have time out to stop and teach you a lot of things (if anything at all). Leaving you to "wing it".

Also, if you're the least bit interested in certification (ACF) you're gonna need some form of degree in a related field for the education points. An associates degree is worth 24 or 25 points, I can't remember. Where are you located? USe this link here to find an ACF accredited program. You may also be interested in apprenticing but again, one chef's perspective vs several in school........

My vote: Go to school. Fifteen years down the road, you'll be glad you did.

[miahoyhoy]

do both at the same time.
you get to experience chef hours and apply all you learn at school at work and vise versa.
if you school and deliver pizzas you're wasting time, money, and effort.
jon

[merwin]

Go to work and see if this is REALLY what you want to do. I made the mistake of going to college and taking a trade that I ended up disliking. The result was a big loan to repay and working at something totally diffrent. If becoming a chef is what you really want then go to school. If money is an issue work and save, then go to school in Canada (if your in the USA) the exchange rate is very good, and there are some good culinary programs up here.

[panini]

If you choose school, make sure you pick a Culinary school and not a Chef school. They are easily picked. If a school is touting that they can make you a chef for X amount of dollars-RUN-RUN FAST. to the school that will give you a foundation to start your road to becoming a Chef.
Don't judge a school by it's tuition. I'd take a graduate from our local CC just as quick as one from fru fru U.
juz my 2 zens