To school or not to school?

[Jolly Roger]

After fifteen years of working as a foodservice professional, I decided to go to school. I have worked many years as a chef for restaurants so why would I think that school would benefit me now? I have my reasons and one of them is getting the certifications that I want. I started my own personal chef buisness and I plan on advertising myself as being ACF accredited. I started out learning in the trenches and have done well with that approach. My question to the forum is: What's your story/experience with choosing or not choosing culinary formal education and what advice can we offer those interested in starting a career in this industry?

"An ounce of sauce covers a multitude of sins"
-Anthony Bourdain

[100folds]

Well Jolly, I too have decided to go to school after many years in the industry. It's not so much about the certification as it is about the knowledge that I haven't been able to obtain through experience. I think that it is important to understand what it is you are getting into when you decide to belong to this industry. I feel it should be a criteria to have at least one years experience in the industry before a school will even accept you. A lot of the apprentices I have taught over the years have this romantic image about being a cook until you tell them to turn a 16 L of carrots three days in a row.
I have learned as much as I can on my own and now I would like the next phase. I will be learning how to actually take apart a cow from start to finish. What actually happens in a vineyard and cheese farm. 3 languages. The history of food, the science of food. Things that I have read about on my own time, the little time I have and now I am able to fully commit myself to learning these things.
I don't know about you, but I am a little worried about seeming out of place. I just hope there's more like us out there. Good luck and let me know how it goes for you.

[Jolly Roger]

100folds
As it happens to be in my region, people here want to see some "paper" if they don't know you to well. I have a very generous "in", however, these are the types that like to know "where you have studied". So, I have to throw them a sardine. And that's all it takes. My "sardine", is my certifications...I guess I'm fishing, but the fishing is good where I am. Or maybe, I'm a good fisherman?