Which is better?

[Verdet_02]

Hi there. I am going to be starting culinary school in January, and am still undecided about whether to go the culinary arts or pastisserie route. I was hoping that everyoe could give me their opinions of the two, and tell me what you like about each, and what you dislike. I am leaning towards pastisserie, but wonder about the job market. What kind of jobs are there? What would I most likely be doing in either field? Please help....

[momoreg]

Better? No such thing. It all depends on your interests. I think you make a good point about the job market. Pastry people are often more of an expendable luxury thank cooks and chefs. The salary range is also lower, generally speaking. These are generalizations, so don't use this as your main criteria in choosing.

After studying pastry, I felt that I missed out on certain aspects of a culinary education, such as table service, wines and spirits, sauces, knife skills, ice carving, etc... Mind you, this was in the mid 80's and a lot has changed since then. Many schools probably offer these options to pastry students.

On the other hand, I know chefs who never mastered basic pastry skills, or at least not until AFTER finishing school. Bottom line; it's up to you, once you finish your formal education, to continue educating yourself. You can shape your career the way you'd like, and your degree is just a foundation.