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post #1 of 3
12/30/07 at 4:30pm
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Hello everyone. I just found this site and I am not sure if I am posting in the right spot or not, but here it goes.

I am considering (after a very long time) to go to culinary school. I am interested in talking with people that are either in culinary school or are currently in the field that can give me the true inside at this field.

I have heard many things both positive and negative about the culinary industry and I want the low down of what it is like. If there is anyone out there that can assist me, please do. Thank you so much.
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post #2 of 3
12/30/07 at 5:08pm
Welcome! You've come to a good place to ask questions. And the first thing you should know is you are not alone -- your concerns have been shared by many others. And many have gotten good advice (at least, I think the advice was good, especially the advice I gave, since I was in my mid-40s when I decided to go to culinary school :lol: ).

You might want to explain your own situation a bit -- there will probably be others who have been through a similar period of change and questioning. Give it a little time, though, since with the holiday and all, people might not be online much yet.
"Notorious stickler" -- The New York Times, January 4, 2004
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post #3 of 3
12/31/07 at 2:13am
Cooking for a living is rewarding, but it is also a lot of hard work and requires a lot of discipline. Food shows can make the occupation glamorous, but equate that with professional sports figures or media stars. Very few make it to that point and Hollywood is very skilled at smoke and screens.

Try working at a restaurant nearby that employs some cooking techniques (maybe a prep cook position). You will get a clearer idea if this is what you really want.

To make it in this industry, you will be working when everyone else is off. When you are off, everyone else is working. It does have its advantages though.

If you can't miss Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, you might want to reconsider.

Take your time when you do consider culinary school. A lot of them are very expensive and you will have a hefty loan to re-pay when you graduate. And typically, someone with a certificate/degree doesn't correspond to pay scale. Experience and skills are what count, and that is what merits the pay.

Good Luck.
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