Hello fellow foodlums

Welcome to Cheftalk.

We have a number of students on the site - we even have a forum for them!  If you have a look in there, I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from those, like you, who are starting out on their careers.

We have members from around the globe (I'm Scots) and all levels of culinary expertise, from those who can't boil water, through enthusiastic amateurs (I'm one of those) to masterchefs.

Please feel free to join in on any thread you find interesting, or start your own in the relevant forum. Articles, wikis, blogs and photographs here are also well worth a look.

Probably the first key to success is knowing how to spell 'restauant' but i'm just kidding you.

Ask lots of questions. Keep your equipment clean and maintained always. Buy good shoes.

Pick one type of cooking that you really love and master it. Know enough about everything else to work a station or cover someone else's.

Know that a cook, a caterer, a camp chef, a home cook, a banquet chef, a pastry chef, a baker and a chef-owner are completely different people.

Guard your hearing, I can't hear very well and it sucks in a lot of open pass kitchens. Don't destroy what God gave you to work with.

I've seen a lot of cooks I really admire and respect get into serious trouble with drugs and booze. Know it is a risk in your environment and stay straight.

I hope to stage at your new kitchen some day.   : D

Welcome. Can you guys move the discussion to the culinary student forums? This is really just for introductions.

Ahhh, Nicko - you beat me to it!

Is there a way for users to move posts? I should have been paying attention to the forum, Nicko, my apologies.

Show up on time and be respectful of your instructors. Many of these people have contacts in the industry and if they see you are dedicated, they are going to be more willing to recommend you to others than the other student that has an ego and shows up late.

Network with staff and other good students. Simply care about what you are doing and give everything that you have every day.

Also, if you haven't done this, work in a kitchen before starting school to make sure you know what you are getting into.

BTW: Which AI campus? Degree or cert? 

Tekka,

I'll be graduating from The Art Institute in Dallas this summer. The program at AI is great, I can say I have actually learned quite a bit.That being said my biggest advice to you would be to give all of your classes 110% (even the ones you don't find interesting or needed), Volunteer for every event you can (its a great way to meet great chefs as well as to network yourself into a good job), and compete in every competition that comes around (the market basket competitions can be stressful and fun, but they teach you a lot about time management and different ingredients). Lastly don't get a job in a kitchen asap if you don't already have one, it will get you experience as well as help you to be faster and more organized in a kitchen.

~Card