Passion...

Before you decide to go to Culinary school I recommend getting a job in a kitchen first. Most likely doing dishwashing or prep and then slowly move your way up until you decide if you really want to go to school for cooking.

I'm 17 right now and I got a job in a kitchen at 16 and I started doing dish washing and prep, but I've finally moved up to line cook and am loving it so far. I plan to go to school probably next year if I still love working in a kitchen.

You have tons of time to decide what your gonna do so take your time and think wisely.

Also considering wherever you take school like in Europe (if ur not from Europe) the cost of schooling will be double because your from a foreign country so it honestly would be better off taking school wherever you will be living in the coming months/years.

I'm positive you need a visa for school aswell.

 "The only thing that really pops into my mind is being a chef and I have been thinking about going to a culinary school in America or Europe depending on where I land after I move to China..."

You say you are moving to China.  Why not try to get a job in one of the major hotels which cater to foreigners?

You still don't state your nationality.  It might have a bearing on where you could attend culinary school - as well as eligibility for any scholarships that might be available.  Noone can help with so little info.

I know that dual passport holders for the UK can work in the UK without special visas.  I don't know about the USA, though.

My advice still stands:  find a local hotel (presumably in Korea?) which services the foreign/expat community and get part-time work there.

Joey,

Can't speak for the U.K., but in continental Europe  you will find a big difference between apprenticed cooks and non-apprenticed cooks in terms of salary and prestige.  The professional cooks are apprenticed and the culinary schools are for serious hobbyiest.

The N.American system of culinary schools has it's share of faults, with the main one being "Front end loading".  This is where the schools cram you full of knowledge, but do not recognize that experience is equally important.

You have time, do more research and like others say, get your feet wet in a kitchen.

If you have an idea of WHERE you want to study, then go to the website, look at the curriculum and see if there are opporunities to do a stage as part of the course.  In the UK, there would be an opportunity to get an apprenticeship with a restaurant chef and then go to college part-time.  Can't speak for the USA!

I think you need to come back to ask questions when you have at least formulated WHEN and WHERE you want to study, look into if you are eligible and then take it from there!

Many overpriced culinary schools offer internships, Problem is they are charging you for the time spent interning and what you make is in most cases is  far less then what school is charging you while you are not even on the premise or in a classroom.

     Food Pump, many of the schools here are for hobbyiest also, as you and I both know "nothing beats on the job training" which in actuality is apprenticing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeyBones 

im wondering if its possible to do an internship or something while i go to culinary school.

 

yea i think the best thing to do is to just work at a hotel or something 

but im not sure how things will go out 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

 Most employers and certainly most Chefs don't look at the Culianry School papers or reputation.  When they hire, they want to know about experience:  Can you grill a steak?  Have you done it a zillion times, so that when the customer orders it medium rare, you cook it medium rare?

Cooking schools only provide the knowledge part, they just don't want acknowledge the experience part.  This is what is called "front end loading".   If you start culinary school with 4 mths working experince under your belt, you graduate culinary school wirh 4 mths experience under your belt, and this is what the employer looks at.

Read my post again.  Cooking is a manual trade.  You work with your hands and your brain.  Eye-hand co-ordination, how you move about,  and timing are just as important as knowledge.  I repeat, this is not an academic pursuit.  "Internships" are only avialable at the very top 5 star places, and even then, the Chef only wants the most experienced guy.

An aprenticeship, on the other hand, is a 3 way contract.  You, the employer, and the State.  Employer provides the job and training, State provides the classroom education, you provide the sweat.  You do earn a salary, albeit a miserly one, but you don't go into debt.  When you finish, you have 3 years experience and a benchmark to show for it.