[wlngs123]

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone's been to Dublin Cookery School and can share your experience? Based on what I've read and researched, it's a pretty good school with a comprehensive syllabus, but my concern is on the certificate and it's applicability or recognition outside of Ireland.

A little bit about myself so that there is context: I'll be moving to Italy with my husband and hence would want to look for a school within Europe for networking purposes and for closer access to each other. I'm a mid-career switcher and have been working in the kitchen for 3 months now (and going) to ascertain my interest for the industry. I want to head to culinary school to get me up to speed on the basics and for that reason I do not want to specialise in a particular cuisine at the moment. At the same time, I do not want to spend too long and too much on studying and hence have been looking for a short course (3-6 months) to obtain a certificate/diploma in culinary.

The Dublin Cookery School seems like a perfect fit, but my only concern is if the Professional Cookery Course certificate would help me secure a job in a kitchen in Italy when I move there. Any other recommendations for schools in Europe is also welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[Friend_of_Epicurius]

I just went to a cooking school in Ukraine 6 weeks long and around $500 was a great course also at the end you take a test through one of the universities and get a certification from the state not just a diploma from the school. Might not be the same level as some of the longer programs but it was very good. The instructor also speaks English and worked in Italy for several years and may be able to help you work in Italy depending where you are.

 

[wlngs123]

Wow, that sounds interesting, i've never heard of cooking schools for $500! May I know what's the school and how your experience was like? 6 weeks seem quite short for a professional certification so I would just like to know more.

 

[Friend_of_Epicurius]

http://schoolalcuisine.com/ is the website. the admins speak English if you call or send them messege on facebook other cool thing is the instructor has a bazzilion books in pdf from well known chefs as well as culinary schools and gave me a good bit of them maybe 12 in all

 

[sgmchef]

Welcome wings123,

Step one is to find out what, if any, governmental requirements exist in Italy for employment in restaurants from an Italian consulate. This may have a huge impact on your plans as some countries require certain documentation. If you already know these answers great! If not, you might want to check on that.

Food safety certification is always a good thing and I would always suggest getting that type of certificate.

I looked at the school you mentioned and deem it a good foodie/hobby level school. For me, the fact that you are working in a kitchen is much more valuable and would have greater impact on my decision whether or not to hire you.

Schools are good for exposing you to ingredients, techniques and products but I have worked with and for graduates of the full Culinary Institute of America and Cordon Bleu programs that were fired for incompetence. A diploma may get you a job but keeping it will be based on your effort. Since there are also graduates of those programs that are much better than me, it is really individual effort that will allow you to keep a job.

How fast can you peel and julienne an onion? If you can't do this quickly, make some batches of onion marmalade and/or french onion soup! Knife skills always translate to any cuisine in any kitchen and there is not a major cuisine on the planet that doesn't use onions.

If you are going to school no matter what, I am sure you will learn something and I am sure you will enjoy it!

Understand though, that the chef you work for will tell you how he/she wants things done in their kitchen! Then you can decide if you really want to tell them they are doing it wrong because of how you learned it in school.

Good luck!

 

[jasimo]

Hello Wing123,
You will have no problem with certification, the dublin school is a great one, very good chef instructors and as part of the EU certs will be recognized, even in usa, most chefs their are blood irish, go for it. good luck and enjoy the irish hospitality as i am one.