Six Tips for Starting Your Culinary Career
March 23, 2007
by Kate Robb
Culinary Institutes Columnist
They make it look easy, don't they? They have impeccably clean clothes, every ingredient at hand, and always a big, pearly white smile. These are the chefs we see around us--on TV, and on the covers of books and magazines. They seem to hold the world of culinary arts by a string, but more and more culinary school students are finding out just how rare these glitzy lives are.
It's a Hard Knock Life
A recent article by the Associated Press found that while more people are enrolling in culinary school, many of those new chefs are facing a double whammy of lingering school debt and a difficult job market.
Don't Get Scared--Just Get Ready
But there's no reason to be deterred by these statistics. With some careful planning, you can get ahead of the game before even entering culinary school.
- Know your options. Some culinary schools cost upwards of $20,000 a year. Research each schools' placement rates, affiliations, and financial assistance options to estimate how likely it is that they'll place you in a decent job when you're finished.
- Do the math. Get a good feel for how much money you have, how much you need, and how long you'll need to pay off any loans.
- Save money ahead of time. And if possible, clear out all other current debts to make room for either paying back school loans or living on a slim budget later.
- Respect your elders. Go out and interview senior chefs to find out what kinds of skills (besides cooking) you need to succeed in a culinary career.
- Meet and greet. No matter where you are before culinary school, set up meetings with a variety of people in the culinary arts. If you meet them now (while you aren't looking for a job) you'll be able to call on them if you need an in for a potential job later.
- Have a backup plan. If it's at all possible to work while you're in culinary school, you might consider it. You'll have less debt later, and you'll still have a job while you're looking for a new one.
As with any other career, determination, passion, and perseverance can be the secret keys to the kingdom. Start planning now, and you can beat the statistics.
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About the Author
Kate Robb is a foodie, cultural critic, and university professor.
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