Any actual "Chef's" here?

[BPTactical]

So my youngest (19) has a love of food and cooking different things. He has mentioned a Culinary school holds interest to him. Anybody here actually been to one and if you did, was it worth it?


Thanks

[theGinsue]

I know my respnse isn't actually "value added", but I've often thought of doing the same thing so I'm interested in the responses as well.

[sniper7]

I like to think of myself as a master game chef if that counts!

[Ah Pook]

I like to cook. I can cook. I am no chef.

Has he worked in any restaurants?

I think it's like gun smithing school. Some may be worth it but what do you have in the end.

[ldmaster]

But I know several.

There are many routes to the goal.

Regardless of whether you are schooled or not, you're going to do a lot of gruntwork before you're allowed to actually make something. You can either apply as a kitchen helper in a good restaurant, or go the school route.

In 95 percent of restaurants, you'll be preparing food from a list that never ever varies. There is no room for creativity or style or "new things" - this comprises the bulk of culinary artistry.

The ones I know, and asked, said that most culinary schools will cover the basics you need to know to get your foot in the door of a real restaurant.

There is a LOT to know about food in particular, one or two said watch the Alton Brown on TLC? series to get some idea of the depth of knowledge necessary to be a good chef.

Again, it's like "gunsmithing" the majority of work is cookie cutter stuff, nobody is going to trust you with their antique weapon for major refitting until you have proven yourself many times over.

They also say that he'll be doing a lot of work without pay, in the sense that he will probably end up on a salary, and get worked to death until he makes a break.

Without culinary school of some kind if he ever does go out on his own, he might have difficulty lining up a business loan.

But none of them had specific recommendations, because they said there's a huge variation in what you can learn at the upper echelon schools - and they also said that none of the great schools exist in Denver.

[Armed Springs]

I am and have been for 12 years now. I did go through culinary school after already working in the business. It was worth it ((insert disclaimer here) i received a scholarship) for the after benefits. It was a lot easier to get more money when getting jobs, granted i am a very talented chef and have had some great mentors.

To sum it up:
Culinary school is not cheap, i saw many people go thru and drop out. I knew many people who graduated and got into the real world of a kitchen and did not last 5 minutes. Make sure he knows the life of a chef, working 7 days a week, 16 hours a day. The life is hard and worth it if you want to do it forever.
I could go on for hours, but I do love what i do and am damn happy someone pays me to do what i love.

[Irving]

The name of the show mentioned by ldmaster is "Good Eats" and it is an awesome show.

[spyder]

I like to cook. I can cook. I am no chef.

Has he worked in any restaurants?

I think it's like gun smithing school. Some may be worth it but what do you have in the end.

What you have in the end, is something that you didn't have going into it. It depends on who you are and if you are going to make the effort to make it worth something.

[jkslvr]

I agree with many things that Armed Spings said here.

I too am a chef and have gone through culinary school. I went with no industry experience, but a lot it college credits under my belt, which helped lessen the cost of the degree. And there are some ways to really sneak by the cost at some major culinary schools while getting a degree. Some not so much as they do not accept credits transferred in.

As far as if it is worth going?
Yes, pick the right school. In the culinary world the right school does matter. Some say it does not, but I have seen many people get turned down for the wrong school on their papers, and the guy next to them has the better school. Diploma or degree? Right out of high school... I suggest a degree program.

And get ready for a fun job, but a hard one. When you're done though the job opportunities are endless. Travel is too!

[hcr25]

I was a chef for ten years and work at the Loews Denver hotel which had a 4 star restaurant "Tuscany". I did not go the paid culinary school route. I did a apprentice program through the ACF
http://www.acfchefs.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home6

This is 6000 hours (3 years) of on the job training. When I finished the 3 years I had 9150 hours! You also attend classes one sometimes two times a week at night. In my opinion this is a better way to go unless you already have lots of experience or disposable income to pay for school.
Culinary schools can look great on your resume but if that is all you have it can be hard to get your foot in the door in a high end restaurant.
The chef I worked for was chef of the year in Colorado the year I started. He hired a few people straight out of culinary school. Out of the five he hired while I was there only one lasted more then six months.

I guess in the end either a culinary school or the apprentice program, you will get out of it what you put in. I know people that did go to school route and they are very good chefs to this day.
Sometime I miss cooking.
Mike