For anyone looking to turn a passion for cooking into an actual career, a culinary degree is probably the best way to go. According to a survey conducted by Food & Wine, three out of four chefs who went to culinary school found it to be worth their time and money, and two of those people graduated completely debt-free thanks to scholarships and personal savings. Still, there’s a lot to think about before you decide whether or not culinary school is the right path for you. There are a number of things you should consider, like the type of restaurant you want to run and how much it’s going to cost to attend school.
For those looking to become the next big chef, there are a number of notable culinary schools around the world that offer degree programs. Some of these institutions are renowned for their teaching techniques and celebrity alumni, including Anthony Bourdain, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Michael Mina. Others, like Le Cordon Bleu Paris and the Paul Bocuse Institute, offer a more international approach to culinary education with an emphasis on contemporary training.
In addition to offering accredited degrees, many of these institutions also provide short courses for those who just want to hone their skills without committing to a full-blown degree program. For example, the New York-based Institute of Culinary Education has a number of different locations in the United States that offer a range of classes from one-day wine connoisseur courses to more intensive baking seminars.
These institutions can also help you learn the basics of running a restaurant, which is important for anyone thinking about opening their own restaurant someday. The Napa Valley State College in California, for example, offers a certificate program that can be completed in just nine months, and it can lead to a job as a kitchen manager or assistant restaurant owner.
There are a number of awards systems that can give recognition to restaurants, hotels, and other culinary-related companies and organizations. For example, the James Beard Foundation awards both restaurants and chefs that are making a significant impact on the industry. The award system looks at a number of factors, such as the quality of the restaurant’s menu and its overall atmosphere.
Similarly, the Michelin guide gives stars to restaurants that are deemed to be of excellent quality. If a restaurant gets a star, it’s likely that its food is worth the detour to dine there. In addition to the top 50 restaurants, Michelin also publishes a so-called “back fifty,” which clues readers in on some restaurants that may have fallen off the proper list but are still worthy of a visit. This kind of recognition can be very beneficial to a restaurant’s reputation and bottom line.