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Oh, to be a chef… What it must be like to live the culinary dream and spend your days whipping up fancy dishes for your friends – all while rubbing elbows with the likes of Bobby Flay and Gordon Ramsey… All it takes is a quick trip through culinary school and then it’s straight up to the good life, right?
Well, no – not exactly. But does that mean that you should kick your dreams of culinary school to the curb? Well, that’s not really true either. If you’re an amateur cook thinking about taking the next step toward culinary school, here are three things to consider when making your decision:
It’s Not Cheap
Thanks in part to Food Network and TV shows like Top Chef, culinary enrollment has rapidly increased over the last several years – and so has tuition. According to Eater.com, the best known culinary schools can cost anywhere from $35,000-$45,000 for a 2-year associates degree and up to $109,000 for a bachelor’s degree. Aside from tuition costs, there are other expenses to take into consideration. This includes costs for books, a laptop if you don’t already have one, and other much-needed supplies.
Fortunately, there are options. To start, location plays a huge role in the cost of culinary school. For instance, schools in New York will be more expensive than a school in say, Chicago or Atlanta. You can also choose to opt for a 2-year program instead of the full four years and supplement your training by applying for an entry-level kitchen position at a restaurant.
Meanwhile, don’t just jump in and pay for the first program you find. Do your research and look for scholarships and financial aid opportunities. Often times, students qualify for aid that they aren’t even aware existed. This can certainly help alleviate the costs of culinary school, sometimes even slashing the price in half.
It’s Intense
Of course, you’ve watched shows like Chopped and Food Network Star. So this must mean you know exactly what to expect from culinary school, right?
Not quite. Talk to anyone who’s made it out of culinary school alive and most would agree that there’s nothing that can truly prepare you for your journey through it. In a recent article posted on the DailyMuse.com, writer Elliott Bell said this about his experience in culinary school:
“Everything about a professional kitchen (even an educational one) is easily 100 times more intense than your home kitchen. Knives are sharper, stoves are hotter, space is tighter, and everything moves at a sprint-like pace. Even simple tasks like turning on a stove are much more difficult, and you’ll be expected to figure everything out very quickly.”
Jennifer Farley, of the blog Savory Simple, said, “I’m not going to lie. It was completely exhausting and I was a wreck half of the time I was there; one giant bundle of caffeinated nerves.”
On the positive side, many culinary professionals would agree that culinary school can provide an excellent foundation for what to expect in the real world. If you decide not to move forward with your dreams to become a chef, you can still walk away with a solid foundation of terms and techniques used in professional kitchens and, at the very least, be able to impress your family and friends whenever they come over for dinner.
For students in 4-year culinary programs, courses on cooking and professional kitchen technique are also coupled with liberal arts classes like business, writing and history. In addition to sharpening your skills in the kitchen, these programs can also provide you with knowledge you can use in related professions. such as restaurant management or food writing.
You Won’t Become an Instant Culinary Star
Like in most other professions, going to school doesn’t guarantee you’ll become an instant rock star in your field overnight; and it most certainly doesn’t guarantee you’re going to bring in a hefty salary right off the bat either. Trust us, even Guy Fieri and Rachel Ray had to start somewhere.
The reality is that the culinary field is highly competitive, and before you hit the big time, you’ll likely have to start from the bottom. This means that even with a culinary degree, you have to be prepared to wait tables, wash dishes and work as line cook before running a kitchen on your own.
However, as we mentioned before, culinary school does give you a great foundation for becoming an expert in the kitchen. So, even if you have to start small, you’ll be armed with the tools you need to work your way up if you remain dedicated and work hard.
The Bottom Line
The truth is, making the decision to go to culinary school is a personal one. There’s no right or wrong answer. It all depends on your budget, how much time you’re willing and able to commit, your career goals and, most importantly, you’re preferred style of learning.
For many, culinary school can be an excellent way to learn about different cuisines, sharpen their kitchen skills, develop discipline and surround themselves with people who inspire them and share similar passions. For others, the better approach is real-world experience–rolling up their sleeves and jumping right into the fire, eventually working their way up the restaurant ladder.
Simply keep in mind both journeys require an incredible amount of dedication and discipline. At the end of the day, it’s all about deciding what’s right for you.