In this section you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Culinary Careers, Culinary Education, Cooking Schools and much more.
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1- How do I get into a Culinary Institute and what will I learn?
Most culinary schools are more interested in your willingness to succeed and your customer facing appearance and attitude rather than academic brilliance. Clearly, you will need to have reasonable levels of written and verbal communications skills and a reasonable grasp of math would be very useful for some courses. Programs vary between culinary schools as does the cost and length of the program. You may learn about stock control, accounts, ordering, budgeting, customer service, health and safety, man management skills, planning, recruitment, payroll, and marketing. If you really want to succeed in this field you will need to be proficient in all these areas since it is often the manager who 'saves the day' by stepping in. A 'can do' attitude is probably the most important attribute to have together with what they call 'grace under pressure'.
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2 - What Might I Learn At Culinary School?
Many courses are similar for different programs. You may learn about the basic methods of cooking such as roasting, braising, baking, boiling, frying and broiling. You should also learn about health and safety and good food hygiene. Bacteria can multiply very quickly and cause serious ill health. You need to know how items can be cross contaminated and how to clean utensils and work surfaces properly to prevent hazards. How food is kept and stored is also extremely important. You may also learn how to prepare ingredients and make basic sauces. Once you have mastered these techniques, you might then want to specialize. It is important to make sure that your chosen culinary college can provide the type of culinary education that you are looking for. It is pointless to apply to culinary institutes that cannot offer you Cordon Bleu instruction, if that is what you have set your heart on.
3 - What is Food Research?
There are various different branches of food research that you may choose to investigate or specialize in. Increasingly, our 'just in time' society is looking for "perfect" examples of fruit and vegetables in the peak of freshness. Food researchers play a very large part in studying individual species and their reactions to different processing, storage, and preserving and packing environments. For example, different varieties of lettuce may be kept in an inert gaseous environment to help keep the leaves looking fresher for longer. Chemicals can be used to prevent potatoes from sprouting, allowing them to be stirred for up to a year without spoiling. As a food researcher, you might also deal with the industrial requirements of food production e.g. processing, cooking, or cooling. You may even work on new food sources, either found naturally, but not indigenous to the US, or genetically modified (G.M.). Of course, not all of the foodstuffs you study during your culinary education will be plant based; you might decide to work on dairy products or animal products.
4 - Where can I learn about food research and the Culinary Arts?
Most culinary education courses at culinary institutes or culinary schools do cover a little food research however probably not enough to pursue a career in the subject. You will generally need to study a dedicated program if you want to become a food scientist. You will find that traditional colleges or culinary institutes are probably more likely to offer this type of education rather than a vocational college.
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5 - What type of Career is Food sales?
Food sales representatives are responsible for a number of duties involved with selling food products either to retail or wholesale buyers such as restaurants or stores. As a food sales representative you may be responsible for increasing the number of customers you have in your 'territory' as well as servicing the ones you already have. You might explain certain attributes of your products, demonstrate quality, and calculate orders. You might also have to deal with customer complaints or chase orders that are delayed or incorrect. Some food sales representatives might also collect payment from customers. You may find that you need to attend sales meetings and conferences periodically or enter into further continued education. Most food sales representatives travel frequently, you will generally need a full clean driver's license although most employers will be happy to supply you a vehicle for your work. You may find that you are away from home a lot. If you really enjoy plenty of variety and meeting lots of different people then this could be the ideal career for you.
6 - Where can I study a Culinary Education and learn about Food Sales?
You may be able to study food sales at a culinary institute or culinary school. Some traditional culinary colleges may also be able to offer you education in the culinary arts as well as education in food sales. You might study different methods of food production and processing. You may cover different methods of pest control and organic alternatives. Most food sales programs include courses on health and safety, packaging and transportation as well as nutrition and sales.
For more detailed information of programs available please read the school profiles and request complimentary information directly from the schools.
7 - What type of career is Food Styling & Media?
One of the most important aspects of what makes us attracted to food and want to eat it is how it looks. If it looks good, smells good, and tastes good, we will eat it! If it does not look good, we rarely get as far as checking out the other attributes. Food production is a multimillion-dollar business and food advertising is crucial. Food advertising is responsible for making us aware of new foods and increasing desire. Food imagery can be very powerful, not just for advertisements, but also for cookery books and television adverts and programs. Food stylists are responsible for making food look as attractive or as genuine as possible. To give an appearance of freshness, fresh produce such as apples are oiled then sprayed with water to give a mouthwatering effect. Ice cream will melt under hot lights; very often-creamed potato is used as a heat resistant substitute. You may learn about all sorts of techniques from lighting to color enhancement.
8 - Where might I learn about Food Styling & Media and what sort of career can I follow?
You could enroll at a culinary college or culinary school that offer this course. You could call it the ultimate in culinary art! You might benefit from a basic culinary education although an eye for color and aesthetics are probably more important. Some of the larger or more modern culinary institutes may also offer you this type of education. You may find employment with film studios, photographers, and publishers of cookery books, or even with an advertising agency that specializes in the food industry.
