03 Jun 2019
Things to Keep in Mind While Choosing the Right Culinary Institute
Are you interested in pursuing a career in the culinary arts? If so, you’ll be faced with the decision of whether to enroll yourself in the culinary arts programs.
Becoming a chef, running a restaurant or managing a hotel is fulfilling as you get the opportunity to express yourself through delicious food while being able to make money in terms of profits or salaries. However, the first step to your dream becoming a reality is getting proper education from the right culinary institute.
Now the question is – which culinary school? There are so many culinary schools that the choice can be overwhelming. So, below given are a few things to consider when selecting a culinary institute.
Accreditation
Providing premium quality culinary education and meeting the standards makes a culinary school earn accreditation from various groups. When you are on the lookout for the right cooking school, make sure that the school is accredited.
In the field of culinary arts, some of the globally renowned accrediting bodies are ICF (the Indian Culinary Forum), WACS (World Associations of Chef Societies), Edexcel UK, City & Guilds – UK and CGHS (College of Graduate Health Studies). The schools that seek approval and accreditation from such prestigious bodies have to go through in-depth evaluation of their facilities, curriculum, certification of instructors, student-teacher ratios and so on. So, choosing a school with proper accreditation is a good idea.
Cost
Of course, you want to become a big name in the culinary industry by gaining education, skills and knowledge from a reputed cooking school. However, the sad reality is that entry-level food service jobs aren’t high-paying. So, it is important to find out the cost of the culinary arts course from before. It isn’t uncommon for cooking schools to charge a whopping amount. So, make sure to seek a fee structure from the school of your choice. You have to decide if you can afford the course fee, without running into a large amount of debt.
Don’t worry, there are plenty of institutes that offer affordable courses in culinary arts.
Facilities of The Culinary School
The facilities found at the culinary institute are extremely important for the students. Well-equipped classrooms and kitchens will help to prepare you for the realities of the food industry. This is why it is vital that you take a tour of the school before making your decision.
Culinary Arts Courses
What culinary courses are you interested in? Do you want to be a restaurant manager or wish to manage a banquet hall? Are you interested in being a chef or want to make your mark in the catering business? Do you wish to be a rotisserie or a pâtissier?
In case you are solely interested in becoming a pastry chef and open a bakery, you can check out the institute of baking and cake art. There are special institutes dedicated to creating future pastry chefs. But, if you want to open a restaurant or be a part of the hotel industry, a culinary school providing various culinary arts programs would be the best choice.
Age of The School
New culinary schools are not always better, even though they have shiny new equipment. For starters, ACF accreditation does not happen overnight. In order to receive the ACF’s seal of approval, the school needs to have a consistent record of excellence. Also, the longer the school has been around, the wider its network of alumni is and that translates into good jobs. If the school is about 50 years old, the chances of hundreds of its graduates working in kitchens across the globe is higher and many of whom might even be the sous chefs or executive chefs who do all the hiring.
Proficiency Level of The Teachers or Professors
When it comes to unraveling the secret skills of culinary arts, you will initially be as good as your mentor. Obviously, you will be honing your skills even after you graduate and may become better than your master. But, in the beginning, you need mentors who are experienced and qualified. The teachers must be adept in their area of expertise and in a position to teach you everything you need to know for becoming a sensation in the culinary world.
Location
The location of the school does not always matter if you are willing to relocate. However, for the majority, selecting a cooking school that is near your residential place is ideal. It will make commute easy and even save you from traveling long distances.
Of course, real restaurant experience cannot be substituted with anything. But culinary schools are your first stepping stone into the world of culinary arts. You get to learn the basic skills. Also, some cooking school include internship as a part of their program where students have to work for a few months at a restaurant. So, keep the above mentioned things in mind when choosing a culinary arts school.