One industry that continues to kick-butt on many other creative businesses is the food industry. Few economic forces affect it: when times are hard people still seek out good food, dynamic flavors, inspired menus, and comfortable and exciting surroundings.
Thing is we cannot enjoy these fruits of the culinary world without creative chefs, and that’s where you come in. The job demand for new chefs is way up. Excellent culinary colleges have carved out a presence for themselves in many of the nation’s major metropolitan areas as well as most of the secondary cities. A few reasons for the increase:
Renaissance in culinary arts and cooking inspired by celebrity chefs.
Increasing sophistication of the American palate.
Diversification and growth in smaller cities has led to increased demand for fine dining, which means jobs for many more chefs and kitchen workers.
Cooking As Sport
The American culture is largely fueled by sport and competition. Well, thanks to major network programming -- The Food Network, Fox, and Bravo -- we now cheer on our favorite chefs and cooks on popular shows like Iron Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and Top Chef—where they duke it out in culinary sport, suffer bitter disappointments, carry on in dramatic and unscripted melt-downs, and sometimes celebrate victory. For the first time in history cameras go into pro restaurant kitchens where we get to see exactly what kind of sweat and energy goes into the production of a successful restaurant kitchen. And if you have a passion for cooking then your career fire is stoked, right?
An excellent culinary arts program is probably much closer than you think. THE one with your name all over it could be just a few blocks away or at least in the vicinity. While you explore the options in cooking schools in your city keep these few basic questions in mind:
What type of degrees/programs do the various culinary programs offer?
What are your ultimate cooking career goals?
Can you attend culinary school full-time or part-time; days or evenings?
What culinary schools offer scholarships and financial aid?
Are you looking for a liberal arts culinary degree program or a career/professional program?
Types of Culinary Arts Programs
Each cooking school dishes up its curriculum in a slightly different format. Compare and contrast them and finally choose the one you believe will meet your personality and your career goals:
Liberal Arts culinary degree programs allow you to major in culinary arts or restaurant/hotel management, but still glean all the advantages of a traditional 4-year college degree. Johnson and Wales University is one of the better known.
Associates in Applied Science Culinary Arts degrees- plentiful options here include general culinary arts, or chef programs, baking and pastry chef, and restaurant management tracks.
Certificate and Diploma programs offer accelerated and usually abbreviated studies in general culinary arts, professional cooking, and baking and pastry arts.
How You Learn to Cook in Culinary School
Cooking is hands-on skills as much as it is about creativity, energy and innovation. And you’ll find that each culinary arts program differs in how you learn to cook.
Student run restaurants that serve the public put you into a working, professional kitchen where you get to test your cooking skills under pressure. Faculty and professional chefs offer guidance and you can build your culinary creativity.
Skills courses in knife handling, cooking techniques such as grilling, sautéing, roasting, braising, steaming, and baking allow you to build a foundation upon which to grow. Some culinary programs are techniques/skills-driven.
Classic recipes and traditional ingredients may be worked into your curriculum, as well............
Read more : http://www.culinaryschools.org/cities/