Although cooking can be learned at home, being a chef requires more than just knowing how to follow recipes. This is why a culinary education is so important.
Culinary schools provide various levels of training, ranging from cooking classes to chef diploma programs. You’ll also get plenty of choices to specialise in, such as patisserie, cake decorating, artisan bread-making, and even chocolate-making.
Wondering whether you need a formal culinary education? Here, you will learn the different programs you can enrol in and the advantages of having formal training from a professional cooking school.
Culinary school programs vary in length and coverage. Some offer specialised learning for specific niches in the industry while others cover almost everything you need to know about the culinary world.Below are some examples of culinary programs you can enrol in:
One of the cost-effective ways to gain culinary arts skills is to enrol in a culinary certificate program. Depending on the school and course, this can take less than one yearto complete.Although quick, the curriculum is usually quite intense and is focused on hands-on training. This will help you learn more practical skills you can use later in your career.
You can also choose to focus on a niche the moment you enter culinary school with speciality diploma courses.Are you dead-set on opening up a pastry shop or starting a cookie brand of your own? Pastry chef training is what you need.Maybe you want to create artisan chocolate and become the world’s leading chocolatier? Take up a professional chocolatier program that could help you achieve your dreams.You can also take specialised courses even if you already have a degree in culinary arts to sharpen your skills in a specific niche.
There’s no strict training or educational requirement to become a chef. In fact, many professionals became experts from spending long hours in the kitchen.But while a formal education isn’t mandatory for professional chefs, a certificate or degree from a culinary school offers plenty of advantages you can’t find anywhere else. It can even serve as your ticket to finding the job of your dreams.So, is it worth going to culinary school? The answer is “yes” because there, you can:
Besides cooking techniques, culinary school will also teach you the following skills that are crucial in thriving in the professional kitchen (and labour market) today:
Operations Management Skills (On-Premise and Online)
After completing a culinary course, graduates are expected not only to create mouth-watering food but also know all about the operations happening in the dining area. Only when operations are run efficiently do restaurants see more profit.
Besides, most restaurants are now adopting some form of online ordering and food delivery systems that allow “ghost kitchens” to thrive. This “delivery-only” business model depends on online sales and has a faster turnaround than on-premise operations.
There’s no telling when and how things will change again, so culinary school graduates with knowledge about these innovations have the upper hand.
Financial Management
Skills in business accounting, transaction monitoring, and operational cost computation are also crucial for culinary school graduates. They are vital when it comes to running a profitable restaurant, especially in accounting for facility upgrades for better products and services.
A balance between business and cooking skills allows culinary professionals to find ways to maximise business profit. Because of this, employers are always on the lookout for those skilled in this arena.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Customer service is the heart of the food service business, which is why customer relationship management (CRM) has become an essential part of culinary training.
Networking and relationship building not only attract new clients but also strengthen customer loyalty for an establishment. Besides strategies taught in classes, graduates of culinary schools also get a good sense of what works and what doesn’t, making it easier for them to develop programs that will ensure customer satisfaction.
Food Safety
Food handling is not just about cooking. It’s also about proper hygiene, storage, and temperatures to ensure food safety and protect customers from food-borne illnesses.
When you know how to cook, you can become a chef. But when you have a degree in culinary arts, you’ll have the opportunity to gain several job titles throughout your career, such as:
Although your cooking can speak for itself, the key people responsible for offering career opportunities can’t sample your creations all the time. Having a certification from a culinary school proves your capabilities and grants you more credibility even before you pick up your chef’s knife.
When it comes to your future career, understanding the importance of education not only helps you make an informed decision but also ensures your motivation through and through. Take one step closer to your dream job in the culinary world and enrol in an ICCA course now.
Although cooking can be learned at home, being a chef requires more than just knowing how to follow recipes. This is why a culinary education is so important.
Culinary schools provide various levels of training, ranging from cooking classes to chef diploma programs. You’ll also get plenty of choices to specialise in, such as patisserie, cake decorating, artisan bread-making, and even chocolate-making.
Wondering whether you need a formal culinary education? Here, you will learn the different programs you can enrol in and the advantages of having formal training from a professional cooking school.
Culinary school programs vary in length and coverage. Some offer specialised learning for specific niches in the industry while others cover almost everything you need to know about the culinary world.Below are some examples of culinary programs you can enrol in:
One of the cost-effective ways to gain culinary arts skills is to enrol in a culinary certificate program. Depending on the school and course, this can take less than one yearto complete.Although quick, the curriculum is usually quite intense and is focused on hands-on training. This will help you learn more practical skills you can use later in your career.
You can also choose to focus on a niche the moment you enter culinary school with speciality diploma courses.Are you dead-set on opening up a pastry shop or starting a cookie brand of your own? Pastry chef training is what you need.Maybe you want to create artisan chocolate and become the world’s leading chocolatier? Take up a professional chocolatier program that could help you achieve your dreams.You can also take specialised courses even if you already have a degree in culinary arts to sharpen your skills in a specific niche.
There’s no strict training or educational requirement to become a chef. In fact, many professionals became experts from spending long hours in the kitchen.But while a formal education isn’t mandatory for professional chefs, a certificate or degree from a culinary school offers plenty of advantages you can’t find anywhere else. It can even serve as your ticket to finding the job of your dreams.So, is it worth going to culinary school? The answer is “yes” because there, you can:
Besides cooking techniques, culinary school will also teach you the following skills that are crucial in thriving in the professional kitchen (and labour market) today:
Operations Management Skills (On-Premise and Online)
After completing a culinary course, graduates are expected not only to create mouth-watering food but also know all about the operations happening in the dining area. Only when operations are run efficiently do restaurants see more profit.
Besides, most restaurants are now adopting some form of online ordering and food delivery systems that allow “ghost kitchens” to thrive. This “delivery-only” business model depends on online sales and has a faster turnaround than on-premise operations.
There’s no telling when and how things will change again, so culinary school graduates with knowledge about these innovations have the upper hand.
Financial Management
Skills in business accounting, transaction monitoring, and operational cost computation are also crucial for culinary school graduates. They are vital when it comes to running a profitable restaurant, especially in accounting for facility upgrades for better products and services.
A balance between business and cooking skills allows culinary professionals to find ways to maximise business profit. Because of this, employers are always on the lookout for those skilled in this arena.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Customer service is the heart of the food service business, which is why customer relationship management (CRM) has become an essential part of culinary training.
Networking and relationship building not only attract new clients but also strengthen customer loyalty for an establishment. Besides strategies taught in classes, graduates of culinary schools also get a good sense of what works and what doesn’t, making it easier for them to develop programs that will ensure customer satisfaction.
Food Safety
Food handling is not just about cooking. It’s also about proper hygiene, storage, and temperatures to ensure food safety and protect customers from food-borne illnesses.
When you know how to cook, you can become a chef. But when you have a degree in culinary arts, you’ll have the opportunity to gain several job titles throughout your career, such as:
Although your cooking can speak for itself, the key people responsible for offering career opportunities can’t sample your creations all the time. Having a certification from a culinary school proves your capabilities and grants you more credibility even before you pick up your chef’s knife.
When it comes to your future career, understanding the importance of education not only helps you make an informed decision but also ensures your motivation through and through. Take one step closer to your dream job in the culinary world and enrol in an ICCA course now.
