Various trades, occupations or jobs can be prepared for in two ways either by going through formal education or informal education.
Irrespective of the choice of education chosen, it is always important to discern which type of education works for that particular individual.
The culinary world is no different, as you can choose to go to a culinary school (a school that teaches you the basic rudiments involved in cooking) which is a form of formal education, or by learning it on the job or even by self-education with the latter two being informal ways of acquiring culinary skills.
Overtime, the two methods of acquiring culinary skills have proven to be effective if properly implemented, and can help you rise up the culinary pyramid.
Is Culinary School Worth It?
Demerits of Culinary School
1. Excessive School Fees:
There has been series of contradictory views on how important a culinary school really is.
One of the arguments against the real worth of attending a culinary school is the fact that the tuition fees of many culinary schools range between $20,000 to $40,000, equivalent to the fees of many private colleges.
Shockingly, some students eventually acquire loans to study this course, only to finish and have a starting salary of about $15.
This has made many people question the importance or relevance of a culinary school, when its informal counterpart costs close to nothing.
Is Culinary School Worth It?
Benefits of Culinary School
1. Creates Opportunity for Students
On the other hand, attending culinary schools have shown to be a vital step on the journey to becoming a good chef.
It is quite easy to differentiate between a person who went to a culinary school and someone who didn’t. This is usually evident from the way the students handle a knife, cutlery and other cooking utensils.
The culinary school certificate could create avenues for its holders at places where certificate of culinary education is required.
2. Builds Basic Cooking Skills
The culinary school prepares the student so well for the culinary world, so much that they spend little or no time as a prep cook.
They easily move up to a line cook, unlike people who didn’t attend a culinary school who have to spend years acquiring basic skills as a prep cook that could have already been learnt in a culinary school.
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3. Free Education for Outstanding Students
Culinary schools have provided a base for to- be chefs to acquire basic culinary skills, by offering them series of scholarship which allows them go to school and build their skills.
4. Exposure For Students
Culinary schools offer various opportunities for its students to be exposed by keeping them up to date with the latest cooking equipment, providing kitchens to be run by students and giving them opportunities to meet professionals that could be their employers, partners, mentors or even customers.
Is Culinary School Worth It?
Conclusion:
Finally, the worth of a culinary school cannot be exaggerated for individuals who tend to learn better within the setting of a school.
However, some people often flourish in places where they learn on a job, while some others prefer self-education. The two aforementioned categories of people would find a culinary school irrelevant or secondary.
A culinary school is of utmost importance because, it provides one of the essential things a chef needs to become successful.
However, it is important to ensure you attend it out of your abundance as footing a loan to attend a culinary school may not be a good investment on the long run or even short-term.
Read this: Top Culinary Schools in the World
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