{"id":16325,"date":"2024-10-21T07:00:18","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T12:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/?p=16325"},"modified":"2024-12-20T16:01:50","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T22:01:50","slug":"is-a-culinary-diploma-or-degree-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/value-of-culinary-education\/is-a-culinary-diploma-or-degree-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Is a Culinary Diploma or Degree Worth It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

People considering a culinary degree or diploma are often asked: \u201cWhy bother going to culinary school? Can\u2019t you just learn on the job?\u201d<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s true! Just like an actor doesn\u2019t have<\/em> to take acting classes, and a writer doesn\u2019t have<\/em> to study journalism to achieve success, a career in the food industry doesn\u2019t require a formal culinary education.<\/p>\n

But by focusing on education for a few months or years, students can reap a host of benefits that the \u201cwork your way up\u201d approach doesn\u2019t offer. Plus, completing a culinary program may help graduates to achieve their goals more quickly.<\/p>\n

Here we\u2019ll explore the value of culinary degrees or diplomas, and why many students have found that culinary school is absolutely<\/em> worth it.<\/p>\n

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The Culinary School Experience Can\u2019t Be Replicated on the Job<\/h2>\n

Some say that culinary school is unnecessary because cooks can learn \u201con the job.\u201d And while there are certain lessons that are best taught in a professional kitchen\u2014like how to work around other team members on a crowded line, or how to manage your time during the dinner rush\u2014there are unique benefits to the classroom setting that simply can\u2019t be replicated in a working kitchen.<\/p>\n

Here are some advantages students may encounter when taking the culinary school route.<\/p>\n

Restaurants Are Devoted to Service, but Schools Are Devoted to Learning<\/h3>\n

In a professional kitchen, your job as a cook is to get those potatoes peeled and that hollandaise prepped for service. And the executive chef\u2019s job is to get the food out the door to serve hungry customers. Keeping the restaurant profitable is the end goal.<\/p>\n

As long as you can complete the tasks assigned to you, your supervisors may not have the time or incentive to help you expand your culinary skills. And even if you\u2019ve found a great chef mentor, you\u2019ll still have to complete your assigned tasks before you can focus on learning.<\/p>\n

A culinary student\u2019s job, on the other hand, is to learn as much as possible. And your Chef Instructor\u2019s job is to teach you. Everyone is working toward the same goal\u2014providing students with the knowledge and tools they may need to be successful in their careers.<\/p>\n\"Escoffier\n

This environment encourages students to ask questions, make mistakes, and practice until perfect, without holding up service or wasting a restaurant\u2019s product. Trying new techniques is what school is all about!<\/p>\n

Culinary School Explores Why<\/strong><\/em>, Not Just How<\/h3>\n

If you want to be creative in the kitchen, you need to understand why certain techniques give you the desired result.<\/p>\n

Why do savory dishes benefit from a hint of acidity? Why do we add eggs to a cake? Without an appreciation for these foundational culinary principles, you may find yourself unable to make substitutions and alterations, hindering your creativity in the future.<\/p>\n

In culinary school, Chef Instructors<\/a> are available to explain the science behind ingredients and techniques, which may then become tools in your experimental toolbox.<\/p>\n\"Escoffier\n

Culinary Students May Be Exposed to Worldwide Cuisines<\/h3>\n

A major drawback of the \u201clearn on the job\u201d method is the limited scope of techniques available to you.<\/p>\n

A restaurant or professional kitchen makes a certain number of predetermined menu items, often within one specific type of cuisine. Cooks are responsible for executing these same recipes over and over. And while they may gain great mastery of that one culinary style or those particular dishes, they won\u2019t necessarily have the opportunity to explore different world cuisines.<\/p>\n

But in culinary school, students may have the opportunity to explore a much wider variety of food styles. Escoffier\u2019s Culinary Arts<\/a> programs may include courses on global or regional cuisines, exposing students to culinary traditions from around the world.<\/p>\n\"Soup\n

Culinary Students Study with a Team of Chef Instructors<\/h3>\n

Not all chefs approach each technique in the same way. When learning on the job, you are only taught one chef\u2019s method. And in a restaurant, this makes sense! The executive chef relies on the entire team to do things their way to create a consistent guest experience. But from a learning perspective, it can be confining and potentially hinder your growth as a chef in your own right.<\/p>\n

The kitchen environment is limited in its number of possible mentors and educators. In culinary school, on the other hand, students have the opportunity to receive instruction from a variety of successful, passionate Chef Instructors who have worked in many types of roles and establishments. The quality and diversity of educators<\/a> alone can make culinary school worth it!<\/p>\n

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\"Shane\u201cYou have mentors in a restaurant setting, but you won\u2019t get the variety. At Escoffier, you\u2019re exposed to 10+ executive chefs, and you\u2019re surrounded by them every day. There\u2019s a wealth of mentorship at your fingertips.\u201d*
\nShane Witters-Hicks, Escoffier Boulder Graduate & Plant-Based Private Chef<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Coursework in Sustainability Can Make Future Chefs Protectors of the Environment<\/h3>\n

Some culinary degree and diploma programs even can get students out of the kitchen and onto the farm! Escoffier\u2019s Farm to Table\u00ae Experience<\/a> lets Culinary Arts students explore farming, production, and the advantages of buying local.<\/p>\n

On-campus students spend one day per week on a working farm or food procurement facility. Depending on the farm\u2019s needs, they may get an informational tour, or they may be able to dig in and get their hands dirty (literally). Online students have the chance to study the relationship between the chef and the food producer. While not part of the curriculum, students may get the chance to attend in-person weekend workshops, depending on location and availability.<\/p>\n

The future of the culinary industry must also be a future of sustainability. Chefs have a wonderful opportunity to be part of a more harmonious relationship between the food industry, the farming industry, and the consumer. But first, chefs must begin to understand where the food they use comes from and how it impacts the wider world.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Take the Culinary Career Survey<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t

We\u2019ve compiled a checklist of all of the essential questions into one handy tool: career options, culinary interest surveys, educational opportunities, and more.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

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