{"id":18240,"date":"2021-05-12T13:00:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-12T18:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/?p=18240"},"modified":"2022-08-30T04:30:31","modified_gmt":"2022-08-30T09:30:31","slug":"education-the-most-important-chefs-tool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/value-of-culinary-education\/education-the-most-important-chefs-tool\/","title":{"rendered":"Education: The Most Important Chef’s Tool"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding qualified employees is always a challenge in the culinary industry. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition for educated kitchen staff is more fierce than ever. From Virginia<\/a> to Illinois<\/a> to Oregon<\/a>, restaurant owners have the jobs, but no one to fill them!<\/p>\n

As of March 2021, restaurant staffing was 16%<\/a> below pre-coronavirus levels. But things are starting to improve! 43 states added new jobs in February 2021. And while the growth anticipated by the National Restaurant Association to 17.2 million jobs<\/a> by 2030 may have been slowed, it hasn\u2019t been stopped.<\/p>\n

As restaurants reopen, and the industry gets back on its feet, kitchens will be looking to re-staff for the influx of customers that will be returning soon.<\/p>\n

Will you have the tools to be a part of the industry\u2019s rebirth?<\/p>\n

Culinary School Fills the Biggest Drawer in Your Toolbox<\/h2>\n

If you imagine all of your culinary knowledge fitting in a toolbox, different skills would live in different places.<\/p>\n

In one drawer you might have specialty cooking skills, like making sushi or creating inventive plant-based dishes<\/a> \u2014 skills that you\u2019ll only build if you work in a certain type of restaurant. In another drawer, you may have advanced recipes or whole animal butchery skills.<\/p>\n

And in the biggest, most-frequently opened drawer, you\u2019d have many of the skills you build during culinary school. These are your foundational skills \u2014 food safety and sanitation, seasoning, cutting and knife skills, measurements, mise en place, plating, world cuisines \u2014 the skills you\u2019ll draw on every day.<\/p>\n

\"Chef
\nWhen you attend culinary school, potential employers will know that you\u2019re coming to them with this drawer partially filled. This isn\u2019t all that students study in school \u2014 far from it! But with this knowledge, you can start your career from a place of confidence and possibility, instead of uncertainty and confusion.<\/p>\n

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\"Chef“I pursued certifications because I always wanted to be taken seriously and to have a credible voice. I didn’t want to be deniable.”
\nEscoffier Pastry Chef Instructor and Master Baker Colette Christian<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s Not All About What You Learn \u2014 It\u2019s About the Type of Person Who Gets an Education<\/h2>\n

Culinary school graduates have a solid foundation of kitchen skills, but there\u2019s still a lot to learn when they get out into the workforce. That\u2019s why there\u2019s more to attending school than the education you\u2019ll receive. It is also an invaluable tool for what it tells others about you<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Smiling
\nAttending culinary school shows potential employers that you have a passion for cooking. People who attend culinary school usually plan to make food their career, not just a job. In a high-turnover industry like culinary (75% in 2018, and even higher at fast food restaurants), a potential employee who will be in it for the long haul is extra-desirable. Just by virtue of having that degree or diploma, you tell potential employers that you\u2019re planning to be in this industry long-term.<\/p>\n

It also shows that you\u2019re trainable. A culinary school graduate knows how to listen and learn. And there will be plenty more learning to do throughout your career. Plus, a culinary school education can open the doors for a wide variety of future careers. Research Chef Chris McAdams<\/a>, for example, channelled his education at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts into a consulting career helping restaurants develop menus, doing product development, and providing culinary training.<\/p>\n

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\"Chris“I ended up stumbling upon this career field. I love it, and I’m having a great time in it. So I’m very grateful for the guidance, support, and confidence I got from Escoffier.”
\nChris McAdams, Culinary Arts Graduate and Research Chef\/Chef Consultant<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Culinary School Grads Can Make Great Leaders<\/h2>\n

As the industry begins to recover, employers will need strong leaders. Where will they find them?<\/p>\n

Some will look for the most experienced cooks and chefs they can find. But there aren\u2019t always enough to go around. The next best option? To find dedicated culinarians they can groom for leadership positions. In culinary school at Escoffier, the curriculum includes some coursework in management and communication skills, as well as business planning and budgeting.<\/p>\n

\"Female
\nRestaurant owners or managers aren\u2019t just hiring to fill the entry-level position they have today. They\u2019re also hiring to be better positioned to keep their line running, or to find an eventual replacement for the sous chef<\/a>. The management skills you pick up in culinary school can make you a great candidate for future promotion. Culinary school isn\u2019t just working for you now \u2014 it\u2019s working for future-you!<\/p>\n

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\"Mary“[Escoffier graduates\u2019] self-initiative\u2014and their passion for providing quality food to our customers\u2014allows us to put them into a leadership role very quickly.”
\nMary Ann Mathieu, Senior Recruiter, Sodexo<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

What About On-The-Job Restaurant Training?<\/h2>\n

Of course, cooks and chefs need real world experience. While they learn many foundational skills and prove their dedication in school, there is more to learn on-the-job. Escoffier students begin this further education with a culinary externship<\/a>, which is a requirement for all students.<\/p>\n

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\"Escoffier“For my culinary externship, I was able to work at a seafood restaurant that I go to all the time here in Atlanta…The externship put into practice things I learned at Escoffier, and it definitely propelled my knowledge.”
\nTiffany Moore, Escoffier Online Culinary Arts Graduate<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

You may think that when it comes to an entry-level position, employers aren\u2019t so picky. Not always true. Who sounds more appealing \u2014 an entry-level employee who has never held a spatula? Or an entry-level employee who knows how to chop and mince, who understands the importance of organization, who has some knowledge of food costs and menu planning, and who wants to make the kitchen their career?<\/p>\n

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“If somebody goes to culinary school, it shows extra commitment and follow through…it’s a ‘gold star’ on their resume.”
\nJosh Hasho, Executive Chef, Omni Hotels & Resorts<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Position Yourself For Success<\/h2>\n

With the restaurant and hospitality industries working on a comeback, future cooks and chefs will need every tool at their disposal to be valuable assets to their employers.<\/p>\n

You can be a part of the industry\u2019s resurgence. Get a plan<\/a> that will put you in the right place, with the right credentials, at the right time by getting a culinary education \u2014 a tool that works overtime for you.<\/p>\n

To learn more about culinary education, read these articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n