10 Tips on Choosing the Best Arts Culinary School:
June 24, 2009 by Culinary Tips and Reviews
Filed under About Culinary Arts
Tips To Choose The Best Arts Culinary School:
Few basic tips an individual needs to follow are as mentioned below:
1. Accreditation by government bodies: This is the foremost and crucial step while selecting the best arts culinary school. Check out the school’s accreditation.
2. Level of Courses: Individuals need to decide whether they want to take admission for short duration courses, diploma, certification courses or degree.
3. Peers ratings: Check from the graduated friends about the teaching standards and overall quality of the particular arts culinary school.
4. Affiliations with companies: An individual needs to see if the school provides any placements after completion of the courses. Some schools have their hotels, so student need not have to search for job.
5. Strength of the students: Select the school having ample amount of international students. It enables them to get acquainted with diverse groups, which is useful in hospitality learning.
6. Competency of Teachers: Teachers in the school need to be competent with strong experience levels. They help in creating better students.
7. Other facilities: Check the accommodation, transportation, meals, free internet and other facilities.
8. Location: The culinary school needs to be located at ideal place. It has to be readily accessible and free from any health concerns.
9. Practical Training: The best Arts culinary school is the one which provides hands on training in popular restaurants. It also helps the students to earn a stipend during their vacation break.
10. Education costs: Check the fees structure of culinary school. Compare the fees with other arts culinary school and choose the best arts culinary school.
Importance of Choosing the Right Culinary School:
There are various culinary schools located across various places in the world who claim that they are the best. An individual can directly visit the school or can surf the federal websites that rank and provide the accreditation to the arts culinary schools. But choosing the right school becomes really difficult. Hence, a student needs to adhere to certain guidelines before choosing the best culinary school.
Thanks to Annabell Amaretto for contributing this article to our Culinary blog:
Annabell Amaretto is a successful writer and webmaster at The World of Culinary Arts new and exciting weblog where she provide information how to Discover The Best Culinary Arts Schools.http://www.arts-culinary-school.com
Six Things to Look For in Great Culinary Cooking Schools
June 24, 2009 by Culinary Tips and Reviews
Filed under About Culinary Arts
There are several things to consider that will ensure you are getting not only a superior education, but one that will open doors for you when you enter the restaurant and hospitality world as a chef.
Accreditation by the American Culinary Federation
The American Culinary Federation is an organization of professional chefs that monitors and reviews restaurants, catering services and culinary cooking schools and provides a variety of services to its members. Accreditation by this group means the school has met certain strict standards.
The Quality of the Kitchens
Whenever possible visit the school you are considering and ask for a tour of the kitchens. There should be at least two fully equipped professional kitchens so that you can learn to cook a variety of ways (cooking over electric heat and gas heat can be quite different). Be sure to ask questions about the various types of appliances and features that are available for student use.
Class Size is Crucial
Smaller classes at culinary cooking schools mean more hands-on training during the early stages of your education. With fewer students, the instructors will be able to give you more individualized attention. You will also have more opportunities to try advanced techniques and get in crucial hours of experience.
Variety of the Curriculum
If you want to be sure you are getting the broadest range of training, take a look at the courses you will be taking. There should be some focus on the core culinary arts as well as separate units on the confectionary, baking and pastry arts. Many of the best culinary cooking schools will offer you a choice of a degree in culinary arts, management or a one that focuses specifically on being a pastry chef. There should also be a complete class in any curriculum that focuses on understanding and appreciating wines and liquors, as these are a finishing touch to a truly gourmet meal and knowing what wines pair well with the foods you prepare is essential.
Internships or Affiliated Restaurants
There is nothing that will prepare you for the real world of food preparation in a restaurant atmosphere like experience. If there is some type of internship program in place you will have the opportunity to try out your newly learned skills while pursuing your education. Some schools will provide this opportunity by having their own restaurant, run by the staff and students, which is a part of or affiliated with the culinary school.
Job Placement Assistance
The best culinary cooking schools care about their students even after they have completed their coursework and prepare to enter the hospitality or restaurant world. Ask about whether the school provides assistance with preparing your resume, interviewing techniques and coordinating job interviews and networking opportunities.
If you find schools that meet the six criteria outlined above, you can assume that they are exceptional institutions that will prepare you for your future as a chef or in food services management. From there, your final selection should be based on your own gut feeling. No one except you can say which of these culinary cooking schools is best for you.
Thanks to Andy West for contributing this article to our Culinary blog:
Andy West is a freelance writer for The Culinary Institute of Virginia College. Culinard offers two outstanding culinary programs. For information on one of the most prestigious culinary cooking schools, please visit http://www.culinard.com .
Life After Culinary School
June 23, 2009 by Culinary Tips and Reviews
Filed under About Culinary Arts
The great thing about working in the culinary industry is people will always need food services. There’s very little likelihood that you’ll ever find yourself at a lack for opportunity to use that degree that you worked so hard for. While working as a chef isn’t for everyone – remember, chefs have to work long hours, especially on evenings and weekends, in hot kitchens surrounded by all sorts of people demanding a million things at once – your culinary arts degree will take you far.
Some of the more common, but less thought of culinary careers include:
• Cruise Ship Chef: for the more adventurous culinary artist, who feels limited by the day to day of the restaurant industry, a job on a cruise ship is the perfect solution. You can travel the world doing exactly what you love – cooking. Whether you’re working as the executive chef or even the vegetable chef, you’ll have tons of fun living the cruise life.
• Caterer: if you’re more interested in the entrepreneurial side of the culinary arts, working as a caterer might be a good fit. As a caterer, you’ll control when and how you work, and which types of functions you’re involved with. You’ll also be heavily involved in menu creation and selection, and you might even find yourself as part of a party planning team.
• Research and Development: culinary students don’t necessarily have to end up working in the service industry. You can also hook up with a government agency or food manufacturer to work in the research and development area. You’ll be testing foods as well as creating new recipes and working the latest trends in the restaurant industry.
• Management: no one manages a kitchen better than someone who knows all the little details. A culinary degree can easily lead you to hospitality or kitchen management at all kinds of levels, from restaurants to resorts.
• Publishing and Media: a love of food can take you far in the media industry, whether you choose to become an author or photographer, or you get yourself a television cooking show.
• Teaching: if you thrived in your classroom and spent all of your time helping out your classmates with all their projects, then maybe teaching is your calling. Culinary arts teachers are always in high demand – it’s hard to find good talent that’s willing to share! If you’re outgoing and more interested in regular hours, a teaching position will allow you to indulge in your love of cooking and pass it on to others. You never know, you might be the force behind the next big thing!
Thanks to Michael Lansing for contributing this article to our Culinary blog:
Mike Lansing serves as a contributing editor for Cooking Schools 101, which offers information on Culinary Schools and Culinary Degrees for those wishing to enter the trade.
Open Doors at a Culinary Art College
June 23, 2009 by Culinary Tips and Reviews
Filed under About Culinary Arts
A culinary art college is among the fastest growing educational facilities in the world today, and they provide education towards a service that will never go out of style. Trends in fine dining come and go and you will need to be able to keep up over the years to constantly be successful in the culinary arts.
For the aspiring career chef, a culinary art college offers the greatest opportunity to landing an interesting and rewarding career. The “cooking renaissance” has produced a growing population of culinary art college and cooking schools in the country, and plenty of interest amongst the population in supporting them. Many who attend a culinary art college are aiming to become professional chefs or work in the food industry in some capacity, but don’t be surprised to find several students also attend a culinary art college just to improve their own home cooking.
The instruction in basic nutrition that you will receive at a school of the culinary arts will help you better plan meals that are both nutritious and delicious. There are many opportunities in the culinary art field for qualified chefs, so ensure that you line up your education as soon as possible to take advantage of this great opportunity in the field. Packed with students with all sorts of creative ideas, a culinary art college is a great place to get inspiration for your potential career path in the food industry.
Thanks to Steve Knowles for contributing this article to our Culinary blog:
Give yourself a chance, look into a career using a culinary art college to open doors for great jobs. Qualifications will show employers that you really are interested in this as a career. Click HERE for more.
Culinary Scholarships
June 22, 2009 by Culinary Tips and Reviews
Filed under About Culinary Arts
Although there aren’t a lot of scholarships available for culinary education, there also isn’t a lot of competition, making your odds of receiving a scholarship better.
So where do you look for culinary scholarship opportunities?
If you are still in high school, start with your Guidance Counselors to see what kinds of culinary scholarships and awards they know about, locally, regionally and nationally. Very often, the high schools themselves offer monetary rewards for good students, or the most dedicated from clubs and activities, which could include a cooking, home economics or vocational club. If not, at least, they should be able to steer you toward other sources because keeping track of that stuff is part of their job.
Most culinary institutes and university culinary programs offer scholarships to students attending their schools, either directly through the school or through business, benefactors and foundations that support the school. Many schools also offer them to students planning to attend.
Check out the bulletin board on campus for schools such as:
* The Art Institutes
* The Culinary Institute of America
* Pennsylvania College of Technology
* University of Nevada, Las Vegas
These kinds of scholarships are definitely the easiest to find out about, but somehow overlooked by a great many students who could benefit greatly from the funding… and from the prestige of winning!
Professional Culinary Organizations
By definition, professional organizations are designed to promote their profession. In large part, that entails the development of future professionals, and scholarships are a great way for them to promote that.
Going directly to National and Regional culinary institutes is of course the next course of action. Here are some samples:
1. American Academy of Chefs - The American Academy of Chefs, through the American Culinary Federation Foundation, offers educational scholarships to high school students beginning to seek a culinary or pastry arts degree, college students currently seeking a culinary or pastry arts degree, professional chefs already working in the culinary industry looking to further their education or get certified, and student culinary teams currently competing at ACF regional conferences or national convention.
2. Les Dames d’Escoffier - Les Dames d’Escoffier is a leadership culinary organization composed of women who have not only achieved success in their profession, but who contribute significantly to their communities. Since its incorporation 25 years ago, Les Dames d’Escoffier has followed its mission to elevate the profession through mentoring members and helping worthy students succeed in their culinary careers. I am very proud to be a member.”
3. Women Chefs & Restaurateurs - The mission of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR) is to promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women in the culinary industry. Since WCR was founded in 1993, the association has offered unique scholarship and internship opportunities to its members.
4. Institute of Food Technologists - Professionals in the field improve the availability, nutrition, and safety of the world’s food supply. They bring scientific and technological innovation to an increasingly global marketplace. They give back to the community through teaching and leadership. This organization offers numerous scholarships in various fields of the food industry.
5. National Restaurant Association - The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) encourages and supports senior high school students, GED graduates, undergraduate students, ProStart COA, and educators who are committed to furthering their education and enhancing their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry by awarding scholarships through its Scholarships.
6. International Cake Exploration Societé - CES promotes the art of cake decorating by awarding one or more annual scholarships to applicants deemed most likely to develop and promote the art form.
If you live in the following states, try these regional programs.
* American Culinary Federation, Piscataqua Chapter - Maine
* Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Foundation
* California Restaurant Association
* Channel Islands Chefs Association
* Illinois Restaurant Association
* Nations Capitol Chefs Association
* The Culinary Trust
* Wisconsin Restaurant Association
Thanks to Evelyn Saunders for contributing this article to our Culinary blog:
Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of private student loans and information on student loans and consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net




