| Everyone needs to eat! From fast food to four-star | | | | industry tends to have a high turnover rate, which |
| dining, food preparation and the culinary arts are big | | | | benefits the person who is well-trained and determined |
| business. Whether you are serving a dish that costs a | | | | to succeed. A significant factor leading to personal |
| dollar at a lunch counter or fifty dollars at a chic New | | | | success in the restaurant business is simply having a |
| York City eatery, a career in cooking can be very | | | | drive to succeed! |
| rewarding. | | | | How about training? While it may be possible to enter |
| There are many types of culinary careers. Chefs and | | | | the food preparation industry without training by |
| cooks oversee the entire process of meal preparation, | | | | starting at the bottom, advanced positions often |
| and are expert in measuring, mixing, and cooking all the | | | | require career training. Fine dining and upscale |
| ingredients that make up a delicious meal. They may | | | | restaurants often seek applicants with a certificate, a |
| also be responsible for making menus, selecting food | | | | two-year associate degree, or a four-year bachelor's |
| supplies, and supervising the activities of the kitchen | | | | degree. |
| staff. | | | | Culinary arts colleges offer professional career |
| Food preparation workers assist chefs and cooks. | | | | education. Typically, culinary schools such as those |
| They perform tasks that may include slicing | | | | listed on the Education-For-Careers website offer |
| vegetables and meats, cleaning the cooking area, | | | | associate degree and bachelor's degree programs. |
| washing lettuce, arranging desserts, and much more. | | | | The incoming student generally chooses between one |
| Food preparation workers work closely with chefs and | | | | of two degree tracks: baking and pastry, and culinary |
| cooks to ensure that the kitchen runs smoothly. | | | | arts. In the world of food preparation, these are two |
| Institutional chefs work in organizations that require | | | | completely different careers. Rarely will a trained |
| large volume-for instance, a kitchen at a college or | | | | pastry chef also have the skill or interest in how to |
| university may prepare a thousand sandwiches to be | | | | prepare and serve a filet mignon, and vice-versa. |
| served at lunch hour in one day. Not only are flavor | | | | In addition, there are academic subcategories such as |
| and appearance important, but so is consistency, | | | | wines, hospitality, nutrition, and business. A culinary |
| because every sandwich must be uniform. Institutional | | | | school will typically offer a wide variety of training |
| chefs may also be responsible for creating menus, | | | | specialties including advanced cooking techniques, |
| controlling costs, setting budgets, purchasing ingredients, | | | | cooking styles from around the world, courses on |
| and managing a large staff. | | | | restaurant management, and information on the health |
| Chefs in four-star restaurants may create imaginative | | | | issues of commercial food presentation. |
| meals using a wide variety of exotic ingredients. They | | | | Beyond the bachelor's degree level, chefs often |
| serve a demanding clientele who are willing to pay high | | | | participate in longer training programs offered by |
| prices for exceptional food. At many big-city gourmet | | | | professional culinary institutes. Executive chefs and |
| restaurants, competitive pressure is intense as rival | | | | head cooks who work in fine-dining restaurants have |
| restaurants strive to present cutting-edge menus and | | | | often had many years of training and experience. |
| create a trendy vibe. | | | | It goes without saying that there is no such thing as an |
| Private chefs may work for a single family or a | | | | online culinary arts degree. You have to attend school |
| business. They may be called upon to prepare three | | | | on campus, where you will work side-by-side with |
| meals a day in small quantities, just like you would do | | | | professional chefs in real kitchens and on-campus |
| for a family. They may also be in charge of doing the | | | | restaurants. Many culinary arts schools also offer |
| daily grocery shopping. | | | | externships, where you spend several weeks working |
| Fast-food cooks prepare a limited selection of menu | | | | at a restaurant, on a cruise ship, or even at a |
| items such as hamburgers, fries, and fried chicken. | | | | destination like Disney World. |
| They often follow strict preparation guidelines written | | | | How do you get started? If you enjoy cooking, if you |
| by the owner of the fast-food franchise. | | | | like to work as a member of a team, and if you love |
| Corporate chefs work for major fast-food chains, | | | | the expression on people's faces after a satisfying |
| restaurant chains, and ready-to-eat producers. They | | | | meal, then you should explore the career opportunities |
| strive to create a food or menu item that can be | | | | in culinary arts. You can get free information by logging |
| replicated easily and will sell at a profit. For example, | | | | onto a reputable college directory website. Simply |
| when McDonald's introduces a new sandwich, it is only | | | | enter the search terms that are appropriate for you, |
| after years of careful development and testing by | | | | such as "culinary arts California." You'll be presented |
| McDonald's professional chefs. | | | | with the colleges and career schools that meet your |
| What's the job outlook? The U.S. Bureau of Labor | | | | criteria. In minutes you can compare programs, financial |
| Statistics predicts that during the decade from 2008 | | | | aid options, and flexible schedules. Then just click on |
| through 2018, the job outlook will be good, with better | | | | the colleges you like in order to get more free |
| opportunities for people who have training or | | | | information from the schools. It only takes a few |
| experience in business as well as culinary arts. | | | | minutes to get your training started! |
| Because of the long hours and intense competition, the | | | | |