Culinary and Food Service Degrees: A Full Menu
How far do you want to go in the food service industry? It's an important question to ask yourself since your goals should dictate the type of program you attend. Food service, cooking, and management programs run the gamut from certificate programs to doctoral degrees. Whether you want to manage a local coffee bar or oversee the dietary needs of a nursing home population, the education you need is out there.
There are no free lunches
If you love to slice, dice, and sauté, the best way to get cookin' on the chef route is by attending a culinary school. Though it may be true that many top chefs never went to cooking school, don't count on getting to the top without it. There are lots of good cooks, just as there are lots of talented musicians, but not everybody gets to be Emeril or the Rolling Stones.
The more training you have under your belt, the more likely you are to get a better job and establish a solid reputation as a chef.
A number of tasty selections
Culinary programs usually average between one to two years for a certificate or associate's degree. You can choose to specialize in a particular area, such as Italian cuisine or pastries and baking, but regardless of where your interests lie, most culinary programs will school you in a variety of cooking techniques, nutrition, and cuisines.
Some schools offer a diverse selection of diplomas ranging from a general culinary arts degree to one with a...
Author: Amy Ambler
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