Why is Formal Education Important in the Culinary Arts Field?
The culinary arts field is filled with people who love good food and having fun. Cooks and chefs are important. But there are a number of essential staff positions that go into making an eatery successful. What are some of the jobs in the culinary arts? Why is education important for someone who aspires to work in the field? What are the benefits of getting a formal culinary arts education?
Job Titles in the Culinary Arts
- Chefs and Head Cooks – According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country will need 10% more chefs and head cooks over the next several years. These kitchen commanders are responsible for creating menus, filling pantries with supplies, and directing the efforts of other kitchen staff.
- Bakers and Pastry Chefs – Some dedicate their culinary talents to crafting freshly-baked bread, cakes, pies, and other treats. Bakers and pastry chefs may work in storefront shops, commercial production plants, or in a restaurant.
- Bartenders – Those in the front of the house are just as important as kitchen staff when it comes to the overall quality of the customer experience. Bartenders do more than pour alcoholic beverages into cups. Mixing the perfect cocktail is an art.
Caterers, servers, and prep workers are other essential culinary artists that make special dining experiences possible.
The Importance of Education in the Culinary Arts
A formal culinary arts education is designed to prepare students for the realities of a working kitchen. Through these programs, students learn the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to a successful eatery.
- Food safety procedures are a vital part of every food worker’s job. A culinary education includes instruction on cooling, temperatures, and hygiene that ensures your future customers are always protected from food-borne illnesses.
- The action in a working kitchen can be lightning fast. No one has time to instruct newbies on knife, cooking, and plating techniques. All of these essentials are taught in culinary education classes.
- Your best recipe is no good without the right ingredients. A culinary education shows students how to select the best ingredients within their budget.
Formal education in the culinary arts could teach you everything you need to know to become part of an excellent dining team.
The Benefits of an Education in the Culinary Arts
Beyond preparing you to do a job, getting a formal culinary arts education has many benefits for job seekers.
- Do you know you love food but aren’t exactly sure what you want to do? Go to culinary school! You’ll be exposed to a variety of different job duties and techniques. That experience can help you decide what it is you actually want to do.
- Your love of home cooking probably isn’t enough to get a job as a chef. Self-taught cooks are often limited in their abilities. This could be from lack of exposure to different kinds of cuisines, a palate limited by local supply, or misinformation from untrustworthy sources. Going to culinary school expands our knowledge of flavors and combinations, which increases your ability to use them effectively in your own dishes.
- Have you been working as a server or prep worker and want to get your chance to shine on the production lines? Graduating from a formal culinary program shows your employer that you’re serious about your cooking career.
- A diploma from an accredited cooking school validates your knowledge and skills. If you don’t have any practical work experience, a degree could help you secure your first kitchen position.
Are you interested in a culinary arts career? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts, consider ECPI University's Culinary Institute of Virginia. For more information about this exciting opportunity, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Culinary Arts - Associate’s