Is Culinary School Worth It?

This question has become one of the most controversial topics that have been discussed in the entirety of this industry. It's nothing gut-wrenching, but it's important to address.

Colleges, mainly tech schools, will do everything in their power to make the program as visually appealing as possible. Some offer direct enrollment; schools like The Culinary Institute of America, or famously known as CIA (scary right?) have an acceptance rate of 98%, which is pretty great if you ask me.

However, there's a catch to this as well. These private schools are much more expensive than your next state school. The Culinary Institute of America alone charges $18,230 per semester: that's including room tuition, boarding, and textbooks.

Let's do some math for a bit, shall we? Even though I'm terrible at math. The average culinary student goes to gain their Associates of Science in Culinary Arts, and that normally takes up to two years.

So, if you take $18,230 per semester and multiply it by 4 semesters, then that comes to a total of $72,920. Linger on that for a minute, it's a pretty scary number, isn't it? Let's not forget that most kitchen jobs don't pay very well, but we'll talk about that another time.

Don't let that number scare you, though. What's that saying that most people always quote?

"If you're passionate about something, then pursue it."

I know, it's cheesy, gave me the chills just writing it. But going to culinary school has its advantages, maybe more than you think.

When I attended culinary school, it was a crucial time for me to build up my own intellect of how a kitchen operates and learn the fundamentals of cooking. I went in with no knowledge of food or knowing how to cook, after two years and having finally graduated I can say with confidence, that I know too much...

Culinary school was an amazing experience, aside from indulging myself with the food that I created (and gaining weight); making connections with my peers and people outside of the country was another benefit to this industry.

If you've read my other blog, "Fettuccine Alfredo (The Italian-American)," I talked a little bit about my experience in Italy. And friends, I'll say it once and I'll say it again, please take a trip to Italy, you'll thank me later. It was because of the culinary program that I received the opportunity to travel outside of the country. I don't think I would've gone had it not been for this program.

But let's look at things from this perspective, too.

Most people don't have the opportunity or finances to attend culinary school and go straight into the working force. Which is completely fine, and if I'm being honest, a smart route to take. You'll make money quicker and understand the operations of the kitchen much better.

However, the learning curve of working in an actual kitchen compared to culinary school is different. Instructors are much more lenient on students since it's a complete learning facility. Whereas Chefs in a restaurant can be lenient on the first day but expect you to learn as you go. And trust me, things can get pretty harsh on the second day, which makes it so much more difficult for the next line cook to learn anything. That probably explains why the turnover rate for most restaurants is so high.

So, if you are serious about this field of work, then I'd recommend going to culinary school. You'll be able to build up your credentials; some restaurants might pay you a bit more since you have the degree. And build a network with other chefs or restaurant owners from all around, you never know who you'll run into.