Media Lucky Peach #3

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I think any chef in a position where people will listen to them owes everybody the favour of trying to push them away from joining this career choice. Much like Bourdain did in his famous book.

I was just thinking that shankster writes with a very similar voice to Bourdane.
 
welcome mitbud. I just picked up this issue yesterday. I was surprised it was even here. I have only read a few articles, and am liking most of what I am reading.
 
1am I'm out early tonight!!! Only a 16 hr work day!!! Going to sleep got to get up for work in 5 hours ..
 
Question: Do you need to go to culinary school and study full time to get qualified in America? Or do you have a subsidised "apprenticeship" type programme?

For example, in Australia you can study full time for a year, which I think is roughly $10k depending where you go, for a Cert III in commercial cookery (and the impression I've got so far is that most head chefs are dubious of anyone who's gone down that road). Alternatively you can sign up as an apprentice with an employer, work with them full time and do 1 day a week at school over 3 years, the cost is subsidised by the Australian government and on a sliding scale depending on a factor of things; this is what I'm doing now and the cost is roughly $600 a year, so $1800 all up. The only down side is the pay is **** (by Australian standards).
 
Ah..the glamorous life of a Chef..long hours,little sleep and back at it the next day..Who wouldn't want to do this for a living??
 
Question: Do you need to go to culinary school and study full time to get qualified in America? Or do you have a subsidised "apprenticeship" type programme?

For example, in Australia you can study full time for a year, which I think is roughly $10k depending where you go, for a Cert III in commercial cookery (and the impression I've got so far is that most head chefs are dubious of anyone who's gone down that road). Alternatively you can sign up as an apprentice with an employer, work with them full time and do 1 day a week at school over 3 years, the cost is subsidised by the Australian government and on a sliding scale depending on a factor of things; this is what I'm doing now and the cost is roughly $600 a year, so $1800 all up. The only down side is the pay is **** (by Australian standards).

I'm going the opposite route from you by choosing to go for a cert IV and a degree. For me it's 80% for the management side of things that I'm going to school for. Alot of the kids around me have no interest in what they are doing and generally don't give a ****. I go to school 3 days a week, paid work for 2 days, volunteer for 1 day and still manage to finish my assignments, show up for school on time, with a clean and pressed uniform. Some people are complaining that they do not have time even when they don't work or volunteer.. They take it for granted that once you get the cert, you will get a job, which IMHO is bull..

Ok rant over.. Sorry for that :p
 
This magazine is great. Should you go to culinary school? Sure, enjoy paying off those student loans while making $8.50 an hour.
The fact that you went to school for 2 years does not make you a chef. Don't argue with me and tell me "Master Chef insructor ToqueTron taught me to do it this way, so this is how I'm gonna do it!" NO! you are going to do it the way I told you to because you work for me. Now shut up and go roll some phyllos!!!
The little bit of knowledge that a lot of culinary schools teach can be a dangerous thing. It's just enough to make you think you know what you're doing.
School can't make you care. School doesn't teach work ethic.
They should have couses like: Culinary Alcoholism-Your Liver and You
The humpback chef
Chafed Balls
I wish I had a life, etc. etc. etc.
This life is NOT glamorous. The pay sucks. Run away. Don't go to school. Mom and dad would be more proud if you went to Clown College.
Still, at the end of the day, I love what I do.
I may not love my job.
But I love what I do.
 
I don't think there's anything wrong with going down the full-time study route, especially so for management purposes; I'll probably look into it myself once I've been in the industry for longer. I'd be confident in saying that most employers are looking for a work ethic first and everything else second; so if you've got it, you're sorted. But like you said, unfortunately there are a lot of folk who just want the cert so they can get a job which pays and it doesn't quite work out the way they expect. You've obviously got the work ethic and getting the experience as well as studying, but I'm sure you'd agree there's a lot of folk out there expecting to get their 40-45k salary straight out of 1 years study for their cert III before they've even had to scrub dishes for a night.

Having said all that, I can't really complain. I think the industry in general is broken on a global scale by what's considered "the norm", but all things considered, it's still pretty ***** good in Australia. When I read posts or articles from chefs and students in America (and probably anywhere else for that fact) it sounds a lot harder than it is here. Hats off to all you :thumbsup:
 
I never went to school for cooking. I got a job at Denny's as a line cook. I knew sh@# about cooking on the line. The gm liked my attitude, then off I went. The biggest break I got was after working at a few restaurants I worked under a chef that encouraged learning and he had ton's of cook books that explained what technique should be use when. Not to long after I was given a talk to about cooking better than my co workers. I at that time had no idea what he meant by it. Had to learn then that not everyone wants to put out the best dish, just make the slop. I have worked with more stoodents than with good ones that want to learn. Most show up with a attitude of I am better than you, when they have no idea what the are doing.

My point is that it doesn't matter were you get the education it's what you do with it. If you are still learning even after you leave the "Institutes" you will be very good at what you do. Oh ya learn to be quick and fast too.
 
anytime :D now there will come 4 more when they are released.
 
They keep on saying they are coming out with an iPad version, so I have held off buying the last two now.
 

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