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So I'm looking for a little bit of career advice from anyone who has worked in culinary arts before. When First I graduated the plan was to get a degree for teaching literature because I have a passion for literature. However, teaching jobs in the US are pretty sparse except in a few locations where I really have no interest in living, and coupled with family problems I had to stay home from school despite generous scholarships to some pretty good schools.
While staying at home to support my family, I ended up working in a few resturants/bars as a cook. I really took to the work, and I enjoy the challenge/physical aspect and I actually really love cooking and meeting a schedule. As a result, I have decided to pursue culinary arts because I have lost my scholarships due to inactivity.
Now, While I have a passion for cooking and have a great work ethic, I don't know where to start. I know that a lot of people go to culinary school, but, some don't and work under a chef and work their way up. I'm 23 at the moment, and my career goals at this point are to reach a sous chef position by the age of 30 (just throwing a number out there, I don't know if this is undershooting or overshooting, I will adjust based on experience).
So far, the questions I have are...
What are the advantages of both culinary school and skipping culinary school to go right into first hand experience?
What should be my first steps into starting my career? I currently have a managerial type position at a very comfortable job at a small bar, but there really isn't any chance of advancement in my skills/experience at this point. How do I know when the time is to pull the plug and find something else, and where to look?
How do I know when a restaurant is worth my time (i.e. will help me further my skills/experience and help in my career) or if it's just a dead end job?
I can't think of anything else, but anything you might be able to throw in would be great.
Thanks.
 
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I don't know much about culinary school but I recommend reading Kitchen Confidential 
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I'd like to preface this by saying that I do not and have never worked in the Culinary Arts world, however I'd like to think that I have some understanding of how people function (being a person myself).
The simplest way to acquire skills is through practice, culinary arts is one part science, one part knowledge, and one part execution. Practice will allow you to learn to execute things very well, and over time you will accrue the knowledge necessary, and as you do both, you will start to understand some of the science behind it. If you go to school, they'll teach you the science, give you the recipes, and instruct you on how to execute. As far as value to an employer goes, experience is more valuable than a title, so if you can gain the same skills as going to school by working for the same period of time as it would take to get a degree, then there is no reason to go to school. However, if you're unable to find an apprenticeship time job then going to school is probably a reasonable option.
I have been lucky to find jobs that allow me to learn as I go, where I can add more skills to my resume after each job I take, and the people I've worked with have had similar experiences. The current job is at a startup, they hired me because they liked my personality and our values aligned, and I had some of the skillset they needed and was very eager to learn more. I also had references from previous employers as proof I could learn well on the job. I started doing pretty basic and boring front-end web development and bug fixes, just writing html. Now, a mere 6 months later, I'm developing new features on the back-end, integrating with other services, and interviewing new engineer candidates.
Culinary arts and startups have a good bit of overlap, new restaurants and bars are constantly popping up, if you can find yourself a job in that environment you'll be in a good spot to be able to learn on the job, and accelerate the advancement of your career.
Knowing what area you're limited to would also help. If you're in a city that has lots of good food and a thriving startup community (e.g. San Francisco) then finding a job that meets your needs is probably easier, whereas if you're in the middle of nowhere school is probably the better option.
Good luck!
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I'm working as a culinary chef in the northern Sweden in the winters, where I have a lower position as a chef de partie.
In the summers I work at another place where I'm gonna work as sous chef this coming summer, and Im 21 years old.
I wen't to culinary school mainly because it is pretty much a must in Sweden and it also gave me a good opportunity to do trainee work in Luxemburg(when I was 18), in a restaurant with 1 star in the Michelin Guide and with my letter of recommendation from that place I can tell you that it's worth more than any education can ever give you
But culinary school is great to learn the basics... and if you have good teachers (which I didn't have, thats another story xD) then you can learn stuff in a more easy way and without the STRESS of fucking up
If you skip school and go directly to first hand experience, be ready to take a lot of shit ...
Also having passion for food is essential, be ready to work hard, there is months where I have worked 300 hours
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Here, in Estonia, there was a guy who found his passion to be related to culinary arts, and even got a job in that field. Although he was constantly improving, he needed formal education to actually progress in the field, as it was a requirement.
With that in mind, I'd suggest you go to school, as it would probably open more doors for you.
You could also do research on famous chefs and see how they got to the position where they are now.
Good luck!
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A lot of chefs worked their way up from dish-washing and experience from top restaurants like the French Laundry.
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First things first, I would advise you to stage in a kitchen before you quite your current job. (Just a Unpaid day to month of work) to see if you actually want to do it.
I myself Personally didnt go to any college just straight into work. The first place you work its mostly about learning to use a knife correctly, working clean. Depending on the type of kitchen.
the type of kitchen to go into first is idealy a kitchen that makes almost everything fresh, So when you stage/go for an interview as about what they produce fresh, what do they buy in, its all about oppertunity for yourself to learn.
Just remeber be ready to give up on your social life. goodbye to 90% of public holidays, Goodbye to sleep, Enjoy standing for 17 hours a day, enjoy chefs ass! (:D) Its very tough, but very rewarding if your strong enough to keep your head up even when your being smashed by your sous youll be fine Good luck if you decide to persue a career in kitchen!
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in the restaurant industry, experience is everything. like many other careers, having culinary school is an asset on your resume, but not a requirement, as they will most certainly put your knowledge to the test regardless of the fact.
you already have some experience in a kitchen, just translate that into what the above poster says. endless hours of standing and cooking the same thing over and over again, in a very difficult, stressful, and fast paced environment.
i love cooking but i could never be in the restaurant industry because of that.
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