Cooking & Culinary Arts Schools - Culinary Career Options

Today’s chefs enjoy a diverse range of exciting career opportunities in cooking and tourism. The Bureau of Labor statistics predicts the restaurant industry's growth will be 30 per cent over the next two years. For long-term advancement, you will need to start your training in the culinary arts at high school, college or culinary school.

You can undertake short (nine month) vocational programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry or hospitality & restaurant management. They should combine formal instruction with hands-on learning. If you gain employment with the right employer, you might get the opportunity to continue your training in cooking and the culinary arts with a head chef or mentor.

You can also undertake an associate degree program in the culinary arts. Courses should combine a broad range of preparation, cooking and purchasing techniques with kitchen management skills and include a period of internship.

Many culinary schools allow you to augment your associate degree with a bachelor’s degree. Here you can combine more advanced kitchen and culinary arts training with business skills such as decision-making, management and human resources. This will improve your career prospects as a chef, and start you on the road to becoming a head chef.

Whatever path you take in the culinary arts, you should aim to always be learning.