Choosing a Cooking Career

Because you love to cook, you have decided to make cooking your career. However, before you start your cooking career, you need to know a few things: what cooking career you want, whom you want to work for, when you need to begin your cooking career, how much time and money can you invest in your education, and where you will go for that education.

I began cooking in restaurants at the age of 15, and for a long time I considered a cooking career for myself. During that time, I began to study and research all sorts of cooking careers. However, my asthma got worse, and this prevented me from pursuing a cooking career. I did learn a lot about cooking and choosing a cooking career, though. Therefore, I will use cooking expertise (over five years) to help you answer all five of the questions above so that you can get started on your cooking career.

What cooking career is right for you? The answer is totally up to you, but I can be of some guidance by telling you some of the cooking careers available. One cooking career available is a chef. A cooking career as a chef will require long hours and more education, but a chef can earn up to 60K a year or more, depending on the job location, establishment and type of chef.

Maybe you prefer something a little easier. No problem, you could also study to become a caterer, instructor, personal cook or short-order cook. The salary may not be 60K or more per year, but the job responsibilities are less demanding.

Another thing you need to consider before making a decision on the cooking career you feel is right for you is for whom you want to work. If you want to be your own boss, then you could become a personal cook or chef. A personal cook or chef usually works for clients he or she finds on his or her own. You can find clients by running an advertisement in your local paper and hanging up flyers in your community. Would you rather work for an employer? There are many employers to choose from. For example, you could work for a restaurant, motel, bakery, school, a company who handles commercial baked goods or a corporate office of restaurant chains (to create and test new products). There are many other employers out there; these are only a select few.

Once you have chosen your cooking career and decided for whom you want to work (yourself or an employer), your next step is to determine when you want to start your cooking career. If you're going to need money for your education, you may want to go ahead and find a cooking career to help put you through school. You can start small and work your way up the ladder. Starting small means you may have to settle for a short-order cook job first.

Are you ready for your education? All right then, how much time and money do you have to invest, and what classes do you need to pursue? These factors are something to think about before you decide solely on a cooking career. For a cooking career as a chef, you may need to take some courses in restaurant management, food preparation, professional cooking, professional baking and pastry, culinary arts, food and beverage management, culinary management, controlling costs, menu design, food history, and business courses. There are many other courses, but each course will depend on the type of chef (pastry, executive, personal, etc.) you want to be. You can always check with the college of your choice to see what their recommendations are.

Is your cooking career choice to become a caterer? Some caterer courses you may need are professional catering, professional cookery and food service, bakery and patisserie, hospitality supervision, hospitality management, food hygiene, health and safety, nutrition and healthy eating, food preparation and services, and other courses.

Don't forget, before choosing the courses you wish to take, decide how much time you have to invest then find out how long each course will last. In addition, you need to sit down and figure a budget so you will know how much you can afford to spend on your education. If you need financial help, many colleges and universities offer grants and financial aid programs.

Finally, where do you want to study? If you wish to stay close to home, you can check with your local colleges and/or universities to see if they offer the courses you need to take. In case you can't find the courses you need in your local area, and if you are serious about your cooking career, then you may have to travel away from home to get the education you need. Some top culinary schools to take into account are The French Culinary Institute in New York City, The Art Institutes (various locations), Le Cordon Bleu Schools (13 locations throughout the United States), Westwood College in Denver, Colo., Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, and the Culinary Institute of Virginia in Norfolk, Virginia. No matter what cooking career you decide to go with or where you decide to study, have fun and best wishes!