There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that I want a career as a professional chef. I have no illusions that just because I finish my schooling I'll be able to land a dream job doing the style of cooking I love in the perfect restaurant setting. I know I'll have jobs doing things I may not particularly enjoy as I start to accumulate experience in the field. I'm totally fine with that.
But to be honest, right now it feels like this whole process is going to take decades and decades and I'm feeling really, really impatient. I decided years ago, while in high school, that I wanted to go to college. At the time I hadn't decided on anything specific I wanted to study, but I definitely wanted a college degree. There was something important about having that solid degree and knowing nobody could take that away from me.
Don't get me wrong. I've enjoyed most of the courses I've taken so far. I'm doing well academically, even though I have to work really hard for the grades I've gotten. I'm actually proud of myself for taking school seriously and somehow I've managed to make some friends.
But the problem is this. I'm feeling really, really impatient knowing I have to wait several more years before I begin training for my career. Sure, I'm getting experience right now as a waiter in a restaurant and I've been able to get a very, very small amount of "hands on" experience working with the chef there.
So if I stick with college, what should I be doing? Spend all my spare time reading cookbooks? Turn our kitchen at home into some kind of cooking laboratory and use Matty and our friends as guinea pigs? Leave my current job and try to find another one where I can work as a line cook in a roadside diner?
The other option is to drop out of college as soon as I get accepted in a culinary school. Or drop out now before I spend any more money trying to get a degree in history or literature or sociology or analytical chemistry! Something I would have to really s-t-r-e-t-c-h to make it applicable to what I really want to do.
I'm not making any decisions rashly and I'm definitely going to finish this semester no matter what. There's too much at stake here for me to screw things up.
But damn. I really am feeling so impatient! Right now it feels like I'm just treading water so I can some day start doing what I really want to do. But what if I regret not getting a college degree? I want my decision to be the right one and I really want to enjoy the process. So where am I right now? I don't know the right decision and I'm not enjoying the process.
When all is said and done, I want a life I can be proud of. Right now it feels like a goal that's never going to happen. Maybe I'm being too impatient. Maybe I'm being unrealistic. But why do some things in life seem to take so long and are so hard and complicated?
As soon as I get home tonight I need to begin reading for a psychology class I'm taking called Perception and Behavior. To be honest, I'd much rather be reading for a class called, Fundamentals of Classical Cuisine.
I'm sure I'll figure all this out. If I didn't believe that, I'd probably sink into a really dark depression. But damn, it's hard to stay in a good place about all this.
Thanks for reading. Sincerely, Chef Brad
If you were my son? I'd tell you to apply for the best culinary school you can find in your area (since you are obviously not going to move), and until you get in, take as many business courses as you can. Unless you can get a business degree, which could be useful down the road, WAY down the road.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think a college degree is important, I think more what I think is important is a post-secondary education. If you know what you want to do, then you should focus on that. I won't say it's a waste of money to finish college, but if you know what your final goal is, then you should pursue that. You can always go back and finish up a college degree part-time later if you think it's important. I would not however suggest you just drop out and try to find work in a restaurant kitchen, unless making salads for the rest of your life at Olive Garden is your goal. *shudder*
So there is my two cents as a parent of a child who will be heading to university in Sept. However if she said she's rather go to a specialist school (and that's what culinary school is) that would be needed to follow a specific career path, I'd be okay with that.
Hey Brad, we've missed you ( you haven't posted in a while)! I agree with Tam, I think you should apply to some of the great culinary schools in the Boston area and put college on hold. A lot of people start and even finish college with no idea what they want to do. The fact that you know what you want to do is great, so I would suggest saving yourself the time and start learning about what you love, seeing you already know that's the career you want. IMO restaurants will be more impressed with your accomplishments in a Culinary School then in your degree in something you aren't even interested in.
ReplyDeleteDecisions like this are always tough. You definitely have the right idea about taking time to really look at all your options before deciding what's best for you. Take it from me, though, don't wait too long. I was. A second semester junior when I changed my major to what I really wanted my degree in and the next three semesters were a mad scramble to get everything done. Even though my job is not in the field I got my degree in, I was happy in a way those last few semesters that was indescribable. And ten years later I still don't regret my decision.
ReplyDeleteTam's advice is pretty solid too. Business classes couldn't hurt. And if you decide to leave traditional college to pursue culinary school earlier than originally planned, there's nothing wrong with that. Take the time to really figure it out and then go for it with all you've got!
A degree is always a good backup plan. Physically that job is hard on a body. What about Food Sciences? May sound silly but one of my fave romance novels, Just One Taste by Louisa Edwards, is about a bad boy chef & science nerd girl. They worked on the science of why certain foods go together like strawberries & chocolate. Experimenting was so fun lol. I think you mentioned that you like to put your own twist on recipes? And Tam's right about a business background.
ReplyDeleteKnowing what career you want to pursue is half the battle, I think. As Kris says, you’ll be happier studying what interests you the most and what will lead into your chosen career. I think you are wise to look into the possibility of entering culinary school sooner rather than later. However, I wouldn’t drop out, unless you have a culinary course place to go to. Studying anything at an advanced level, and getting good grades, shows the culinary schools you will be applying to that you are the kind of student they want.
ReplyDeleteAnd, if it does turn out that you can’t enter culinary school as soon as you’d like, the experience and knowledge you are gaining in the degree course you are currently doing will not be wasted - it will give you a more rounded background which will be useful as you move through life.
*hugs*
You clearly weigh your decisions carefully. I'm always blown away by your maturity and thoughtfulness.
ReplyDeleteMy advice is that you don't have to do everything at once. I think we get told that we have to make life-altering career decisions when we're young, and those decisions are somehow carved in stone. But that's not necessarily the case. People grow and change and our careers often reflect that evolution. You could pursue your culinary career now since it's obviously your passion. But that doesn't mean that years from now, maybe after you've established your restaurant and gathered a trusted staff, you couldn't return to college. The classes that you've already taken will be there as a foundation, and you could pursue a degree that compliments your work as a chef or something completely unrelated.
I'm not saying that that's the only scenario, of course. You'll know best how you want to proceed. I'm just saying that taking one career path doesn't mean you're automatically cutting yourself off from a second path.
You're in a really exciting stage of life. You've got a good head on your shoulders - you'll make wise decisions. Please keep us posted! :)
Bradley,
ReplyDeleteI am sure there will be plenty of people on here who will encourage you to continue with college. Maybe they'd be right. It's hard for me to say. But I'm not going to tell you that. I'm merely going to say follow your heart. It will take you where you want to go wherever that may be. Whatever you deciide, I have no doubt it will be the right decision for you, and that's what matters. Not what anyone else thinks.
Hi Bradley,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I couldn't agree more with Alder's comments.
Second, I know you will end up doing what feels right for you. This is not a decision you have to make this minute, or even one you need to make on your own; that's one of the wonderful things about having a life partner by your side, to bounce off all your ideas and concerns.
Last, I remember a saying I will paraphrase, 'When you are not sure what to do, do nothing'.
*Hugs* to you anad Matty. :)
Hi Brad,
ReplyDeleteMy first piece of advice would be to speak with a couple people who are working in your ideal job position. Maybe that chef who gave you her business card? You could email her and ask her how she got to be where she is today and if she has any advice to offer. Perhaps she could offer some unique insight that you or others haven't considered.
You could also visit the career center on your college campus and speak to an advisor there.
Even better, contact the admissions person or academic advisor at some culinary schools and ask them what they look for in an ideal candidate.
Does your current school offer a degree in Food & Hospitality? If you think you may want to open your own restaurant one day, that or a degree in Business or Entrepreneurship would be helpful.
Many people end up working in fields unrelated to their college degrees. Getting the diploma seems to be more important than what you actually study. It's a sign that you can follow through with a commitment and excel in an academic area (regardless of what that area is). So no matter what you decide, there will be upside. But people in the culinary business should be able to steer you down the right path.
Brad, I will second (third/fourth?) the suggestion about business classes. Or really anything that may be related to being a chef even if it is not direct cooking. Food science, maybe some chemistry as that is a big part of cooking. Agriculture, gardening type stuff to learn more about food and how it grows. Stuff that might be useful if you are eventually running your own business, developing your own recipes etc. Good luck with everything :-)
ReplyDeleteHow about a compromise? Why not get your 2 year degree in business for when you own your own restaurant? Then go to cooking school? You get your degree to get everyone else happy and then move onto you own
ReplyDeleteDon't underestimate the value of learning, of getting a well-rounded liberal education just for its own sake, not as a vocational stepping-stone. You're only young once and your ability to learn will never be greater than it is now. Once you start working, you might spend the next 40 or 50 years at one job or another. In the grand scheme of things a couple more years improving your mind, widening your horizons, taking advantage of the vast wealth of knowledge and wisdom that every college faculty can provide, should be seen as a great opportunity not as a burden.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know how school works over there so I couldn't give you advice even if I wanted to.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do know is that you are one of those few people who know what they really want to do in life and I think that it's amazing.
Like you said it's not a decision you have to take right away and I'm sure whatever you will decide you will do great because you have a goal in life and you will do everything it takes to reach it.
*hugs to you both*
Hi Brad,
ReplyDeleteTough decision to make! I was going to suggest contacting chefs you admire for advise. Then I saw Madison's comment and she said it much better then I could :)
What you are doing now is very good, collecting information and taking advise. If you have enough info, you let it simmer. Then go with you gut feeling / follow your heart :D
Bottom line is this...you want to be a chef. Why do you need to wait to begin that dream? Besides, if at some point in time you want that college degree, you can go back..there are a lot of people who go back later in life.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a lot of good advice here. Take your time and think about your options. Write down the pros and cons of each option and see where that leads you.
ReplyDeleteHere are some things to think about. Are you going to work for someone else? Do you want to own your own restaurant? What do you need to know to be just a chef versus what do you need to know to be chef that has his own restaurant and are responsible for all the employees and making sure all the bills are paid.
Personally I feel everyone should have some sort of education after high school. It doesn't need to be college but something that you can always fall back on. I have a four year degree but wish I would have continued on and gotten my masters. As much as I want to go back to school the expense and work involved tell me not to do it. (I like the learning but hate papers.)
Isa
Oh, Sweetie, my heart goes out to you. I know how nerve wracking all these decisions are. I agree with Tam. If you know that you really want to be a chef then get applying to culinary schools and in the mean time take courses that will help you run a restrauant. Of course, I'm assuming that ultimately you'd want to open your own restrauant. As for should you be sepnding all your time reading cook books? No, not unless that's what you feel like doing? However, no time like ther present to be feeding those guinea pigs when you feel like cooking. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi I've been following your blog for a while but this will be my first time posting a comment. All the other advice I've seen here is great but I feel like I must tell you that getting a degree and going to culinary school aren't exclusive. I went to culinary school and I have my BA in culinary management and the way you are doing it is best getting your generals out of the way so that when you go to an accredited culinary school you can just focus on your skills classes and upper level degree classes. Also if you want to pursue a regular degree the best to pair with culinary are business or management.
ReplyDeleteBrad,
ReplyDeleteI think the path you are on is the right one. An interest in food, and cooking is one thing. Many aspiring chefs have that, but what you're doing right now, working tables in a restaurant, gives you a working relationship with people. The key element to be successful in most professions is people skills, and you aquire that by interacting with people, not gas ranges and cooking utensiles. Wether you work as a chef and find yourself in charge of a kitchen staff, or own your own restaurant, which would require you to meet with some of your guests/customers, your ability to connect with people will be your most valuable asset. I think you have that. Good luck.
Brad: Maybe vocational training, like a certificate program at a community college will give you the cooking experience that is your passion? Yes, there are professional chef schools you can go to but they are very expensive. With a community college, the cost is not too bad, and most allow you to transfer credits to a 4 year program with state university systems. We have two culinary programs here where I live, and it's good place to start, with practical hands on experience and working with real restaurant and hotel chefs that can provide internships. We also have a tourism school at the state university that prepares you for managing in the hotel and resort environment, so there may be a way to tailor your 4 year degree into something that is your passion.
ReplyDeleteHey B. You have some tough decisions to make. I'm with both Tam and ivie, follow your heart, but until you decide for sure what you want to do some business or food and hospitality classes can't hurt and may help you in the future.
ReplyDeleteYou might try a google search for "Should I get a degree before going to culinary school?" and see what pops up. This link was one of the first few hits, and I definitely think you should read it to get a better idea of what to expect and some questions to ask yourself and the schools. This is a "what I wish someone else had told me about culinary school before I got started" sort of article:
ReplyDeletehttp://voices.yahoo.com/what-know-enroll-culinary-7075.html
Do some research and inform yourself to make the decision, and by then the decision will probably be much easier. =)
Wow! That's a great article, Adara - culinary school warts and all! Very informative.
DeleteI don't have much to add, because other commenters' suggestions have been excellent. But do keep this in mind: being a well-rounded chef means being a well-rounded person. So even if you decide to stay in college and major in, say, hospitality administration or nutritional science, keep on the lookout for other courses that could enhance your background.
ReplyDeleteStudying world cultures, for example, will help acquaint you with international cuisines. Studying American history will give you a better understanding of American cuisine. The right horticulture courses could teach you about the properties of various fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Know what I mean?
If you decide not to stay in a liberal arts college, community colleges and vocational schools usually offer associate degrees in culinary arts. You don't have to attend Le Cordon Bleu (whoa, monumentally expensive!) The rest will be on-the-job experience. If you're committed, and you're good, you'll move up the ladder in no time.
Whichever route you take, Bradley, I just know you're going to make it. You have determination and plenty of moral support. <3
I want to give heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to leave comments giving me some really good things to think about. Many suggestions are things I hadn't even thought about and all your support and encouragement means the world to me. I have a post going up tomorrow that I wrote especially to all of you explaining some further things. Again, thank you so very much.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm late as usual but all the advice you got was great. You are a very intelligent and mature Brad. *hugs*
ReplyDeleteI just had to smile while I was reading this because I, at the age of 42, am trying to come to a decision if I am going to go back to school and finish my degree so I can become a teacher. College is really important, but not only the eduction but the life experience. But it is not the only important life experience. You need to do what makes you happy and follow your heart. There is no one way to achieve your dream - college is one, and yes, it has great value. But only if it is what you want. You seem to have a clear idea of what you want to do with your life - so you set the path. You will do the right thing - you are so wise beyond your years. Remember that you can achieve anything, Brad, and you can achieve success your own terms and define what that means for you. *hugs*
ReplyDelete