Archive for the 'culinary careers' Category

Cooking may seem like a monotonous chore involving a small amount of skill to get through with daily living. In today’s society, most people look for the fastest way to prepare ordinary dishes. A simple cookbook or family recipe introduces a little variety, but it rarely gets beyond cooking basics. When people specialize in food preparation, it becomes a work of art that aims for salivary satisfaction. Many people refer to this type of cooking as the culinary arts.

The culinary arts encompass a wide array of fields that have to do with food preparation and other duties related to cooking. Chefs and cooks specialize in the culinary arts, with many who can do more than create the occasional good meal. In fact, most have learned how to plan meals, menus, and manage kitchens. Chefs and cooks receive their training either in restaurants or culinary schools. Chefs can eventually take on greater responsibilities with enough experience, such as ordering inventory, staffing cooking stations, and fulfilling orders.

The History of the Culinary Arts

Before the creation of culinary schools, professional cooks acted as the teachers for apprentices who wanted to learn the tricks of the trade. The Boston Cooking School became the first culinary arts school to teach formal instruction in a classroom setting. Fannie Farmer, an American culinary expert, attended the school as a student before becoming the instructor and principal of the school in 1877. In 1896, Farmer published the Boston Cooking School Cookbook, a textbook that introduced the importance of using exact measurements while cooking. Her published material laid the groundwork for culinary instructional material.

In 1929, the American Culinary Federation formed as an intermediary for students seeking education and training in the culinary arts. The founding of the federation also led to the assemblage of the United States Chef Club. The American Culinary Federation continues to assist students in leading their educational path through apprenticeships and certifications. A surge of students became interested in the culinary arts after the post-war era due to a booming economy. This led to the widespread availability of culinary arts instruction to massive audiences.

In 1946, James Beard shifted his focus to the television screen to reach his audience. A handful of brick-and-mortar schools emerged from this point onward. For instance, Yale University opened the New Haven Restaurant Institute, also known as the Culinary Institute of America, in 1946. The school relocated to Hyde Park, New York and opened an additional campus in California. In 1973, Johnson and Wales University opened its College of Culinary Arts. In 1976, the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute coordinated apprenticeships with the aid of a government grant. It continues to assist culinary students with the opportunity to learn the trade with paid on-the-job training. Today, a host of educational opportunities exist for students looking to gain the necessary experience to work competently in the field.

Culinary Education and Training

The majority of chefs and cooks learn their skills while on the job. Others have chosen a formal path of education and training at a culinary arts school, community college, technical school, or four-year university. A few have learned through apprenticeship programs or the armed forces. Culinary programs at any of these educational institutions allow students to practice their cooking skills under supervised instruction. Culinary programs cover all aspects of working in the kitchen, including menu planning, food sanitation, purchasing inventory, and staffing cooking stations. Most culinary programs require students to gain experience through an internship or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship programs offered by professional culinary institutes, trade unions and industry associations provide paid on-the-job training for students looking to hone their skills. The majority of apprenticeship programs last about two years. Students enrolled in an apprenticeship program learn in a classroom setting and work environment. The American Culinary Federation accredits more than two hundred training programs and sponsors apprenticeships across the nation. Some students have chosen mentorship programs that work similar to apprenticeships, except they work under the direct supervision of experienced chefs. In addition, members of the armed forces who served as chefs or cooks often receive formal training while enrolled. Students who learn in restaurant settings without formal training can obtain certifications to prove their competency in the field.

Prospective students need to possess certain qualities before pursuing the culinary arts. While formal training instills and reinforces these qualities, students must possess the tenacity to continue with it in the workforce. The culinary arts involve more than having good cooking skills. It requires having good business skills, time management skills, leadership skills, manual dexterity, and creativity. A keen sense of smell also ranks high as a necessary skill to becoming a competent chef or cook. Chefs and cooks who show a high level of competency in their field may have plenty of opportunities presented to them for advancement in the field.

One of the most rewarding ways to work is by turning something you already enjoy into a career. For many people, cooking translates to a career path in the culinary arts. This field involves cooking or working with food in many different ways. While people may initially start out by studying a broad-based course, they can later focus on a more specialized field. Culinary school graduates typically find themselves working in a wide variety of jobs, including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and even the military. Read on to discover more about this extremely practical and hands-on career path.

Culinary Schools

There are many culinary schools around the globe, but only a few have gained a prestigious status, akin to the Harvards and Princetons in our world. Some of the most famous ones include Paris’ renowned Le Cordon Bleu, and the Culinary Institute of America. At a culinary school, students can expect to study theoretical courses as well as practical classes in a real kitchen environment. When considering culinary schools in the United States a key factor is ACF accreditation. This accreditation is granted by the American Culinary Federation, a professional group that oversees culinary education all across North America. It is not necessarily true that students have to pay skyhigh fees to obtain a culinary degree. There are several ACF accredited community colleges with lower fee rates that are also able to offer a strong education. Apart from the main tuition, students should also consider the additional costs of uniforms, books, cooking supplies, and their room and board. It is a wise idea for potential students to tour the school and its facilities before accepting any offers. In particular, take note of the facilities and the ratio of students to professors. Students who already have an idea of the culinary field that they wish to specialize in should find out whether the school offers related courses or a degree. Some schools may also have the option of work-study programs, thus allowing students to gain real world experience and potential employer contacts while still in school.

• Culinary Degrees – Learn all about deciding whether to attend a culinary school, finding an appropriate one, and applying to it.
• Culinary Schools – Use an interactive map to locate culinary schools and programs in every state in the country.

Culinary Careers

Many students enter culinary schools with hopes of simply becoming a chef, however there is a wide range of other related careers that they can also pursue as an alternative since it can be somewhat difficult to obtain a well-paying job as a chef. In 2008, chef and cook positions numbered approximately a million in the United States. Keep in mind that popular television cooking shows can be rather misleading. Many culinary students feel discouraged when they view small, cramped kitchen conditions that many restaurants tend to have. Several chefs who do create a highly successful career for themselves do so by opening their own restaurants, which allows them to create their own vision in terms of cooking, as opposed to adhering to another person’s menu. Some other examples of the paths that culinary graduates follow include food science technicians, dieticians, hotel line cooks, nutrition consultants, sous chefs, bakers, demonstration chefs, culinary educators, food researchers, restaurant managers, test kitchen chefs, and much more. Apart from cooking, a typical day for a chef usually also involves creating recipes and menus, food preparation, delegating work to sous chefs and assistants, training staff, and ordering supplies.

A common experience for graduates is to work in a certain job and gain further skills and knowledge through on-the-job experience. Many culinary careers do require a degree or equivalent certification in culinary arts, as well as a certain amount of job experience. For example, an executive chef for an upscale establishment would normally be required to have several years of work experience as well as a formal education. Some careers, such as pastry chefs and culinary educators may also require the candidate to have ACF certification. Younger students need not feel overwhelmed by the breadth of experience that many older chefs seem to have. In fact, around twenty percent of kitchen staff in the United States are in their late teens.

• Chefs and Head Cooks – View a detailed job outlook for chefs and head cooks, including average salaries, education requirements, work experience, and job availability.
• Culinary Related Careers – Read more about working as a cook, a pastry chef, or in restaurants, along with some helpful tips about the types of skills and experience that are needed.

Many people would be surprised to discover that some types of fats are actually a nutrient and are good for the body. Referred to as lipids, fats can be either solid or liquid depending on the type. They are compounds that are made up of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen, and are found in animal tissue and plants. On their own, fats are not bad for the body, in fact they are necessary. There are, however, problems with certain kinds of fat. When a person eats too much of the wrong types of fat they can develop health problems such as increased cholesterol, type II diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. Understanding fat will help people understand how it can be both beneficial and problematic. As a result, it will also help people to make healthier choices in their food choices.

Fats are a necessary nutrient that the body needs. It is crucial in helping the body function as it should. One of the reasons why fats are important is that they are an efficient source of energy for body. It also helps the body absorb important vitamins, such as Vitamins A, D, and E. Fats are important for brain function and healthy cells. Organs in the body are protected by fat, which acts as a protective cushion. Skin also benefits from fat which gives it a healthier appearance and helps it to better insulate the body.

When discussing fats, there are different types to be aware of. This includes the fat that the human body makes as a result of consuming too many calories and dietary fats. Dietary fats may be broken down into two groups – fats that are harmful and fats that are healthy. There are two types of harmful fats, which are saturated fats and trans fats. Both come from animal-based foods and are often solids. With saturated fats, there is the increased risk of elevated blood and LDL cholesterol levels. While it raises what is called your bad cholesterol levels, it lowers your “good” cholesterol levels. Consumption of saturated fats may lead to type II diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Unlike saturated fats, a majority of trans fats are created. This is done during a process that makes liquid oils more solid by adding hydrogen. This type of fat may elevate a person’s risk of heart disease. Trans fats are often labeled as partially hydrogenated oils. Fried foods are an example of trans fats and also saturated fats. Butter, fatty beef, whole milk, and pork also contain saturated fats.

The second group is healthy fats, which includes monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Foods containing monounsaturated fats have a number of potential health benefits, such as helping to control blood sugar, improving blood cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease. Avocados, peanut butter, and oils, such as olive oil and sunflower oil, contain this type of fat. Plant-based foods are the primary source of polyunsaturated fats. Eating foods that contain this type of fat may improve one’s blood cholesterol, reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and lower blood pressure. Vegetable oils are a source of polyunsaturated fats as are fish that are high in fats, such as mackerel, trout, or salmon. Omega – 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. Healthy fats are often liquid when at room temperature, but solidify at cooler temperatures.

Fats are relatively high in calories and should be used in moderation. This includes the healthy fats. Despite their benefits, they contain the same amount of calories as unhealthy fats. Across the board, every fat gram has nine calories. The overconsumption of calories leads to a build-up of body fat, which may lead to obesity, type II diabetes, or other health problems.

Healthy fats should be included as a part of a healthy diet; however, due to the number of calories per gram, people should be aware of exactly how much is in their daily diet. Less than 30 percent of one’s daily calories should come from fat, with less than ten percent from saturated fats, ten percent or less from polyunsaturated fats, and between ten and fifteen percent from monounsaturated fats. Diets should consist of fish, lean meats and poultry, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Dairy products should be fat-free or low-fat. When reading labels in grocery store, caution should be used when labels read “0 Trans Fats” or if there is a claim that the food is “Trans fat-free.” Often these food items will be high in saturated fats and are not as healthy as the label implies.

Fats are a necessary nutrient that provides numerous benefits to the human body. The key to healthfully including fats in one’s diet is to understand what is both good and bad about them. This includes knowing which fats to avoid and which fats are actually healthy. Even healthy fats, however, should be included with care in one’s diet.

For low-fat recipes, please see the following links.

• Almost Fat-Free Cornbread
• Mayo Clinic: Ginger Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
• Good Housekeeping: Healthy Makeover – Green Bean Casserole
• Better Homes and Gardens: Red Beans and Rice Burger

“It is better to build healthy children than repair unhealthy adults.” ~ Anonymous

In the United States there are approximately sixteen to thirty-three percent of teenagers and children who are considered to be obese. Obesity is easy to diagnose but it can be very difficult to treat. Lack of exercise and poor diet cause more than 300,000 fatalities every year. Unless children and teenagers are made aware of living an unhealthy lifestyle, they will grow to become overweight, unhealthy adults. With proper education and support from parents, today’s kids can live long, healthy, happy lives.

Statistics

In order to be considered obese the child’s weight is 10 percent more than the body type and height recommended by a doctor. Obesity typically occurs between five and six years-old. Those in their pre-teen years who are considered obese have a high chance of being obese adults. Hospital costs associated with obese children were an estimated $127 million from 1997 to 1999.

• Statistics of 2007/08 Obese Children – This website uses charts to show the obesity rate of children in the United States.
• Obesity Rates Climbing – This is a great article discussing the future of obesity in the United States.
• Understanding Obesity – This PDF article provides an explanation of how obesity statistics are measured.
• American Women – This article discusses how race plays a role in obesity in women in America.
• Obesity – This article discusses obesity and the impact it has on children.

Obesity from Disease

Cultural, biological, genetic, and behavioral factors all play a role in childhood obesity. If one parent is obese there is 50 percent higher chance that the child will be as well. If both parents are obese the child has an 80 percent higher chance. Side effects of some psychiatric medications or steroids, as well as certain diseases may also lead to obesity. These diseases include hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome.

• Etiologies of Obesity – This is a great article discussing the many different factors that can play a role in obesity.
• Causes of Obesity – This PDF article discusses the causes and effects of obesity.
• Obesity Causing Diseases – This article provides a brief description of obesity causing diseases such as hypoglycemia, Cushing’s disease, and hypothyroidism.
• Stress Induced Obesity – This article discusses cortisol and the harmful effects of stress-induced obesity.
• Prader-Willi Syndrome – This PDF pamphlet discusses how Prader-Willi Syndrome can lead to childhood obesity.

Obesity Causing Disease

Being overweight can lead to many complications and risks. There is a higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and respiratory problems. Weight issues in teenagers and children can also lead to emotional problems. They tend to be unpopular with other classmates and have low self-esteem. Obesity can lead to disorders such as anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression.

• Liver Disease – This article discusses how obesity can lead to liver disease.
• Obesity and Diabetes – This article discusses the relationship between diabetes and obesity.
• Cardiovascular Disease – This link provides more information as to how being overweight can lead to heart-related issues.
• Depression – This link provides more information as to how obesity can lead to depression.

Get Active

Obesity is something that needs to be addressed for health and safety. A pediatrician or physician will need to do a medical evaluation in order to determine the physical causes. They may also recommend the child to see a nutritionist to learn healthier eating habits. A key factor to losing weight is through proper eating and being physically active. It is important to get outside and move for at least one hour a day. Participating in sports, riding bikes, or going for a long walk with friends and family is a great way to get moving while having fun.

• Recreational Activities – This article offers ideas for recreational activities to help get active.
• How to Be Active – Here you can find tips and advice on how to be more active.
• The Teen Years – This PDF document provides more information on exercise and nutrition through the teen years.
• Maximize Your Potential – This PDF document provides exercise tips to help people reach their maximum potential.
• Exercise Tips – This document provides general exercise tips.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition will not only help with weight loss, but it’s better for you in every aspect of being healthy. Try to avoid fast food, junk food, and keep snacking at a minimum. Keeping portion sizes smaller will help you eat fewer calories. Do not eat while watching television or playing on the computer and instead, eat with family at the dinner table. When you see results from all of the hard work, reward yourself with a new outfit instead of with an unhealthy treat. For some, battling weight can be a struggle but by starting when you’re young and sticking to it, children can learn to be and stay healthy for life.

• Food and Nutrition Information Center – The Food and Nutrition Information Center provides everything you need to know about food and nutrition.
• Fruits and Vegetables – Here you can find the amount of servings of fruits and vegetables needed each day, tips, and recipes.
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention – The Center for Disease Control and Prevention website offers many various articles on health and nutrition.
• Nutrition.gov – This website has a lot of valuable tools and information to help everyone live a healthier lifestyle.
• Labeling and Nutrition – This website provides information on everything regarding the nutritional labels on food packaging.

For Parents

A lot of times children learn the behaviors of their parents. If the parent is living an unhealthy lifestyle, the child will likely follow. Parents can help by changing the way they eat, getting outside more, and encourage their children to do the same. Offer to go on bike rides, long walks, play a game of tennis, throw around the football, or anything that you and the child can do together as a way to get moving. Encouragement and reward go a long way and by teaching children a healthier way of living, you’re giving yourself and them the keys to a long, happy life.

• Being an Advocate – This pamphlet helps parents and grandparents learn how to advocate a healthier lifestyle for their children and grandchildren.
• Eating Healthy and Exercising – This article goes more in-depth on the topic of childhood obesity as well as providing some general prevention tips.
• Guide to Healthy Kids – This pamphlet educates adults in recognizing when their child is overweight and provides tips to make lifestyle improvements.
• Making Food Healthy and Safe for Children – Here parents can learn about safe foods to eat, how to keep foods safe, and how to meet nutritional needs for children.
• KidsHealth.org – This is a great website for parents to learn more about nutrition for their kids. There is a BMI calculator tool, a question and answer section, as well as great recipes.

When you debate about which restaurant to visit, you probably go through a laundry list of food choices that features cuisines from around the world. Do you want pizza or burgers? Curry or sushi? A sandwich or a burrito? Buffet, fast food, or a sit-down restaurant? And while there are certainly a wide variety of options for eating out, the landscape of modern dining has been undergoing a healthy renovation right under your very nose. With the government looking to polish up its tarnished image by demanding healthier fare in schools, overhauling the food pyramid, and outlawing trans fats, several new types of foods and diets have emerged as hallmarks to a generation that is tossing the chips and sodas in favor of foods that are generally more nutritious and sometimes bizarrely alternative.

1. Organics. You’ve probably seen organic foods in the grocery store or heard that they are “healthier” than the items you normally buy. These claims may or may not be true, but here are the facts. Organic produce differentiates itself in the following ways: fruits and vegetables are grown without any chemicals, which means no pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, or harmful fertilizers will touch them, while meats are humanely raised, fed organic grain, and given no hormone injections or antibiotics. This basically equates to a complete removal of chemicals from your foods, which is probably a healthy choice in the long run.

2. Flexitarian. This unique and rapidly spreading diet is mostly vegetarian. It allows consumers the freedom to eat meat occasionally (lean meats like chicken and fish are recommended, although red meats that are high in protein and iron can be consumed up to twice a week), while ingesting a predominantly vegetarian diet.

3. Macrobiotics. This is a big word for a no-meat diet. But it differs from the standard vegetarian or vegan diet in that it relies heavily on brown rice and whole grains, while limiting the intake of fruits and vegetables to certain items that must be eaten in soup form. Additionally, animal products (eggs, dairy) are discouraged, along with items that are high in fat, and strangely, cold foods.

4. Raw foods. Just the opposite of macrobiotics, this diet demands that food be prepared without cooking. Acceptable items include fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, grains, and the like, none of which can be heated to above 116 degrees Fahrenheit at the risk of destroying enzymes that aid in digestion and absorption, or the “life force” of the food.

5. Instinctive eating. This fringe diet (sometimes referred to as Instincto) also requires that foods be raw, but unlike the raw-food diet, it allows for the consumption of animal products. That’s right, you can eat eggs, meat, insects, pretty much whatever you want as you want it…provided it’s raw. The other part of the diet is a bit strange, especially in a culture where the norm is to plan out meals. People who choose this diet are encouraged to eat what they desire at any given moment, and this is determined by smelling (or when acceptable, tasting) the foods on hand. Plus, foods can’t be mixed, spiced, or anything of the sort. They are literally eaten as is.

1. Mario Batali. There are several interesting things to know about the career of this famous chef. For starters, he never completed culinary school (he began at Le Cordon Bleu in London, but dropped out). Then there’s the fact that he somehow snagged an apprenticeship with famed London chef Marco Pierre White, only to disappear for three years to train in a small Italian village before returning to the U.S. Finally, there’s his stewardship of not one, but several highly-rated and award-winning restaurants (not the least of which is New York standard Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca) that rely not on flashy gimmicks and quirky fusion trends to draw a crowd, but rather on hospitality and the simplicity of exquisite flavors to ensure return customers. His career has not been traditional by any means, which only goes to show that many paths may lead to success in the world of culinary mastery.

2. Gordon Ramsey. This chef may be best known for his notorious temper and his intolerance for sluggish, sloppy, or ignorant kitchen help. But before he let it all hang out on Hell’s Kitchen, he made a name for himself by working under some culinary legends (including Marco Pierre White, Guy Savoy, and Joel Robuchon) before he became the head chef of Aubergine, a highly recognized and successful restaurant. From there he became a household name after publishing books, opening more restaurants, and demonically training would-be chefs on one of several TV shows. While his demeanor is nothing to aspire to, there is a lot to be said for his dedication to perfection and his dogged desire to be the best at what he does.

3. Rachel Ray. This petite chef’s claim to fame is her simple techniques and recipes used to create delicious meals in less than thirty minutes. She has somehow managed to turn an otherwise unassuming concept in cooking into a full-blown career that includes cookbooks, a magazine, product endorsements (Nabisco, Dunkin’ Donuts), and even a syndicated “talk and lifestyle” TV show that centers on her cooking. Being cute and spouting clever catchphrases (“Oh my gravy!”) does not a master chef make, but Rachel Ray has managed to segue her personality into a lucrative career as a professional chef.

4. Bobby Flay. Another person who relies heavily on his loud personality to garner attention, Flay is also a stellar and inventive chef. His strengths lie in southwestern cuisine, but that hasn’t stopped him from competing on such televised challenges as Iron Chef and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay (just two of the seven shows he has been featured on). He also owns ten restaurants. And while he went the traditional route by graduating from the French Culinary Institute, he turned down an opportunity to become an executive chef early in his career because he felt he wasn’t ready. As chefs go, he is one of the few who relied on perseverance and training to build his career from the ground up and become the best chef he could be.

5. Masaharu Morimoto. Although he gained worldwide recognition as the somewhat retiring Iron Chef Japanese on the original Iron Chef (a role he reprised for Iron Chef America) Morimoto traveled widely, worked at and opened several restaurants (from Malibu’s famous Nobu to his own Morimoto in Philadelphia), and turned his innovative spirit and love of fusion cooking into an empire. Not to mention his alliance with Rogue Ales of Newport, Oregon, with whom he has created a line of specialty beers. His career has been one of experimentation and sampling of foods from different cultures. And his subsequently unique creations have made him a standout chef.

You can learn a lot from watching one of the many cooking shows that have become almost ubiquitous on your television viewing schedule. Aside from spicing up the fare that issues from your own kitchen, you can catch a glimpse (albeit a dramatized one) of how a professional kitchen is run. But if you’re interested in becoming a chef of some sort yourself, one thing that very few TV shows will tell you is who does what in a kitchen and how your love of cooking can translate into a career (hey, not everyone can get on a show to become the next top chef!). So read on to discover what your options are when it comes to a career in the culinary arts.

1. Executive/head chef. This position is at the top of the culinary food chain (so to speak). The head chef is in charge of the entire kitchen and everyone in it (from lesser chefs to servers). They set the menu and will often float around the kitchen to ensure that all tasks are being done accordingly and pitch in as needed. While executive chefs are well within their rights to dictate any and all tasks to underlings, they may opt to hand-select ingredients, cook a special item themselves, and even speak to guests as a way to introduce the menu or garner feedback.

2. Sous chef. The right hand of the head chef, people in this position are usually in training to become an executive chef. They are generally required to follow the head chef and take on any tasks he throws their way. They should be prepared to fill in at any station in the kitchen, including that of their boss should he happen to be absent.

3. Baker/pastry chef. A baker need not work in a restaurant setting (although their skills with dough and pastry make them a welcome and necessary addition to most kitchens). Many who choose this profession prefer to own, manage, or work in a strictly bakery setting where they have more control over the foods that are produced.

4. Saucier. The saucier is only common in certain restaurants (originating in French cooking) and is in charge of making all sauces (and sometimes dishes that rely heavily on the sauce). It is a fairly prestigious position as a good saucier can make or break a dish.

5. Commis. This is the lowest position in the kitchen and is generally the starting place for any aspirant chef. The commis does menial tasks like preparation (washing, chopping, etc.), but gains invaluable experience in all areas of the kitchen, from cooking to plating. By learning from others, the commis will be able to eventually move up and take on bigger responsibilities.

6. Sommelier. This is not exactly a cooking position, but is nonetheless important in the grand scheme of the restaurant. The sommelier is not required to handle food, but is instead charged with knowing which wine (or liquor) will best suit any dish as well as catering to the requirements of individual patrons when it comes to libations.

Of course, there are also plenty of positions available that don’t require you to be chained to the hierarchy of a formal kitchen. You may choose to start a catering business, become a personal chef to a family, or even become a dietitian to give advice on healthy consumption and meal planning. But if your dream is to work in some of the top restaurants in the world, even if you have to start at the bottom, you should consider some of the positions listed above as an alternative to throwing the dice by auditioning at the Food Network.