Research is a Recipe for Success at a Professional Cooking School

by Genevieve Blaber

You may know that a professional cooking school is in your future, but do you know how to get there? We spoke to Chef Kirk Bachmann, executive chef and vice president of education at Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America (LCBNA), for tips on what to look out for, and what to expect, as you research and consider which culinary school to attend.

The Three R's : Research, Research, and Research "It's important for an individual to have an idea of what they're going to do," says Bachmann. "A business degree is not necessarily a hospitality degree."

What this means? As in any profession, studying the wrong things can eat up time, and cost you the qualifications necessary for the career you want. Before you start applying, start scoping out the restaurants and hotels in your vicinity to see what appeals to you. Bachmann stresses the importance of "feel[ing] the heat of a kitchen" when deciding what field appeals to you. "You'll find that executive [head] chefs are very open to sharing information," assures Bachmann.

Once you've decided what aspect of the culinary field you want to pursue, search around for the schools that offer the appropriate program. Most importantly, make sure that the professional cooking school that you are considering is accredited by reputable sources. Be on the look out for acronyms like ACF (the American Culinary Federation), and ACCSCT (the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology).

Recipe For Success According to Bachmann, when applying to a professional cooking school "[i]t's not 100 percent necessary to be an experienced cook to be successful." What's important is that a prospective student is familiar with the culinary industry, particularly the specialized field that they wish to pursue. (Psst, that's where the research from the first part comes in!)

While not every professional cooking school will require an extensive cooking background, it will require a high school transcript and proof of graduation (or an equivalent). Letters of recommendation, especially from prior employment in the food industry or a related field can help to further boost your application. Some schools and regions might even require that a student take an entrance exam, so make sure to find out well in advance what the professional cooking school you're interested in may require.

Home-Cooked Meal Don't feel like you have to travel far to get the culinary education that you're seeking. Bachmann says a professional cooking school in one part of North America will be fairly consistent with another, both in the quality and type of culinary education that it offers. He adds that some students may receive better financial aid and loans if they decide to stay in their home state.

Of course, not everything applies to everyone. That's why we stress doing some research into the fields and schools that interest you before you start applying. As Bachmann noted, every kitchen has a different set of rules, just as every school does.