Becoming A Chef - Culinary School Or On The Job Training...

So you are interested in the possibility of becoming a chef? You probably have many questions and are probably wondering what route to take. Are there any requirements for becoming a chef? What education is needed for becoming a chef?

As the title of this article suggests, you basically have two options toward becoming a chef and learning the fundamentals of cooking. There are actually three options, but we will discuss the third later in this article. You can either go straight to Culinary School and learn the art of cooking under the close supervision of educated Chefs, or you can head out into the real world and learn hands on cooking techniques in a fast paced restaurant setting. We will now discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

ON THE JOB LEARNING

The Advantages

The traditional method for becoming a chef was quite different years ago. One did not attend a Culinary School first before they began working. Instead, a person learned by working from the bottom up. This gave the cook hands-on real world experience, something not readily available in cooking schools today. This real world experience is more respected then a student fresh out of Culinary School, and I am sure you can understand why. A restaurant owner is not going to be impressed by a resume filled with all of the classes you took in cooking school. He or she will be more interested in whether or not you can perform in a busy and stressful kitchen environment, and you will only gain that experience by living and doing it on the job.

The Disadvantages

Working on the job also has its disadvantages. In a restaurant environment there is one main objective and that is to prepare quality dishes in a timely manner so that the customer is satisfied. Your head chef and co-workers do not have time to explain how a dish is made, or the history and culture behind the food that is prepared. It is simply too busy. So you will have to seek out your education on your own, unless of course someone is willing to take the time and teach you, but this is rarely the case.

CULINARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

The advantages of Attending a Cooking School

Culinary school can be a truly rewarding experience if you keep your eyes and ears open and apply yourself. There is much to be learned and exposed to. This is where the history, culture and techniques regarding the preparation of the food comes into play.

You can learn where the dish came from and the variety of ways to create certain dishes. You can learn how to purchase and store your ingredients. You get to work together with other students as a team, which is a very important factor in the success of your career. You may never see or prepare these dishes again, but the techniques that you pick up in Culinary School can be applied to many of the dishes that you create in the future.

Depending on the school you attend, your curriculum may include topics like pastry, nutrition, management, butchery and more. You can also receive job placement assistance. You will learn more about the various culinary organizations out there, scholarships and other programs that may be useful.

The Disadvantages of Cooking School

For the most part, a Culinary school education is theoretical learning. Cooking school is not going to prepare you for the busy and stressful environment of a real world kitchen, and this lack of preparation may present a problem when you start looking for a job.

Culinary Students have also acquired a bad reputation over the years unfortunately. The popular opinion is that graduates from cooking schools are in no way prepared to handle the stress of a busy kitchen. Why have Culinary Students been given such a bad reputation? It is because many have tried and quit when the going got rough. So the only way to overcome this is to prove yourself. You will have to dedicate yourself no matter how hard things get.

Lastly there is the cost associated with a Culinary School Education. It can be very expensive. Not only do you have to pay tuition, but you also have to pay for your books, tools and other accessories. Things can really add up. If you decide that it is not the right career path for you, you will have lost a lot of money.

GOING TO SCHOOL + ON THE JOB TRAINING

Now on to the third option that I told you we would cover later in this article: working on the job while you are attending cooking school. The advantage to this option is that you will be practicing what you are learning in school. You get to truly experience it and not just read about it in some textbook.

This is by far the best option of course but not for everyone. There will be many sacrifices when taking this route toward becoming a chef. Holding a job while going to school will be very difficult. You will be exhausted both physically and mentally, and if you do not work extra hard, your grades will suffer. If your grades suffer, then you may get less attention from your instructors. On the flip side, you may impress your instructors with your hard work and interest.

So whatever path you choose, remember the most important thing is perseverance. Without staying power and patience you will have a difficult time making it as a chef. I wish you all the best and God Bless.

About the Author

Ralph Serpe is a passionate cook and writer for http://www.chef-ability.com. Visit today to learn more about becoming a chef.

Motivational Wisdom From A Chef Rat - Part I

There's a new management breed springing up in high Paris society led by a motivational talking rat who happens to cook.

If you don't believe me, watch Disney's feature-length animation film, Ratatouille. The movie takes place in Paris and is about a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a gourmet chef.
Only problem is he's a rat! Go figure. Remy has a highly developed sense of smell and a keen appreciation for food. He yearns for a better life and desires to raise himself out of a meager existence of living in sewers and scrambling for crumbs and rotten cheese.

Ahh, but it's not to be, mon ami. You see, he eees after all a rat! And responsible rats have to look after themselves. So Remy's Dad puts his talent to use by making him the Chief Sniffer. Remy's sole job is to sniff all the rotten food and human leftovers day in and day out to make sure there's no rat poison in the food for his Dad's rat colony.

Yuk! Talk about one stinking job! I'm treading on dangerous ground here, but can't we all relate to this story on some level? I mean, sometimes we just fall into doing work that's less than desirous and not even close to what we're really, really passionate about in our hearts.

Sometimes we just settle for far less than the best we deserve in order to 'make a living' or meet other people's expectations of us. Pretty soon we fall into a rut - a routine - and get cozy.
Welcome to the Rat Race! The never-ending treadmill of constant busyness. A dream stealer disguised as a golden ladder to nowhere.

Ratatouille is a story about one rat's dilemma to either play it safe by sticking to his normal rat routine and winning the approval of his friends and family or enter the forbidden human world and risk everything in pursuit of his dream to become a gourmet chef in the most prestigious restaurant in Paris.

We can all learn from Remy's adventures and wisdom. I certainly did, and I'd like to share with you some insights I took away from the movie:

> LOOK UP!

After being chased away by a gun-totting human and being tossed and turned in a raging river, Remy gets separated from his friends and family and ends up shivering, stranded and feeling utterly lost in a dark, cold gutter. This is what mythologist Joseph Campbell would call 'the approach to the inner most cave.'

Remy spends days in this gloomy dungeon paralyzed by fear and never venturing out. In this moment of darkness and delirium, a mentor figure appears in his imagination - the late Auguste Gusteau, France's culinary genius.

Gusteau gently encourages Remy to look up and venture out! And so, with some trepidation, Remy climbs up the drainage pipes and enters a brave new world. He is shocked to see the magnificent city of Paris unfold before him with its shimmering lights and the Eiffel Tower beckoning him forward.

All these years Remy has been scrounging around underground with his fellow rats while getting occasional peaks of his hero Chef Gusteau work his culinary magic on TV in glamorous Paris. Now, hungry and tired and being stranded for days in some dingy gutter, he realizes that he's in the very heart of Paris - at the doorstep of Gusteau's famous restaurant!

So what's the application here?? I mean, it's not like we're living in some kind of rat hole! (Sorry Remy). Well, first of all, it's important to realize that with each seed of failure and loss there's an equivalent seed of new hope and opportunity. And second, when we get into a rat of a rut, it's important to look up and venture out.

How do we do that as humans? One of the fastest and most memorable ways to 'look up' and develop a higher perspective is to once in a while upgrade some of our routine experiences: flying first class instead of economy, staying in a five star luxury hotel, joining a pricier, more exclusive business or fitness club, or attending a prestigious auction or art gallery.

Upgrading some of our experiences serves the multiple purpose of sending a message to our subconscious that we value ourselves while opening up higher learning and networking opportunities and developing friendships with people that can help us grow.

Of course, you don't always have to shell out big money to accomplish this. You can offer to volunteer and help out at these types of establishments or events; you can join an online newsgroup at one of the higher brow establishments such as Washington Post, New York Times, or Harvard Business Review and participate or eavesdrop on some of the conversations; you can read a biography; or - if you can muster up the courage - you can ask to meet with someone you admire to learn how they became successful.

I used this last strategy once when I was working at a bookstore quite a few years back. Harry Rosen, world renowned men's clothier, once walked into the store looking for a Kiri Te Kanawa opera video. Of course, as Murphy's Law would predict, we didn't have the video and he left the store promptly.

I then wrote a letter to him saying I tried various suppliers but could not find the video but really admired his success and was wondering if he could give me a tour of his head office and share with me how he became successful in his field.

A couple weeks later I got a reply letter back from his secretary to call and arrange for a time to meet with Mr. Rosen. I ended up meeting him at his penthouse office and getting a brief tour. He showed me his architectural design concept for a new store he was opening up in Chicago and we spent close to an hour chatting. (Actually, he was doing most of the chatting while I was listening and taking notes).

I later learned that there were a number of very important people wanting desperately to meet with him and that they'd be lucky if they even got fifteen minutes with Mr. Rosen.

One thing I never did get a chance to do is watch that Kiri Te Kanawa video...
* Visit Sharif Khan's iSnare author profile to catch Motivational Wisdom from a Chef Rat - Part II *

About the Author
Sharif Khan is a freelance business writer, copywriter, book consultant, and author of the leadership bestseller, Psychology of the Hero Soul (http://www.HeroSoul.com). If you need help with an important writing project or ongoing assignment and would like a no-cost, no-obligation quote, call 416-417-1259.

Cheap Holidays In Ireland

If you are looking for cheap holidays, Ireland is a special location with many different cities to see as well as attractions. Dublin, Galway, Listowel and Cork are some great holiday vacation spots. You will find that your time spent in Ireland may in include relaxing by the pool, some sightseeing and visiting museums, gardens and seeing some historical buildings. You will find cheap holidays that include hotel accommodations, airfare and some great last minutes deals. With all these exciting deals and things to do and see, Ireland is one area you should not miss.
If you are adventurous, Listowel will be a place to visit. You can see the Garden of Europe with a beautiful array of flowers and plants. Although, the St John's Art and Heritage Centre is filled with religious sites and some spectacular architectural buildings, you will find that the Listowel Castle is a mass of ancient ruins and the famous castle. Some of the historical sites in Listowel are River Fort, Plaster Relief and Cladh Ruadh. You can enjoy a couple of days in Listowel before moving on to Dublin where you will want to spend at least two days.

In Dublin, your cheap holidays will be filled with adventure and excitement. You can visit the Brougham Bridge and the Dillon Garden. A relaxing boat ride on the Dublin Grand Canal is going to be exciting and you will see the area from a different point of view. You do not want to miss the many Dublin museums and the Garden of Remembrance. Parnell Square is a visitors delight as well as Fitzwilliam Square. The Mansion House and the Leinster House on Grafton Street are something for everyone to see. You can view the Dublin Castle while visiting Fairview Park and the War Memorial Gardens. Dublin is so large with so many things to do, you might want to spend the entire week here without going anywhere else.

Galway cheap holidays in Ireland can be just exciting as Dublin and Listowel. Frye Square in Galway has the cathedral, Galway Court House and the harbor. The Galway Art Festival is something everyone enjoys as well as the Lynch Castle. The time to go is when you can visit the Galway Oyster Festival. This is a culinary event with many different types of cuisine. If you are looking for a scenic site in the area, Iar Connacht is a place to stop after a day of sightseeing. Now it is time to head to Cork.

Your cheap holidays package will take you to Cork where you can see the Ballincollig Gunpowder Mill, which is a historical museum. The medieval Red Abbey Tower is something to see. It is a historical country house with a unique architecture. After the museums and the art galleries, you will want to spend a few days relaxing and enjoy a day around the pool or even enjoy a day at the spa. You might even find some little shops to check out and enjoy a light Ireland lunch special.

About the Author
Do you have trouble finding cheap holidays on the internet? we collect cheap holidays and cheap holiday deals in the UK. Are you a danish citizen - please pay our danish sister site called billige rejser a visit

Philippine Magazines entertainment, showbiz, fashion, food and luxury.

Next to the internet, magazines are the best place in which one can get not only information but also entertainment. Magazine is a best medium for information when it comes to entertainment, sports, lifestyle, fashion, food, and art. Magazines are widely used because of the help that magazines can give, even here in the Philippines.

Magazines are the best source of information when it comes to lifestyle, showbiz, entertainment and food. There is a lot of Philippine Magazine here in the Philippines such as the METRO: The Independent Woman Philippine Magazine, FOOD: The Philippines' Largest Selling Culinary Philippine Magazine, CHALK Philippine Magazine, Maxim Philippine Magazine, MetrohiM: Man Made Better Philippine Magazine, PINK: A Girl's Guide To Shopping Philippine Magazine, Burn: The Philippines' First Interactive Music Magazine, STARSTUDIO: We Bring You Closer to The Stars Philippine Magazine, Story Philippine Magazine, THE BUZZ Philippine Magazine, F&B World: The Philippines' Only Foodservice Philippine Magazine, Mobile Philippine Magazine, Metro Home & Entertaining Philippine Magazine and many more Philippine Magazine.

There are a lot of Philippine Magazine, which is why eLBC came to a conclusion on starting the first ever online magazine shop here in the Philippines selling different kinds of Philippine Magazine, the M-Express. M-EXPRESS is the first ever door-to-door Philippine Magazine delivery service in the country. It is the convenient way to order Philippine Magazine anytime and anywhere you are in the Philippines. You can place subscriptions or order per title allowing you the flexibility to control your budget. This innovative service is powered by LBC, the country's dependable domestic and international courier service which brings over 50 years of experience and an intensive network of branches both here and abroad. M-EXPRESS.COM.PH is owned and operated by eLBC Direct, Inc., an LBC company that is dedicated to providing Filipinos access to products and services apart from the traditional products offered by LBC. For more information regarding Philippine Magazine and M-Express then visit http://www.m-express.com.ph

About the Author
Save time and money when it comes to online shopping for more info about online shopping for magazines just visit our site @ http://www.m-express.com.ph

How to Select the Finest Culinary Arts School?

Culinary Arts is associated to be an immensely creative field, which offers innumerable job opportunities. As per the United States Dept. of Labor forecast, the job openings for this particular skilled art will increase in leaps and bounds all through this decade. Now, several of you might have got rational stimulus to motivate yourself to enroll in the culinary arts school.

It is referred as the 2nd vastest industry in terms of jobs openings, in the United States. But the question is which school will be ideal, in order to kick start a rocking career in this ever competitive field. Abundance is the apt word, statistics says that above a whopping 700 and more culinary schools persists itself in United States. To increase the confusion, more than 100 amongst boast a certification from the American Culinary Foundation. Let's delve into the pre-requisites that will help us determine the finest arts culinary school.

Priceless Tips:
Prior to enrolling into a particular culinary arts school, ascertain 2 most vital factors. First is the placement record of the particular school with respect to the graduating students and second is the satisfaction level amongst the students with regards to their resultant career paths.

The finest Culinary Arts School besides offering you certification that is universally respected will render best instructors and facilities. An institution incorporating practical sessions are the ideal ones to get admitted in. The best way you can evaluate the culinary school quality is by reviewing the alumni of the institution and finding out where they are currently placed.

Always check the accreditation that a particular arts culinary school holds.

DO NOT just go by the name and fame of the arts culinary school. The popularity of the school in no way guarantees the perfect training to you.

Prior to enrolling in an arts culinary school check your strengths, are you good in pastries, or perhaps baking? Or you would like to be in hospitality management? Chose your niche area this will help in taking a more practical decision.

Lastly:
The most pivotal tip would be to visit the culinary arts school that you have narrowed on and speak with the already enrolled students. They are the best candidates, who are most likely to give an honest opinion. A good formal training and education elevates your chance of landing in a good and secured career in culinary arts industry. Go ahead do your homework, all the sweat and toil is definitely worth it.

About the Author
More about The World of Culinary Arts on this new and exciting weblog - Discover The Best Culinary Arts Schools.

The Culinary Dream of the Perfect Range

This article seeks to give you a solid knowledge base regarding the subject matter at hand, no matter what your previous experience on the topic.

Whether you've done your culinary exercise or you're deeming a culinary arts career, you're already invested in cooking great food. You know all too well that the best cooks are only as good as their tools. Acquiring superb knives is indeed every culinary singer's number one goal. But knives are a need, no stuff what the cost. When it comes to the all-important range, however, this big permit article is where cooks like to dream.

The cookery Art of Choosing Your scale
Here's what top cooks look for when they're choosing a range, the big permit article that determines their triumph in the culinary arts. Those with culinary exercise insinuate that you especially deem these two areas when choosing a range:

If you have completely read through the first half of this article, the second part will be a snap to understand.

* Durability: Executive cooks Tony Prolog points out that "You have to pay notice to the stuff that see the most costume and tear." When he chose a range for Chicago's Coco Pizza, he looked for an instance of tools with the slightest number of knobs and dials. While the culinary bells and whistles can be tempting, Prolog insists that too many parts pointer to maintenance overheads that can "more than magnify" the opening investment in your oven.

* relieve of Cleaning: At the end of a long day of culinary singers, you don't want to be faced with an oven that's an errand to take distant and scrub. Even if the show kitchen is your own and your culinary labors are for your links and family, you don't want anybody to see that you have a dishonest range--ever.

Affording the scale that hysterics your cookery exercise

A range is a big permit article. All the more logic to store well before you makes your culinary investment. Cookery arts prepare Dean Chris Koneke insinuates that you break trade shows, find out about ranges from their manufacturers, and make wise comparisons before you buy. Top range retailers like Viking control culinary arts food where pros and home cooks alike can pluck up culinary exercise and tips as well as curb out the culinary merchandise.

When we begin to bring this information together, it starts to form the main idea of what this subject is about.

About the Author
Gem Lame writes for http://www.akoculinary.com where you can find out more about Culinary Schools and other topics.

Italian Cookery Courses

It will not be an exaggeration to say that Italian cuisine is one of the most rich and famous cuisines of the world. Italian way of cooking is renowned for the simple methods adopted by it to prepare scrumptious dishes from fresh ingredients. Though cooking and preparing Italian dishes seems a relatively easy task, people are often flabbergasted to discover how much of hard work, training and formal education is required before one can actually go about preparing mouth-watering Italian dishes in a jiffy.

Because of the amount of hard work required and to develop perfect culinary skills, it is necessary for a budding cook to receive some formal training in the art of preparing "simple" Italian dishes and gain some hands-on experience before they can actually claim to prepare some mouth-watering delicacies.

There are innumerable cookery books available which can help an individual to learn preparing some Italian dishes. However for an individual who aspires to gain some hands-on experience, it is far better to roll up for an Italian cuisine course. There are several renowned institutes which can provide them with some valuable training as well apart from giving theoretical knowledge on how to prepare several dishes.

Enrolling for a cooking class is the best and most productive way one can imagine to spend their free time. It allows a person to add to his knowledge bank, add yet another quality to his skills, all this and more while churning out some of the finest gourmets of the world.

Cooking courses can vary in duration ranging from a single day to much longer courses which may take weeks, months or even years. Some people prefer to learn this cuisine to pursue their hobbies while others do it to make a living out of it. Italian cuisine is flourishing and gaining popularity like never before and guess this is one of the main reason which has been tempting people to become star chefs and hotel management professionals and make a lucrative career out of cooking.

Italian cuisine comprises several regional cuisines in itself, such as classic Tuscan dishes, Italian Mediterranean dishes and selected wines. Some of the most famous and exclusive dishes which are most extensively used in the Italian cuisine include olive oil, cheese, jalapeños and balsamic vinegar.

Italian cuisine has constantly evolved and developed over the years. It has been constantly affected with flavors of different cuisines of different ethnicities which have come in contact with it and have left their impressions behind in terms of its cuisine. Italian cuisine particularly draws inspiration from Arab, Greek and Roman cuisines. Training in Italian cuisine can be undertaken in both the forms i.e. traditional method of cooking and the one which makes use of latest technology to prepare these dishes.

Another important aspect of Italian cuisine course is wine tasting. The art of tasting wine and selecting a particular wine which can go with a particular Italian delicacy is something which needs to be developed and worked upon by any budding professional cook and a course in Italian cuisine can help an individual to gain mastery over this art easily.

About the Author
Italian Cooking Course: Santa Cristina Castle specials Cooking Courses in Tuscany.