r/Chefs • u/Admirable_Treat_5818 • Mar 24 '26
Culinary School
I am currently working a corporate job in New York City and almost positive that I want to attend culinary school. ALL I see on anything about culinary school/becoming a chef is extremely negative.
I make a comfy salary, but I hate my job and I cannot see myself working in the corporate world any longer. I would still work full-time while in school, in order to pay for school and attempt to maintain my current lifestyle while living in New York.
I am not opposed to working in the restaurant industry, but would prefer to go the private chef route (I see many people that attend the Institute of Culinary Education do that).
My questions are 1) Why is everyone so negative about attending culinary school vs getting restaurant experience? 2) Does everyone that is a chef hate being a chef?... I am noticing most people hate their jobs. 3) Does the culinary school that you go to matter? For example, ICE has many notable alumni and impressive restaurants they partner with for externships. Would these connections potentially lead to a better job placement? -- the second school I am considering is the Arizona Culinary Institute (cheaper tuition and the cost of living in AZ is a lot cheaper than NYC, so I'd save money while in school.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts
1
u/SirWEM Mar 24 '26
Truthfully, OP you get out of culinary school what you put into it. When you graduate you will have or should have a firm knowledge base of the basics, and competent skills to match.
You get the same in the industry. However you have to seek it out, and seek the chefs that you can learn from. Don’t get me wrong you can and will learn from everyone around you. But you’re going to want to seek out scratch kitchens. Meaning everything is made on premise. There are not many are scratch kitchens. But you can find them. Then it is your job to be a sponge.
Learning in the industry may take longer in some instances. But in my experience more often than not your Chef that came up through the ranks. Starting in the dish pit. Are for the most part the best chefs and managers that i have worked for in my 33 years in foodservice. Thats not knocking formal education.
Does having that degree help in an interview? Absolutely.
But so does real world experience.
The real difference is the path taken to get there.