Do I Need a Degree to Become a Chef?

然而，烹饪艺术的独特之处在于不需要接受正规教育就能开始, you may find that learning on the job is slow going. 烹饪学校的学位在很多方面都是有益的, 可以让你更快地实现你的目标. An 专业烹饪学院大专或本科学历 could provide a more comprehensive and structured education, covering topics in food safety, nutrition, and business management. 这对那些梦想有一天开自己餐厅的有抱负的厨师来说尤其有帮助.

What is the Difference Between a Cook and a Chef?

Both are professionals who prepare food, 但是他们的职责和角色有很多关键的不同.

A cook’s responsibilities may include preparing ingredients, following predetermined recipes, and ensuring that the kitchen is clean and organized. 他们可能在厨师或厨房经理的指导下工作.

A chef’s responsibilities include managing the kitchen, creating menus and recipes, supervising and training kitchen staff, ordering supplies, managing budgets, 还要在上菜前核实菜品的质量.

A chef has more authority than a cook, 还有自主权——创造烹饪杰作的自由，而不是按照菜单准备常规饭菜. 虽然每家餐厅都有厨师，但并不是每家餐厅都有厨师.

What Could an Aspiring Chef Learn at Culinary School?

烹饪学校可以提供所需的教育，让你不必做几十年的厨师. 你可以期望在烹饪学校学到广泛的技能和技巧:

Culinary Skills & Techniques

• Mise en Place
• Kitchen Organization
• Cooking Principles & Methods
• Baking & Pastry Fundamentals
• Fabrication of Meat, Seafood, Poultry
• Applied Culinary Nutrition & Healthy Cooking

Advanced Culinary Arts

• Plating & Presentation
• International Ingredients, Methods, Cuisines
• Garde Manger
• Culinary Artistry
• Advanced Baking & Pastry Arts
• Recipe & Menu Development

Culinary Operations Management

• Kitchen Sanitation & Safety
• Purchasing & Storeroom Management
• Supervision for Food Service
• Dining Room & Service Management

What Level of Education Do I Need to Be a Chef?

An Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts degree could be a great starting point for an aspiring chef. Throughout this academic degree program, you could be exposed to everything listed above, and participate in culinary labs, immersive workshops, 甚至还有行业实习——在他们的餐厅和真正的厨师一起工作.

你可以在短短15个月内获得烹饪艺术应用科学副学士学位, with the right culinary institute.

Does Culinary School Teach Soft Skills, Too?

“软技能”指的是沟通和耐心等技能. It is one thing to have practical knowledge, 但另一个是能够有效地与他人合作，并提供卓越的客户服务. 这些技能对你在工作上的成功同样重要.

Soft Skills of a Professional Chef:

Ethics: 我们都见过电视上最受欢迎的厨师戈登·拉姆齐(Gordan Ramsey)对……嗯，对每个人都发脾气. 他那种特有的粗鲁作风很适合娱乐电视节目, but it wouldn't get you far in a real culinary setting. 辱骂厨房或服务员不会为你赢得评分，只会让你被解雇! 把这些粗鲁的话留到刷剧的时候吧，要有尊严地尊重你的餐厅同事.

Communication: communication is a huge part of a chef’s world; whether you’re talking to a 19-year-old busboy on his first day, a head chef with decades of experience under her belt, or a restaurant customer. 清晰、简洁，当然还有专业是至关重要的.

Collaboration: Hand-in-glove with communication is collaboration. As a chef, 你依靠你的厨房同事来帮助准备食材, cook dishes, plate and present meals, and send them out to the customer at just the right moment. This can be surprisingly challenging in a busy kitchen, but the only way to get the job done is to work together. So, stay ethical, communicate clearly, 以专业和尊重的态度对待你的同事——你需要他们.

Dedication: The culinary arts are not static—far from it. As tastes and trends evolve, so does the menu. 毕业后你最好继续深造, reading culinary publications, following relevant industry blogs or social accounts, and even earning certifications. 继续你的教育和提高你的技能表明你对卓越烹饪的承诺.

What to Expect at Culinary School

It’s scary to try new things! 为了缓解任何新开始的焦虑，我们详细介绍了一个典型的烹饪艺术学位经历.

Year One

As a freshman, your only job is to learn the fundamentals! 这包括食品服务行业的历史以及目前的烹饪环境. Your instructors will emphasize time management, studying skills, research methods, technological tools, and teamwork. 你的课程作业可能会涵盖味觉和风味概况的组成部分.

What else could I learn in my freshman year at culinary school?

• 烹饪技能，包括刀工，安全，卫生，库存和增稠/粘合剂
• Kitchen essentials such as sanitation requirements, food safety regulations, culinary mathematics, food costing, recipe scaling, and more
• 烹饪技巧，使惊人的汤(泥，奶油，肉汤，杂烩等.), classic sauces, and contemporary sauces
• 烹饪基础，如干热，焖，炖，煎，蒸，等等
• 饮食调整，包括配方修改过敏, food science, roasting, grilling, poaching, pasta, and dressings
• 烹饪营养原则，以适应特殊饮食或更健康的替代品, using the USDA Food Pyramid as a guide to nutrients; recipe modification, weight management, and current nutritional trends
• A La Carte best practices including a la minute methods, preparation of fish, seafood, shellfish, and bivalves, and more
• Baking & Pastry basics such as bakeshop equipment, weights, measures, quick breads, yeasted rolls, pies, cobblers, laminated doughs, and French pastries
• 肉类必须知道，如屠宰，熟食，香肠制作，肉类保存，等等

Year Two

What could I learn in my sophomore year at culinary school?

• Front of house skills including dining room organization, opening/closing procedures, customer service, table setting, and tableside cooking/carving
• Chef & 领导需要了解现代管理方法背后的历史, current best practices, goal setting, motivation, problem-solving, staffing, and scheduling
• A La Carte skills such as recipe development, conversions, plating techniques, revenue management, and more
• 国际食品的特点、标准、介绍和菜单
• Garde Manger将食物和艺术结合在一起，做成了像charcutiie这样的菜肴, hors d’oeuvres, sushi; special events, buffets, and display pieces
• Advanced Baking & Pastries is your chance to get creative with confections, ice creams, cakes, icing, chocolate, garnishes, and plating of desserts

Year Three

There is no year three!

烹饪艺术的加速学位课程可以让你在学习的这个时候开始学徒或实习，你可以在1年内完成学位课程.5 years.

你的实习经验旨在提高烹饪技能和技术在现实世界的压力. 学生可以从食品服务行业更广阔的视野中受益，也可以从你遇到的专业人士的经验和智慧中受益. 你可以考虑加入专业的厨师协会，比如 American Culinary Federation, Inc. or the International Association of Culinary Professionals. 

Is Culinary School Worth It?

If you are passionate about food, love to prepare and serve meals to others, and dream of spending your days in the kitchen, then culinary school could be a great step for you!

Where Can I Find an Accelerated Culinary School?

十大正规平台 University’s Culinary Institute of Virginia offers the associate of applied science degree in culinary arts at our locations throughout Virginia. You could earn this degree in 1.在诺福克、弗吉尼亚海滩和里士满的校区学习了5年.