I went to Amazon before writing to you today. There, I discovered that there are 45,770 books available on the topic of networking. I explored the subject of networking because I went to a Sustainability Conference at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) yesterday – an event I almost didn’t attend. All too often, I think to myself that “NO, I won’t go. I’m too busy.” Or, “I can’t afford to go to an out-of-town meeting.” Yet when I do go, I am bowled over as I was yesterday. Not only was I dazzled by all the exciting and often challenging new information I gained, but also by the realization that much of the knowledge I gained only emerges during talks given by experts with an extraordinary range of data. Yesterday, for instance, I learned that there are regulations preventing wineries in California from reusing water sources for irrigation — even though these same water sources have been purified using the same processes as water for drinking.  Surely, this fact has nothing to do with that miracle about turning water into wine?

Distance from Napa, CA to Bismark, ND

I was shocked to hear from my brilliant friend and colleague, noted Wine Professor Steven Kolpan, (see his blog!), that a profound consequence of global warning “may shift the American center of wine from Mendocino or Napa, California to North Dakota (possibly over 1,500 miles!) in order to maintain the desired balance of acidity in the grapes.” Further, that “Warming temperatures will encourage infestations of pests as is already occurring in Germany. And nobody knows what to do about it.” (Will sustainable farmers be forced to spray or have to rethink the idea of releasing millions of ladybugs to gobble the newly emerging noxious pests?) By the end of this gathering, my little grey cells were electrified with new ideas and my emotions were further stimulated by meeting old friends and making new ones. I mention these things to remind myself that there is simply nothing to compare with maintaining what I once heard was described as a ‘mind alive’. I’m already on the look out for the next food conference. I hope to meet you there wherever it will be.

Pam Parseghian, Food Person Profiler

If you read Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), you’ve been treated to my friend, Pamela “Pam” Parseghian’s marvelously thorough, well researched chronicles of the food industry. But it is her spot on profiles of legendary food figures I want to tell you about.

You see, Pam practices a lost art. When she profiles a famous foodie for publication – which she does often – she follows a detective’s path of inquiry. She does her homework before the interview, and then, once with the subject, listens attentively. Such careful listening is essential to capturing someone’s voice and meaning.

Pam decided early on that she she wanted to be a cook. She enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and then worked at a restaurant in Switzerland for a year. “Gradually,” she revealed, “I began to think about finding a job that was less physically demanding. I became interested in journalism.”

Cook's Illustrated magazine, 2011

She called several publications after she returned to the United States and ended up writing an article for Cook’s Illustrated magazine. The article was such a hit that Pam was invited to apply for a food editor’s job there that was open at the time. Pam adds that then-editor Judith Hill “interested in me because I had trained in an European restaurant and I had a degree from the CIA”

Eventually Pam applied for a job at NRN. With this job, she was able to travel to many exotic locations to cover the subject of food. However, this wasn’t often the case when profiling famous foodies:

“I don’t usually make a special journey to visit the person who is being profiled. Instead I try to arrange a meeting when they are in New York or we on the phone,” reports Pam. “I spend about a quarter of my time doing research and another quarter doing the interview; the remaining half of the time is spent actually writing and editing. Other people may allocate their time differently. Writing on deadline is the hardest part of the job. Even a seemingly straightforward interview requires more of the writer than the surface result would indicate.”

I, for one, applaud Pam’s career changing decision to put down the mighty wisk for the pen (and the laptop). May she write (and edit) evermore, evermore.

Did you know that there currently is a rise in applications to culinary schools? The New York Post reported today: “The weak economy has actually boosted interest, in part because people often return to school during slowdowns, and in part because food careers are popular with career changers — including those motivated by a layoff. And to some extent, the food business is recession-proof.” Naturally, I was pleased when the Post asked my opinion on this matter.

The conventional culinary job is no longer simply peas and beans and carrots, rather it encompasses an enormously vast array of  options. One can become a chef in a restaurant or a personal chef for a family; a food historian or a food folklorist; a recipe writer or a recipe tester; a flavor maker or a public policy food fighter…

Yet more options open up after you’ve attended culinary school. Which cooking school you apply to is a personal choice largely determined by your particular goals. High-profile schools offer more in terms of visits and cooking demonstrations by superstar chefs, but smaller schools may provide more nurturing environments and are less of a financial burden.

Where the school is located, what times of day or evening classes are offered and how large the classes are also very real consid- erations for many would-be culinary students. Unlike traditional colleges, culinary schools attract students of all ages. Some have special needs that are not always anticipated by other institutions of higher education.

Many professional schools have three divisions: culinary skills, baking and pastry, and hospitality management. Students at some, (though not all schools), are able to combine programs. A degree program can extend for anywhere from six to 38 months with tuition costs varying from $10,000 to more than $70,000. In all cases, financial aid is readily available.

The schools with larger endowments, like The Culinary Institute of America and Johnson & Wales, often have more highly qualified and experienced faculty, better-equipped kitchens, a more extensive library, and even, sports facilities. These schools, and others in major culinary metropolises, may offer student housing, indicating that  they attract students from around the world. They also tend to have higher tuition fees than smaller, non-residential schools.

There are many factors to consider before enrolling in culinary school, and prospective students are urged to take their time before making a decision about what is best for them.

An Associate of Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degree from a top-tier school is believed to carry more weight when seeking employment, but this is not necessarily so. Great students with good attitudes are offered terrific jobs, no matter which school they attend.

You may prefer to enroll in a small school where there is a strong focus on the individual and a small class size. In the culinary program at Paul Smith’s College in Lake Placid, New York, for example, there is a 14:1 student to faculty ratio. Teachers, mentors and advisers are always on hand. The college has a magnificent library, and its lakeside campus, nestled in the magnificent Adirondack Mountains, is an excellent destination for winter and summer sports enthusiasts.

Community colleges in every part of the country offer degree programs in culinary arts. In addition to more affordable tuition, they allow students to live at home — another cost-saving consideration.

Remember that culinary school should be viewed as an investment and a beginning. There is still much hard work ahead. One more piece of advice: as you scan ShawGuides for suggested schools and begin to apply for culinary school, ask someone at the reference desk of your local public library for the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It lists all kinds of information you would need to know, (including the salary) of just about any occupation you can imagine.