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.

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Rick Barger's dog, Cody FOOD JOB: Truffle Taster

A funny thing just happened.

I wrote a little note on Facebook in which I said I was looking for some (any) information about unusual (or weird or interesting) FOOD JOBS.

Right away, I got a response from a friend who suggested a truffle taster. I wrote back, asking him if he knew anyone who tasted truffles. “Yes,” he said, “His dog, but he was open for the job.”

I promised to give him a “Woof” if I heard of anything.

He–”Rick” Barger–answered immediately by sending me a copy of his breathtakingly, brilliant CV (Curriculum Vita). I called him and introduced myself.

We had a super chat, and I suggested he send his resume to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park) where I work. I noticed he belongs to the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals), and we plan now to meet there at the Conference in April in Portland. I’m hoping to he might give me some advice about how to market my FOOD  JOBS book to other culinary schools.

So, today, I say, Hooray for Facebook and Twitter and Google and all the great opportunities we have to network and shake hands and make new friends.

I feel so good, I’m going to make myself a bacon and egg sandwich with lots of ketchup!

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Courtesy of horizonproject2008.wikispaces.com/Connecting+

Yesterday I was invited to give a talk at the 2009 CIA (Culinary Institute of America) alumni reunion. There are 39,000 alums of this school. Other colleges, associations and businesses have even more thousands of graduates, members or past employees.

At our meeting, there was a chef who had graduated from the second class of students soon after the CIA was founded in 1946. There were young and younger chefs who had gone on to become hospitality industry leaders, culinary entrepreneurs, managers, humanitarians, even one who has recently organized a soup kitchen near his home.

No one, (or no one I met), was hustling or trying to sell anything. Instead, everyone was interested in getting to know others in the field; in reminiscing and sharing the interests and experiences they all have in common. They were all inspired by President Tim Ryan‘s visionary (and audaciously exciting) plans for the future of the institute.

I was thinking about the commitment of time that it takes to attend this and similar meetings. And the commitment of money too. There was a very small fee that surely couldn’t possibly have covered the cost of the many marvelous meals and wines and the cost of travel and lodging.

I was also reflecting on the value of this undertaking which turns out to mean different things for different people. For some it is undoubtedly a passive experience in which friendly words are exchanged that may have little impact or long-term value.

For others, there are friendships to be renewed, and new opportunities to be explored. It is the friendships that are the most important part and the piece of the pie that must be savored slowly.

Networks are not about taking but giving. Not so much about talking, but more about listening. For this reason, it would be good to consider changing the word itself from “networking” to “connecting.”

It is the connections that lead to results. We all prefer personal references: a referral to a dentist, a doctor, a car repair shop or a plumber. A personal recommendation of a book, a movie, a restaurant or party planner carries far more weight than a review from a stranger.

Indeed when it comes to measuring our personal self worth, we could ask ourselves whether it can be counted in terms of possessions or measured in the ever-widening circle of our friends.

Margaret Wheatley said, “Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals who can go it alone.”

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