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Cooking carrer?

How many years do you have to go to college to get a way-paying job in the food industry?

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Jerome’s Answer

There are a couple ways you can go. Some people start at the bottom and work their way up with little education.

You can potentially earn a certificate from a community colleges in about 2 years that could give you a leg up in the culinary field. Actual culinary schools can be 4 years plus.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Jerome for the advice. Logan
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Lynn’s Answer

While there certainly are job opportunities in food service for those without college degrees or formal culinary training, it will take longer to advance to higher paying positions if you cannot show the skills and abilities provided by some kind of culinary program. You will need a fundamental understanding of the basics of classical cuisine, nutrition, business financial evaluation, sanitation, food science, etc.
However, you might consider the fact that there are many other types of culinary-related careers outside the food service arena. Food writing, food product development, recipe development, food marketing, recipe editing, nutritional analysis, food sales, personal and private chef positions are just a few. Large companies like Altria (Kraft), Unilever, Heinz, Butterball, Perdue, all have test kitchens where products are developed, tested and evaluated for placement in a market niche. These can be very rewarding positions with terrific salaries, benefits, and job security. However, if you do not have a degree in food science and nutrition you don't have a chance of being hired to work there.
You may start out in restaurant food service, but come to the realization that it's not a work environment you enjoy or are suited to. If you want a career that involves cooking and baking, but not restaurants, you absolutely will need formal culinary and general academics to pursue those opportunities.
For example, I started as a baker, advanced to pastry chef, then to garde manger, and eventually executive chef in restaurants and specialty food retail operations all without a college degree. But I got training from formal apprenticeships with European chefs. But those opportunities are gone now that cooking has become a type of entertainment, thanks to Food Network and "celebrity chefs." I now work as a recipe developer, editor and food stylist and enjoy better work-life balance (M-F, 9-5) and much better pay than I ever did in Michelin rated restaurants. However, if I had a nutritional degree of some sort, I could command an ever higher rate.
Whether you pursue food service or any other culinary vocation, you absolutely need a solid understanding of math and accounting-executive chefs need to calculate food and labor costs, forecast sales as it relates to scheduling, ordering raw materials and equipment, and menu writing.
Like it or not, all chefs get to a point in their career where standing on your feet for 10-14 hours a day behind a hot service line loses its glamor and appeal. At that point you will need the knowledge, ability and background to pivot to a position where your culinary skills are useful.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much I never even knew test kitchens where a job you could do I am surely going to look into that’s thank you so much. Logan
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Albert’s Answer

Simply put, your educational needs in the food industry should be guided by your career aspirations, not by potential earnings. From my experience, culinary school graduates and beginners earn similar salaries. However, if your interests lie in areas like test kitchen work, culinary education, corporate chef roles, or food styling, pursuing further education could be beneficial. When it comes to working in restaurants, hotels, and country clubs, practical experience and skills acquired on the job often have a greater impact on your pay than formal education.
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Renee’s Answer

While you are able to learn some important things in culinary school, it truly isn't necessary to become a great Chef. If I were you, I would find a skilled Chef and try to work under them in any aspect available. Even if it means being a steward or dishwasher. I would watch how the kitchen functions and learn what all that I could so that when they need a prep cook I would be able to jump in. The skill can be learned if the passion exists for it.

Renee recommends the following next steps:

Find A Chef you want to learn from
Get a foot in the door of the kitchen
Pay attention and practice
Establish a mentorship
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the advice, Renee. Logan
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Yassine’s Answer

Figuring out how long it takes to land a well-paying job in the food industry depends on the career path you choose. If you're starting at entry-level or going for culinary certificates, you're looking at around 1-2 years.
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Seth D. Weg’s Answer

In the food industry, what you can present on a plate matters far more than a formal education. You’ll learn more and go further by doing a stage at a high end restaurant than you will with a culinary school degree.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Seth D. Weg! Logan
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Aliha Hassan’s Answer

The number of years required to obtain a well-paying job in the food industry can vary depending on the specific career path you choose. Some positions may require only a few months of training or a two-year associate's degree, while others might require a bachelor's degree or more extensive education. It's important to research the specific role you're interested in to determine the educational requirements.
Thank you comment icon Thank you! Logan
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Georgeann’s Answer

Some chefs never went to a formal school, just learned and worked their way up. Some high schools have culinary programs which is a good start. Smaller or local culinary schools are sometimes a less expensive route than a 4 year college. I went to a 2 year culinary school program when I was younger at my local community college. Then worked my way up through the ranks earning real kitchen experience along the way.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the advice. Logan
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Michel’s Answer

A college degree won’t make you any money in the food business. Experience, knowledge and passion make you money.
Thank you comment icon I am really grateful you took the time to answer this question. Logan
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