| While some may turn on the television to | | | | the students' culinary education and will |
| watch the news, find out the latest scores or | | | | help once they become chefs at a restaurant. |
| shop from the comfort of home, a growing | | | | Whether a chef is working at a five star |
| number of individuals are turning to their | | | | resort or a small restaurant these skills are |
| favorite food show to learn how to make the | | | | invaluable to the profession. The more a chef |
| latest dish. From Rachel Ray's Thirty Minute | | | | knows about these areas the more marketable |
| Meals and Giada De Laurentiis' Every Day | | | | and appealing they will be to potential |
| Italian to Iron Chef and Hells Kitchen, every | | | | employers. |
| day viewers are tuning in to learn cooking | | | | |
| tips and techniques. These shows have stream | | | | Another crucial skill for chefs is |
| lined culinary education and touch base with | | | | leadership. A chef needs to be able to take |
| viewers who may not be experienced in the | | | | charge in the kitchen and delegate tasks to |
| kitchen but are hungry for the knowledge. | | | | other chefs. If a chef does not have |
| | | | leadership in the kitchen it can be a |
| Learning to become a chef is like an art. | | | | disaster. Food would not be prepared on time |
| Just as an artist pours their heart and soul | | | | and there would be utter chaos. Culinary |
| into painting portraits, chefs put their | | | | education emphasizes leadership because not |
| heart and soul into what they cook. However, | | | | only is it essential in the culinary world, |
| there is more to cooking than learning | | | | but it is important in everyday life as well. |
| cooking techniques. The culinary arts include | | | | Along with leadership, chefs also must have |
| refining skills such as math, nutrition and | | | | excellent communication and interpersonal |
| management. It is important that chefs | | | | skills. If a chef cannot communicate what he |
| understand what they are cooking and what is | | | | or she wants, then tasks are not going to be |
| in the foods they are preparing. These skills | | | | completed. |
| are essential to the field. While cooking is | | | | |
| the most important aspect of culinary | | | | One criterion important to the service |
| schools, most schools offer classes that put | | | | industry is personal and industry sanitation |
| cooking secondary to learning the skills and | | | | and safety. With national outbreaks in E.Coli |
| knowledge that help chefs understand culinary | | | | and Salmonella, it is important that students |
| arts to the fullest. | | | | learning to become chefs are taught |
| | | | principles in sanitation and safety, which |
| One skill that is important to culinary | | | | they will use once they go out into the real |
| education is math. Recipes contain numerous | | | | world. Culinary education emphasizes these |
| amounts and numbers whether it is cups, | | | | principles. Students will establish standards |
| tablespoons or teaspoons. A chef must know | | | | while in culinary school and maintain them |
| how to divide and multiply recipes into equal | | | | throughout their education. |
| proportions. If a recipe makes five servings | | | | |
| and only three servings need to be made, the | | | | There is a lot more to becoming a chef than |
| chef needs to know how to divide the | | | | just cooking. It is important for schools to |
| ingredients so that they are proportionate to | | | | incorporate these skills into culinary |
| each other and that the basics of the recipe | | | | education and offer students the knowledge |
| stays the same. | | | | that will help them become successful in the |
| | | | restaurant setting. These skills will not |
| Besides math, aspiring chefs must also gain | | | | only help them once they graduate and are |
| experience in purchasing, receiving, storage | | | | concocting their own masterpieces, but it |
| and inventory. These skills are taught during | | | | will also help them in everyday life. |