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live to eat, cook to live

Everybody has to eat, so anything that can be done to elevate eating to a pleasurable experience should be regarded as high art.

A culinary school degree will certainly sharpen your skills, particularly in specialty areas such as pastries, but you will often have to work your way up from the bottom in much the same way someone who doesn’t have a degree would. The advantage of earning a degree comes from the experience you gain and the abilities you master, giving you an advantage over less invested job candidates. Here’s a list of some culinary schools close to Jacksonville, as well as two other notable schools here in the South. 

FCCJ

They’ve turned out some of the best chefs in the First Coast area. You’ll find their graduates in the kitchens at Pastiche, Crush, the Ritz-Carlton, Tastings and other fine restaurants in and around Jacksonville. FCCJ has always placed an emphasis on practical experience. Students get to cook for the Mallard Room, which has become an oft-booked spot for lunches, where students get to cook in a simulated restaurant environment. Programs of Study include Culinary Management, Restaurant Management, Catering, Dietetic Technician and Hospitality & Tourism Management. Most of these programs require about 64 credit hours, but Catering requires only 30. According to their website, the average starting salary is about $25,000, but graduates can eventually earn as much as $100,000 per year, depending on their area of study. For more info call (904) 766-6703 or go to fccj.edu/prospective/programs/culin_hosp_trv

Art Institute of Jacksonville

As far as Jacksonville is concerned, the Art Institute is the new kid on block. They opened this year and just began offering culinary programs this summer.

The Institute tracks employment trends not only on a national level, but also on a statewide level. Plus, they help with employment placement. The Art Institute has three other locales in Florida, namely Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Miami. The Jacksonville school is the 33rd Art Institute to open in North America (2 of the schools are in Canada).

The culinary arts program handles cooking and dish presentation for the aspiring chef. You’ll learn nutritional information, how to keep things to code, how to keep your food overhead low, and how to build a menu. You’ll also gain kitchen experience and learn how to work with others in a restaurant environment. Culinary Management deals with the business end of cooking, such as running your own catering business or restaurant. Cooking, baking and practical management skills form the core of this program. For info on classes, call (800) 924-1589 or go to the web site at artinstitutes.edu/jacksonville.

First Coast Technical Institute

It might be a Technical Institute, but they’ve got a well-respected Culinary Arts program. Graduates will master the basics, including food science, preparation, and gourmet cooking. Baking, table service and food safety are part of the curriculum, in addition to hands-on training. They even have an option for culinary studies in Europe. On the more practical side, they’ve got a course designed to help you understand how to buy and store food for a restaurant, a course that’s a definite must for those who want to open their own restaurant or manage their own kitchen as an Executive Chef.

First Coast Technical Institute is located in St. Augustine. For more info on their program go to fcti.org/programs/culinary/culinaryarts.htm

Orlando Culinary Academy

The hospitality and restaurant industries are booming in this tourist town, so it isn’t surprising that they have a respected Culinary Academy in Orlando. They offer Le Cordon Bleu courses of study, focusing on culinary arts, management and baking. Hands-on experience, instruction from top chefs and practical experience at the onsite school restaurant are all part of the package. Call toll free at (888) 793-3222 for more info or visit their website at orlandoculinary.com

Johnson & Wales

For “a culinary education without compromise,” try North Carolina’s Johnson & Wales University. It’s a bit far to commute, but the focus at this school is on preparing their students for a career in the culinary arts, not just for a job. Before you start, they ask questions about what direction you’d like to go in and help you draft a customized plan with their career counselors. Grads work for resorts, hotel and entertainment industries across the country at places such as the Food Network, Marriot International, Disney World and Legal Seafoods, just name a few. Many of their graduates also work as personal chefs for the rich and famous. Some even become celebrities themselves in the culinary world, featured in magazines and television. For more info on their program go to culinary.jwu.edu

In the world of cooking, experience counts for everything, so make sure your school has plenty of opportunities for hands-on experience and specific courses that you can highlight on a resume. You’ll also want to research their graduates, if possible, and see what kind of restaurants they work for in the area. You can search for people by school on MySpace or message boards, and if you have a MySpace account, it’s possible to message alumni and ask about their experiences and level of satisfaction with their chosen school. Near or far, there’s a school for you in the culinary arts, just make sure it’s right for your needs.

websites for chefs seeking employment
topchef.com
jobs.chef2chef.net
hcareers.com
starchefsjobfinder.com