Culinary School: Choosing Home or Abroad

There is a major choice when it comes to culinary school – home or abroad. If you know what kind of food you want to specialize in, it might be worthwhile to study in the country where that type of food originated. For example, a sushi chef will acquire a special set of skills if he or she has studied in Japan. However, there are numerous skilled sushi chefs that have studied in the United States, and they probably didn’t spend as much money to get through their education. So, home or abroad, which choice is right for you?

Culinary School in the United States

There are many top-notch culinary schools in the United States that you can choose from, and you would not be sacrificing any of the prestige of your education by choosing a U.S. school. For example, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is known as one of the best culinary schools in the world, and with campuses in California and New York, you can choose which coast you want to live and study on. Other prestigious culinary schools in the States include the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and the Cooking and Hospitality Institute in Chicago. The Le Cordon Bleu Colleges and Art Institutes have campuses offering culinary education throughout the United States as well.

Your choices are practically unlimited, so if you can’t afford to travel overseas to attend culinary school, you don’t have to feel like you’re sacrificing anything. In fact, you may be able to do more networking towards your future career if you choose to remain stateside during your education.

Culinary Schools Abroad

There is no denying the prestige of studying abroad, especially for culinary students. For example, being able to study at Le Cordon Blue in Paris, France, is an amazing experience for any chef that has a passion for French cuisine. Studying in Tuscany would be the ultimate experience for a passionate Italian chef, and the culinary academies in Switzerland have much to offer the pastry chefs of tomorrow. If you can afford the cost and have a specific passion for the culinary styles of a certain region, it may be worthwhile to study there. It all comes down to what your priorities are.

There are many advantages to both options, and there are many schools to choose from both here in the United States and in culinary hot spots such as Italy, France and Spain. Home or abroad? The choice is up to you!

How to Become a Food Stylist

Do you want to know how to become a food stylist? If you are passionate about food, art, advertising and presentation and have a knack for the creative side of things, this could be the career for you. As a food stylist, you will be responsible for preparing the foods that are seen in commercials, television shows, movies, menus and other scenes. From hot dogs and ice cream to filet mignon and crème brulee, the foods you prepare will always have to look irresistible, even when they’re stale, dried out, sprayed with finishing products or sometimes not even real food.

If this sounds like a job you’d like to do, there are a few things you must remember to ensure you find your place among the other leading food stylists currently working in the culinary work.

•    Become a kitchen expert.

As a food stylist, you won’t necessarily need a culinary degree, although a formal education never hurt anyone. You DO need to know your way around the kitchen, though. This kind of knowledge can take years to develop, but if you’re interested in this job, chances are you already have a fair amount of culinary knowledge. There are also food styling classes available at some culinary schools and community colleges, so if you’re planning on going into this field you may want to look for such schools.
•    Find a mentor.
As in most careers, you’ll be better off if you learn from the best. Many food stylists broke into the business by working as an assistant for another food stylist. During this time, you can learn the ins and outs of the industry and gain insight into all the tricks of the trade so that you’ll be well prepared when you enter the job market as a food stylist.

•    Remember, there’s no “I” in team.

As a food stylist, you will need to be a team player; you won’t always be working alone. If you’re going to be successful in this field, you’ll need to be able work with many different people, including actors, directors, prop coordinators, photographers and many others. You must be able to take direction from many different people at the same time and keep your cool.

Your job as a food stylist will take you behind the scenes, and your important skills will often go unsung; however, you and your team will know how important the work is that you accomplish.

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Restaurant Management Degree Programs

Restaurant management is a field of work that requires an individual or a group to run a restaurant profitably and efficiently. Managing an entire restaurant can be a difficult job and in order to be successful, it is imperative that you are knowledgeable regarding various aspects of restaurant operations. If you wish to pursue a career in restaurant management, you may need to enroll in a restaurant management program in a university or college although some individuals may be fortunate enough to learn on the job. Many schools within the United States offer restaurant management courses which will provide the necessary instructions and training required to enable you to secure a viable restaurant management job.

Restaurant Management Courses and Programs

Restaurant management courses and programs that are available in schools in the US include certification courses, diploma courses, Associate Degree programs, Bachelor’s Degree programs and Master’s Degree programs. A certification course will only provide basic restaurant management training and usually lasts from 9 months to 1 year. An Associate Degree program is a 2-year program, while a Bachelor’s Degree program can last for up to 3 years. A 3-year Bachelor’s Degree program requires you to attend classes on a full-time basis but if you wish to obtain a restaurant management diploma, you will also be required to study for 3 years. A Master’s Degree in restaurant management can take 2 years to complete and it can only be pursued by those who have previously completed a Bachelor’s Degree program.

Curriculum

While attending a restaurant management degree program, you will learn about the various aspects of running a restaurant, such as floor management, kitchen management, and restaurant administration. Floor management involves managing the employees who serve customers within a restaurant; including waiters and waitresses as well as receptionists and it is a highly important aspect of restaurant management. A restaurant management program will impart knowledge of nutrition, culinary tools, food presentation, food quality standards, customer service and menu design and analysis. Kitchen management involves managing all employees who are working in the kitchen, ranging from the head chef to kitchen porter. During kitchen management classes, you will learn how to delegate tasks to employees in the kitchen, produce high quality food consistently, meet hygiene and nutrition standards, control the use of ingredients, manage kitchen equipment, implement suitable cooking methods and work towards cutting costs. Restaura
nt administration will require you to perform tasks such as budgeting, hiring staff, scheduling rotations, controlling stock, ordering ingredients and supplies, maintaining equipment and meeting legal standards. These are some of the basic areas of study that you will cover although each school may differ.

Restaurant Management Degree Program Outcomes

After graduating, you will possess the necessary knowledge and skills required to run a restaurant smoothly and successfully. You can seek employment in restaurants, hotels, and other places, or even start your own restaurant if you are able to obtain the required capital. At times, new trainees may be required to complete a restaurant management trainee program before they assume a managerial position. Most restaurant managers will begin their careers by working for small restaurants, moving on to larger restaurants after they have gained concrete experience.

Salary Range for Hospitality Management Careers

Of late, many individuals are pursuing careers within hospitality management as it is believed to be a highly and challenging vocation within its particular industry. Hospitality management refers to the management of various entities in the hospitality industry, including restaurants, hotels, theme parks, cruise lines and tourist agencies, among others. It requires an individual to plan activities and events, manage employees and provide good customer service. This kind of work can be highly challenging as it requires excellent planning and social skills, as well as a high level of commitment. If you wish to obtain a career that offers great financial rewards, hospitality management is an excellent option for you. You will benefit from a number of career advancement opportunities when working as a hospitality manager and it is possible to even earn a six-figure annual salary as you progress within your career. The salary of a hospitality manager will be dependent on a number of factors which include but are not limited to, experience, education, designation, company and location.

Average Salary in Hospitality Management

The salaries of hospitality managers in the United States can range from $30,000 to $70,000 per annum. According to a report by Simplyhired.com, the average pay for hospitality management jobs is $59,000 as of March 2011.

Salary by Designation and Job Profile

There are a wide range of managerial jobs within the hospitality industry, including hotel manager, restaurant manager, tour operator, event planning manager, sales manager and advertising manager, among others. If you wish to pursue a career in the hospitality industry, you can begin by either working for a company that provides hospitality services, or start up your own hospitality company. According to survey, sales managers in the hospitality industry are those who will earn the highest salaries. The average salary of a sales trainer is around $189,000 per year, while sales leaders and executives will earn an average salary of $211,000 per year. If you are appointed a general manager within a hotel, you could expect to earn an annual salary of up to $53,000, while a director of a company in the hospitality industry can command an average salary of up to $69,636 per year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor released data in 2009 indicated that the average salary of lodge managers and hotel managers is an estimated $53,500 per year. It was also revealed in the report that middle level managers will earn an annual salary ranging from $35,310 to $63,890 per year.

Salary by Experience

Hotel and restaurant chains will inevitably prefer to hire managers who possess the necessary experience and education to manage their branches. As such, they are willing to pay top dollar to employ the most capable managers in the industry. According to a PayScale survey, the salary of an inexperienced hospitality manager ranges from $34,988 to $44,497 per year, and a manager with more than 20 years’ experience can make over $100,000 per year.

Salary by Location

Salaries of hospitality managers will also vary according to locations. A hotel manager in the state of Washington earns less than one who works in Washington DC. The salary earned by a hotel manager in New York can range from $72,339 to $143,142, while the salary of a hotel manager in Texas ranges from $36,826 to $77,010.

If you are looking to embark on a career within Hospitality Management, it is important to be aware that climbing up the ladder will take a considerable amount of experience and determination.

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