What Kind of Schooling Does One Need to Be a Chef?

If food fascinates you and feeding people makes you happy, you might have a vocation for being a chef, but it takes more than that to turn your passion into a career. Not all chefs need a formal education, but it can give you skills that employers find valuable. Regardless of whether you start your first job with a culinary degree in hand or just a high school diploma, you will start out in an entry-level position cooking on the line.

Basic Requirements

Many employers require a high school diploma or GED, but it is possible to start out without either. Some chefs begin by washing dishes, and then move into prep cook positions and on up as they gain experience and skills. O-Net Online notes that 20 percent of chefs surveyed in 2010 did not have a high school diploma, while 39 percent only had a high school education. Some employers value a willingness to do any job, the desire to learn and the ability to work hard more than a formal education.

Formal Education

Culinary school or programs offered at community or vocational colleges can give you the skills you need as a chef. A two-year degree is typical, but some programs last up to four years. While a degree isn't always necessary, and it's possible to learn everything about cooking on the job, many culinary programs teach related skills that are sometimes harder to come by through work experience. These can include inventory management, basic accounting and the nuts and bolts of running a restaurant. If your long-term plans include being an executive chef or running your own restaurant, a well-rounded culinary education is useful.

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship program offered by a professional association, such as the American Culinary Federation, or a culinary school, is a good way to combine formal education and actual work experience. Typically when you sign up for an apprenticeship program you're matched with a restaurant or other food service organization and work for wages in a variety of positions. You also spend time in a classroom during the program, which generally lasts from two to three years.

Hybrid Path

A full, formal culinary education is often an expensive undertaking, but it can also teach you skills that might take even longer to learn on the job. For example, sous chefs don't often get the chance to work in pastry. However, another option is to work at your trade and concurrently take classes that advance your skills without going for a degree. This works especially well if you want to specialize in a technique or cuisine, just want to take classes as needed and don't need formal training in some areas.

Resource: http://work.chron.com/