For 40 years of natural foods and health-supportive culinary education, Natural Gourmet Institute was the leader in teaching students the art of healthful, plant-based and sustainable cooking. Making the commitment to attend culinary school is not easy, so NGI compiled six reasons why you should take your passion for cooking to the next level and become a professional chef.
- Chefs are in Demand:Job prospects are great for chefs and head cooks! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for chefs and head cooks is projected to grow 9 percent through 2024, which is higher than the average for all occupations[1]. In Texas, California, and New York alone, projected job openings for Chefs and Head Cooks is expected to increase 30, 27, and 26 percent respectively.
- More Than Just Chef Jobs: Your diploma in culinary arts can open a wide variety of doors, and not just restaurants. Many culinary school graduates pursue occupations such as health coach, private chef, caterer, food stylist, nutritionist, food scientist, farmer, teacher, food writer, TV personality, and many others!
- Professional Satisfaction:Whether you are just starting your career, making a change in your professional path, or enhancing your current occupation, it is important to feel fulfilled in your career path. If you’d rather tackle a recipe than an excel sheet; prepare a dinner rather than a presentation; review a menu rather than a peer; bake a pie rather than make a pie chart; and create stunning food photography rather than manipulate clip art, pursuing a diploma in culinary arts is a great way for you to pursue your passions and work towards professional satisfaction.
- Hone Your Skills and Expand Your Knowledge: Although cooking at home or training in a kitchen allows you to learn the necessary techniques of cooking, in culinary school you’ll master the techniques under the guidance of experienced master chefs, learn the science and theory behind cooking methods and theories, and develop your culinary intuition. You’ll graduate prepared to walk into the kitchens of top restaurants, publish a blog, and create menus to satisfy the most selective palates and health requirements.
- Networking: Culinary school provides the opportunity to network with other like-minded chefs-in-training, alumni, and expert chef instructors. You will likely meet people from various backgrounds and different parts of the world in the classroom or in a restaurant/food company kitchen, giving you the chance to explore different areas of the food industry.
- Expertise: Have you heard the saying, “To be the best, you have to learn from the best?” In culinary school, you are taught by experienced chefs and leaders in the food industry, who provide hands-on skills, mentorship, and culinary knowledge that is hard to find elsewhere.
This post was originally published by the Natural Gourmet Institute, which closed in 2019. See 12 reasons to attend ICE, and learn more about today's Natural Gourmet Center.