Monthly Archive for April, 2010

Molecular Gastronomy and Culinary Schools

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on April 28, 2010
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One of the hottest new trends in the culinary education and professional market is molecular gastronomy. Although the name calls to mind evil scientists and laboratories with petri dishes full of bacteria, there is actually much about molecular gastronomy that appeals to chefs and diners of all ages.

In reality, molecular gastronomy is just another cooking technique that can be taught at culinary school, much like classical French training. It focuses on different types of cooking processes, especially as they can be improved upon using chemistry. Everything from liquid nitrogen to vacuum pressure cookers are used, allowing food to evolve into a new type of experience. In fact, chefs may use any combination of the following to get their dishes just right:

  • Thermal immersion circulators
  • Vacuum chambers
  • Miniature smokers
  • Liquid nitrogen
  • Thickening chemicals

Not all of molecular gastronomy is about new technologies, though. Some chefs are proponents of simply using kitchen materials in a new and interesting way. For example, making soup out of a juicer or cooking salmon by curing it on one side and applying heat on the other might also be considered part of the molecular gastronomy craze.

What’s important to note about molecular gastronomy is that it usually needs to be taught at the culinary school level or under the direction of a chef experienced in the field. After all, because chefs are potentially working with chemical reactions, it can be dangerous (to the chef and to the diners), if there isn’t enough training in place. And because it is such a relatively new field, molecular gastronomy is typically only taught at the bigger name schools like the Culinary Institute of America.

While there is much to recommend any type of culinary training that pushes the limits of human creativity, it’s important to remember that a good culinary base needs to be in place before adding molecular gastronomy to the list. If it’s a field you might be interested in learning more about, be sure and ask the culinary schools you’re considering if there is a class or chef-instructor on staff who can help you learn more about this exciting new field.

Culinary Schools and Regional Markets

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on April 21, 2010
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Culinary School and Regional MarketsMost top chefs depend on fresh produce, non-frozen cuts of meat, and newly-caught seafood to put out the best possible products in their restaurants. After all, a dish is only as good as its ingredients, and in the culinary world, fresh is better. That’s why places like Maine are known for their lobster, Seattle and San Diego consistently put out top seafood, and your favorite restaurant might rotate the vegetables it serves depending on the season.

What many aspiring chefs don’t realize, however, is that regional markets play a role in getting a quality culinary education, too. Not only are a higher concentration of culinary schools available in foodie centers like New York, California, and Texas, but much of the education you get in these locations is based on what types of ingredients are readily available both seasonally and year-round.

It can be difficult to make sushi in the Midwestern states unless there is a transport system that brings seafood directly from the coast, unfrozen and in the peak of its season. It can be equally difficult to make a Southern style BBQ with authentic flavors if you’re living off the coast of Alaska.

If you’re interested in learning about a specific type of cooking (classical French, Italian, molecular gastronomy) or specific ingredients (seafood, organic and/or vegan foods), you might want to consider the regional markets before you choose which culinary school to attend. Many schools offer specialty classes or even concentrations that go above and beyond basic training to target those interested in niche culinary markets. Many of them also promote regional flavors and products as a way to draw in a student base that much more serious about getting a good culinary education.

The prevalence of regional markets can be considered a drawback or advantage to shorter culinary programs, as well. For example, a six-month training course might have you learning either in the summer or in the winter, with very little overlap between the apples, pomegranates, and butternut squash that mark the fall months or the strawberries and asparagus of the spring. And while you might still learn basic techniques and food properties, you’re not getting the hands-on and palate training of fresh, seasonal produce.

Culinary Schools in Big Cities vs. Smaller Cities

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on April 16, 2010
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Culinary Schools in Big Cities vs Small CitiesIt’s a big, wide world out there, and the opportunities for your culinary education are endless. While many career paths will take you to the big city, that’s not always the case with culinary school. Every town and city has their own recipes and flavors, and you can find inspiration and some top culinary schools in smaller cities as well as in the big cities. So, how do you know which environment is the right place for you?

You probably already know the dynamics of a big city. They tend to be bustling and are filled with people, culture, and things to do.  Being so large, however, it’s easy to feel like you’re lost in a crowd. Attending cooking school or baking school in a large city can really give you a diverse education and set you up for working in a city with tremendous opportunities. Some of the things you should think about if you plan to attend culinary college in a big city are:

  • Lots of job opportunities after you graduate
  • With so much variety in cuisine, it’s easier to specialize
  • The variety of cuisines allows you to learn almost anything
  • More culinary colleges in the area, so there are more graduates
  • With so many professionals in the area, it’s harder to network

Smaller cities don’t have to be one-stoplight towns, however. While they may not have the range of cuisine that a larger city offers, they make up for it with in-depth experiences in regional flavors as well as with a closer-knit society of professionals to learn from and network with. If you are thinking about attending culinary arts school in a smaller town, here are some things you should consider:

  • A smaller group of professionals can offer better mentoring
  • Fewer cooking school graduates mean your skills are in demand
  • More comprehensive experiences with regional cuisine
  • Less opportunity to specialize in cuisine uncommon to the area

No matter which way you look at it, smaller cities and big cities each have plenty to offer an institute of culinary education graduate. Just take the time to decide what environment suits you best, as well as where you plan to take your career after culinary arts school. You’ll be able to figure out where the best place is for you to attend cooking school and begin your exciting career.

The Difference Between Baking School and Pastry School

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on April 13, 2010
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Difference Between Pastry and Baking SchoolMost of the time, “baking school” is an umbrella term used to describe everything related to the act of baking, including both baking and the pastry arts. After all, pastry and baking are really two sides of the same coin; each one includes a set of skills that leads to the creation of fabulous pies, cakes, and breads most often associated with the dessert course.

Although most schools offer baking and pastry arts as a combined course or diploma program, they are actually two different concepts. Both are required to become a truly accomplished pastry chef, but it is possible to focus on just one as a specialization.

Baking includes the real “meat” of the baking and pastry arts. It involves the creation of:

  • Breads
  • Doughs
  • Cookies
  • Scones
  • Pies
  • Tarts
  • Rolls

Pastry is really just the fancy stuff. It requires the hand of an artist and quite a bit of delicacy. It is the chocolate embellishments on top of the cake, the sugar-sprinkled flowers, and often times the delicate puff of a successful meringue.

When you’re looking for a baking and pastry school, make sure the courses contain exactly what it is you’re after. A straight baking course will probably skip over the small intricacies that make desserts fun and light. A straight pastry course might not teach all the skills you need to successfully integrate ingredients for mass production in an industrial kitchen. If you’re looking for just one or the other, that’s great, and you might be able to save quite a lot of time and money by only focusing on one aspect.

However, if you want a comprehensive culinary education that may lead to a restaurant job or the ability to open a bakery of your own, make sure both baking and pastry get a front seat role. Both sets of skills can go a long way in making your culinary career a success.

Cooking Class Options: Food and Wine Pairings

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on April 8, 2010
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Food and Wine PairingsA good culinary education can mean a number of things. For students looking to learn everything at a big name school with big name post-graduation opportunities, it might be defined as a four-year program in which you live and breathe all things culinary. For students in search of a quick program that will teach them the skills needed to find entry-level kitchen work, a community college program or an intensive training course at a private vocational facility might be more the thing.

For students who simply want to boost one small portion of a larger interest in all things culinary, cooking classes provide a perfect solution. Offered through big-name schools, private chef tutors, and even continuing education courses, cooking classes tend to be both cost-effective and entertaining.

Cooking classes are usually defined as any program that lasts just a few in-kitchen hours. Some courses run over a period of six weeks, with students coming by for one or two hours in the evening one day a week. Other cooking classes are weekend or day programs, wherein students spend a few hours learning about a particular type of cuisine or skill.

Of these types of cooking classes, one of the most popular options is food and wine pairings. Thanks to a higher interest in gastronomic refinement than ever before, many home cooks and aspiring chefs are using wine pairings as way to bring a new level of fun and class to their food.

Many of the things you will learn in a food and wine pairing cooking class have to do with the wine itself (the sorts of things that sommeliers are experts at). You may learn how to:

  • Detect flavors and intensity in wine
  • Contrast and complement textures and flavors in the food
  • Distinguish between the different types of wine
  • Prepare and serve wine
  • Use appropriate glassware for service

Of course, one of the best things about a food and wine pairing cooking class is that you have to sample both the wines and the foods in order to make the best decisions for your palate! Whether you’re interested in furthering your culinary career or you want to explore new options in your personal accomplishments, cooking schools that teach these kinds of courses can provide the perfect solution for your lifestyle and  your budget.

Why Baking School Can Equal Big Dough

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on April 2, 2010
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Baking SchoolBaking school tends to get a bad reputation when set against its bigger, more glamorous older brother culinary school. Culinary school is often viewed as the place for the creative artist, where cooking food takes second place to the act of combining ingredients with flair, panache, and all those things that bring something new and interesting to the palate. Baking school, on the other hand, is where students go to learn facts; where ingredient ratios are considered just as important as new creations.

While there is certainly more to both culinary school and baking school, there is one factor that’s often overlooked in the comparison of the two. Baking school often leads to more opportunities in the culinary field and a higher income upon graduation. Here’s why:

  • Baking school has less competition. Because baking school doesn’t have quite the same reputation as culinary school, baking programs tend to be easier to get into—particularly at the more prestigious schools. This means you have a better chance of boosting your resume with a name employers recognize. It also means there are fewer graduates competing for jobs.
  • Baking school leads to incredible specializations. Nothing spells profit quite so much as the baking industry, especially when you consider things like wedding and special event cakes. At up to $2,000 per cake, this higher end of the baking industry can really help you turn a profit.
  • Baking school is part of a booming industry. Bakers tend to be in higher demand than those with a culinary degree. After all, even most grocery stores have a bakery, and a quality education can go a long way in moving you up the ranks to the top tier of professionals in these more low-key venues.

Although you should never choose any culinary career based solely on earning potential, baking school is worth a second look. If you simply love being around food, it might be a better long-term investment to find a school that teaches culinary basics as well as a specialization in baking and pastry arts.