These days, culinary school isn’t just about what goes on inside the kitchen. As more and more people are taking notice of where their food comes and how it is grown, it is becoming increasingly common for professionals to look at the agricultural side of the industry. For those interested in the culinary field, this represents a great opportunity to build a career unlike any other.
Agriculture and Culinary School
Most of us assume there is just one agricultural career: farming. While farmers can and do make up a large portion of the job pool, they aren’t the only ones responsible for providing us with the food we eat everyday. From the pilot of a crop duster to lawyers who specialize in agricultural law, the process of getting food from the farm and into our mouths is a long one involving professionals from every background.
Many culinary schools and universities are taking advantage of the wide spread of agriculture by including courses on farming and food production into their curriculum. You might take classes in culinary sustainability, food ecology, breaking down and cooking with the whole animal, or even hands-on gardening for the restaurant setting. These types of courses are meant to compliment culinary training, and can help create a unique approach to working as a chef.
However, you can also move closer to the farming side (and further from the kitchen) and still combine both sets of skills. For example, jobs that tap into both sides of food production include:
- Agricultural Journalist
- Agricultural Photographer
- Agritourism Manager
- Agronomist
- Beef Producer
- Meat Scientist
- Beekeeper
- Nutritionist
- Pick-Your-Own Producer
- Poultry Scientist
- Vegetable Farmer
- Fish Farmer
- Viticulturist
- Food Scientist
- Fruit and Nut Producer
In most of these career options, there will be a strong educational or experiential component, since food production requires you to remain in keeping with national food safety and FDA regulations. At the same time, if you would like to incorporate just part of the career into your food service (for example, keeping your own bees for the honey you use to sweeten your baked goods), you will need to work within the framework of local laws and be properly trained first.
Many top culinary schools like the Culinary Institute of America are jumping on board this idea by offering courses in food sustainability and sound practices. If this component of the industry appeals to you, be sure and find a school that is tied into the local farming landscape and that promotes a safe and healthy approach to the foods we all eat.
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