I'm thinking of going to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America)

[AgonyandIrony]

So I'm thinking of going back to culinary school, but I grew up poor and outside of my grandfather (who was a professor) not much of a college family.

This is the school. It's incredible, the best in the world, but incredibly expensive. I'll be trying for scholarships and I qualify for an advanced associates degree considering my long industry experience as well as grants. I also have a $1,000 scholarship because a CIA chef (my head chef in culinary school) and my current head chef is apart of the Kaiser family ( net work 10+Billion) and offered me a manager position after four days at work.

So, I mean I clearly take this serious as a life dream. Problem? Each semester is $15,000. That kind of debt scares the everliving shit out of me. Pell grants and scholarships and whatnot would knock off about five-10 grand a year though.

Anyone in student loan debt and happy they went to school?

 

[ens189]

Real close childhood friend of mine went there, got a great internship at Foxwoods in CN now he makes real good money at the Ritz in NY.

 

[IThinkNot]

**Edit*** sorry i just read that your already working in the industry.
If this is what you want to do, I say save up as much as you can and maybe a couple years down the line you can go for it. If not maybe find another school that's similar or close to CIA in caliber? if thats possible?

 

[AgonyandIrony]

Real close childhood friend of mine went there, got a great internship at Foxwoods in CN now he makes real good money at the Ritz in NY.

I really want to get the bachelor degree. The international externship looks absolutely incredible.

Our Italian travel experience is a true Food, Wine, and (Agri)culture Trip. While Italian language studies are not required for the seminar, it integrates seamlessly with the study of Italian here at The Culinary. From their first day of Italian classes, BPS students learn about Italy's twenty regions. They do research and write reports about them. They taste their wines and their different cuisines. When students participate in the Food, Wine, and (Agri)culture Trip, they visit eight of the twenty regions. They land in Venice and, after traveling all through the Italian peninsula for twenty one days, they depart from Naples. They taste as many as forty eight of the best wines, including Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino. They eat all the famous delicacies of each region. They visit the major museums of the various cities that they tour. It is a unique gastronomic and cultural trip. In truth, regular travelers to Italy would never have this experience; it is only possible for us as students and faculty of The Culinary. - See more at: http://www.ciachef.edu/travel-italy/#sthash.Cui835ta.dpuf

I would love to fuck with the pizza in Italy. Totally going to call a motherfucker out. They take dough tossing seriously over there.

 

[Magooglie]

Wait, so someone offered you a manager position somewhere already or he wants you to have a degree for that position?

What does having this degree provide you that you wouldn't be able to attain without it?

 

[AgonyandIrony]

I wouldn't go this route.

I really wanted to be a chef as a kid and still have a great passion for it now.
I am glad i didn't go that route, it's very tough in the early years, you won't make much money at all.
Maybe put this off until you can afford it, do something else that interests you in healthcare/accounting for example, so you can get a job.

But if you say f&#$ all that and this is what you want to do because your so damn passionate than go for it, but i think you should apprentice at a local restaurant first for a couple years and start working. That experience and networking you gain might be beneficial to you later on.

Best of luck!

Ah I should have said my experience. I graduated culinary school in 06 as part of a high school program. Have worked in some amazing places since I was 14 and recently placed #2 at the World Pizza Games for dough tossing. I've been doing this a long time and I consider myself a very good chef. I cook for people, not for money.

This is about learning. But it comes with a huge cost for me having never you know..spent that kind of cash on anything or taken out any large loans before.

 

[AgonyandIrony]

Wait, so someone offered you a manager position somewhere already or he wants you to have a degree for that position?

What does having this degree provide you that you wouldn't be able to attain without it?

No, I got offered it just because it's super easy and I can delegate motherfuckers in a kitchen. Plus most of those cats have no clue about how to work in the food industry.

That really made me think that with turning 25 this month it's kind of the right time. Although I always thought I was too old for college at this point.

 

[IThinkNot]

Ah I should have said my experience. I graduated culinary school in 06 as part of a high school program. Have worked in some amazing places since I was 14 and recently placed #2 at the World Pizza Games for dough tossing. I've been doing this a long time and I consider myself a very good chef. I cook for people, not for money.

This is about learning. But it comes with a huge cost for me having never you know..spent that kind of cash on anything or taken out any large loans before.

yeah sorry i read your experience and edited my post.

I agree with you , i share the same passion for food but i listened to my family and went another route lol

I say you save up for a couple of years than go for it, because i think the high end restaurants hire grads from these type of institutions.
Is your plan to work at a Michelin star restaurant then open up your own joint or what are your long term goals?

 

[AgonyandIrony]

yeah sorry i read your experience and edited my post.

I agree with you , i share the same passion for food but i listened to my family and went another route lol

I say you save up for a couple of years than go for it, because i think the high end restaurants hire grads from these type of institutions.
Is your plan to work at a Michelin star restaurant then open up your own joint or what are your long term goals?

International Pizza competitions, other cooking competitions as well.

[YT]5wAdWHtJfXU[/YT]

I'm working on a cook book now as well as in planning stages of a youtube cooking show called "Sauced" (Ending with a mega drunk bar food review.)


My loose 10 year plan is food show on youtube, food truck, get it running how I want it and staff it and just check up on it and use it as a way to get my food out there. Eventually I want to open a few different restaurants.

My dad has been looking at getting a grant to open Rude Boys Pizzeria for awhile now and I figure I can train up his crew, set up his menu, staff it, and get an ownership piece. Problem is I fucking hate my hometown.

Basically I'm waiting on my first break and my first big opportunity to showcase my food and abilities through various business ventures. The dough tossing as retarded as it looks means a lot in the pizza industry. People flew from around the world to compete in it.

 

[Michaelangelo]

I'd rather attend the National Saut

 

[AgonyandIrony]

I'd rather attend the National Saut

 

[IThinkNot]

International Pizza competitions, other cooking competitions as well.

[YT]5wAdWHtJfXU[/YT]

I'm working on a cook book now as well as in planning stages of a youtube cooking show called "Sauced" (Ending with a mega drunk bar food review.)


My loose 10 year plan is food show on youtube, food truck, get it running how I want it and staff it and just check up on it and use it as a way to get my food out there. Eventually I want to open a few different restaurants.

My dad has been looking at getting a grant to open Rude Boys Pizzeria for awhile now and I figure I can train up his crew, set up his menu, staff it, and get an ownership piece. Problem is I fucking hate my hometown.

Basically I'm waiting on my first break and my first big opportunity to showcase my food and abilities through various business ventures. The dough tossing as retarded as it looks means a lot in the pizza industry. People flew from around the world to compete in it.

A successful food truck and pizzeria would be great income!

If you can save up and start a food truck, that's a great way to showcase your skills!

Maybe that's how you save up for the Culinary Institute!

Let us know your Youtube channel when it's up, ill subscribe!

 

[monkey king**]

No, I got offered it just because it's super easy and I can delegate motherfuckers in a kitchen. Plus most of those cats have no clue about how to work in the food industry.

That really made me think that with turning 25 this month it's kind of the right time. Although I always thought I was too old for college at this point.

you're never too old for college.go for it,brah

 

[Northern]

Everyone's experience is different, but generally going to university for cooking/culinary is a very BAD return on your investment. Let me emphasize unless you are very lucky, and have connections, you have a very real chance of working as a 10 dollar an hour food prep chef. If you search there are threads on sherdog and lots of exposes on the internet about education and culinary arts.

I know it's not as glamorous, but if your interested in food, you will learn more working in a restaurant, working your way up. You also have the additional benefit of networking (which is extremely important). Most restaurants don't care about any degrees, but your cooking talent and how dependable you are. Lastly a degree in culinary arts practically worthless, outside the restaurant industry, where it's not needed. If you get a degree make sure it's in hospitality management or business, so if the restaurant biz isn't for you, you have a fall back plan.

 

[IThinkNot]

Everyone's experience is different, but generally going to university for cooking/culinary is a very BAD return on your investment. Let me emphasize unless you are very lucky, and have connections, you have a very real chance of working as a 10 dollar an hour food prep chef. If you search there are threads on sherdog and lots of exposes on the internet about education and culinary arts.

I know it's not as glamorous, but if your interested in food, you will learn more working in a restaurant, working your way up. You also have the additional benefit of networking (which is extremely important). Most restaurants don't care about any degrees, but your cooking talent and how dependable you are. Lastly a degree in culinary arts practically worthless, outside the restaurant industry, where it's not needed. If you get a degree make sure it's in hospitality management or business, so if the restaurant biz isn't for you, you have a fall back plan.

agreed

i think you should start your food truck buisness@TS

 

[Randy Marsh]

Everyone's experience is different, but generally going to university for cooking/culinary is a very BAD return on your investment. Let me emphasize unless you are very lucky, and have connections, you have a very real chance of working as a 10 dollar an hour food prep chef. If you search there are threads on sherdog and lots of exposes on the internet about education and culinary arts.

I know it's not as glamorous, but if your interested in food, you will learn more working in a restaurant, working your way up. You also have the additional benefit of networking (which is extremely important). Most restaurants don't care about any degrees, but your cooking talent and how dependable you are. Lastly a degree in culinary arts practically worthless, outside the restaurant industry, where it's not needed. If you get a degree make sure it's in hospitality management or business, so if the restaurant biz isn't for you, you have a fall back plan.

Based on my extensive knowledge of the industry from watching food/chef tv shows, I'd say this post is spot on.

 

[AgonyandIrony]

Everyone's experience is different, but generally going to university for cooking/culinary is a very BAD return on your investment. Let me emphasize unless you are very lucky, and have connections, you have a very real chance of working as a 10 dollar an hour food prep chef. If you search there are threads on sherdog and lots of exposes on the internet about education and culinary arts.

I know it's not as glamorous, but if your interested in food, you will learn more working in a restaurant, working your way up. You also have the additional benefit of networking (which is extremely important). Most restaurants don't care about any degrees, but your cooking talent and how dependable you are. Lastly a degree in culinary arts practically worthless, outside the restaurant industry, where it's not needed. If you get a degree make sure it's in hospitality management or business, so if the restaurant biz isn't for you, you have a fall back plan.

^^ Didn't read thread.

 

[Randy Marsh]

^^ Didn't read thread.

Cook your signature dish and post it in this thread. If you get enough votes, you move on to the second round.

 

[AgonyandIrony]

Based on my extensive knowledge of the industry from watching food/chef tv shows, I'd say this post is spot on.

Yes and no. Going to a big culinary school out of high school? I can see it, but the amount of knowledge gained from the best chefs in the world seems right for someone with a distinctive culinary style.

Anthony Bordains slam on culinary school is for those that might not be serious about working in the industry. If you watch Top Chef or any of those programs, the majority are classically trained chefs. Not to mention that if someone didn't go to culinary school they bring it up themselves "I know I didn't go to culinary school but.."

 

[AgonyandIrony]

Cook your signature dish and post it in this thread. If you get enough votes, you move on to the second round.

I actually started a thread awhile back about opening a food truck and some of my food is posted in there.

Not to mention I worked at a world winning pizzeria for two years as a kitchen lead.

As to random shit I like to cook, I make my own sausage and this dish was fantastic.

Bottom of the bowl was a roasted tomatillo sauce, using my sauce bottle a checkerboard of a black bean sauce,, a thick pico, butterflied homemade pork chorizo sausage, topped with seared queso blanco, topped with fried tortilla strips.

Pure sex. I'm a big believer in the texture of each bite and it came out well. I might drop the pico though, was sort of a pain in the ass to cut considering how I plated it.

I tested the recipe and I plan on remaking it in the next week so I will take pics. Might even record it, I'm allowed to use the kitchen at night when we're closed.