As unemployment continues to rise, many Americans are leaving unfulfilling jobs. Women and men alike are leaving their jobs in the nation’s most important industries to enter the professional kitchen.
“Our culinary arts and pastry career programs have been attracting students of all ages and professional backgrounds,”Rick Smilow is the president of the Institute of Culinary Education, New York City. “We have everyone from former Wall Street bankers to marketing managers to talented kids out of high school or college, all of whom are looking to switch careers in the rocky economy.”
A diploma from a top culinary school does not guarantee a job as a chef. Many culinary school graduates are now using their degrees to pursue careers in hospitality, food media, and start-ups. Professionally trained chefs can command boards or kitchens, which allows them the opportunity to dive into an industry that is more driven by their passions than any economic gain.
“Our students go on to work in some of the top restaurants in the country,”Smilow stated. “But they aren’t all working directly as chefs; a lot of them get involved in fields like research and development at major food brands, work in food media or are entrepreneurs building food businesses.”
As many people are feeling discouraged by the economy, rising enrollments in culinary schools may indicate a trend of career-changers. The economy may be in decline, but attitudes will rise as more Americans discover happiness in the culinary world.
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