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I was contemplating chef-dom as my choice for a career change (from successful Broadway actor). French Culinary Institute, among others, dangled the prospect of 'quickly becoming executive chef' after graduation (and after 80k in tuition). In my interview with them, they had a nicely wrapped package of many financial aid options, insisting how easy it was to borrow up to 100k to go to their school. I really dodged a bullet. First of all, I of course LOVE to cook. But, at 35, was I ready to sweat out making minimum wage for a few years to hopefully make sous chef, probably earning 35k then? I still love to cook, for my friends, at my house on the weekends -- a reward for my 10-6 job in the city that, while not nearly as exciting as mastering sauces, pays me what I would earn as an executive chef in a country club.

dude, there's a restaurant paying $15/hour for line work???? sign me up!

Here is another side of this story. Culinary schools, including the expensive ones, can do a lot of good for a young chef, or even a not so young chef. My experience was that I was a self-taught cook, with a management degree and several years of kitchen management / executive chef title under my belt before I felt the need to borrow the money to go to school. The experience I had at school was maybe not so typical. I did not take a tour, I did not meet admissions reps, and I did not tour other schools. I had a game plan to go to a particular school and that’s where I ended up. It gave me the reasons why and how we do the things we do and allowed me to have a broader base of my educational and culinary existential pyramid. It did not automatically make me a great chef. It allowed me the chance to become one, and whether that has happened is up to my peers. Would I choose differently now? Possibly? Do I regret it? NO! I just wish I had the fundamentals that were taught at the school earlier in my career. (And I wish I had another way of paying for it.)

Later as an instructor at that same school, it became quite apparent that there were two main types of students. But there was one main type of admission rep and philosophy of the school (and it seems of most schools). Get butts in the seats (or kitchens, or classrooms). Theoretically the entrance requirements state: a year of experience, an entrance essay, an interview by a faculty member, and a number of other qualifications. In practice the school would waive all of that, all the time. This allowed the serious minded, knows what he is getting into student, to be mingled with a larger majority of the ‘hey its cool to be in cooking school, but I don’t know what I want to do with my life’ students. Schools main focuses are to make money. And even the passionate, gifted, ‘want to pass on their knowledge’ instructors are given the line that it is more important to turn out quantity, not quality.

My further advice is thus:

In your tour of whatever school, ask the instructors for their opinions of the industry and education. DO NOT TRUST THE REP! They are there to fill up the classes and will tell you anything. It is up to you to take your future in your hands and ask the questions of the people who might tell you the truth, those who have cooked professionally before, not those who are in the ‘sales of cooking school’ area. I don’t know how many times I gave speeches to prospective students and their parents and volunteered ‘gruesome industry tales and financial woes’, and then asked ‘are there any other questions?, I am here right now to tell you all about it….anyone?” And then the group would move on without really learning anything. Don’t be afraid to ask. And then evaluate those answers according to your needs.

Japanese people love your site!

Any excuse to break out the bubbly is welcome to me; but this site - well, I'll break out the Dom Perignon (as soon as my last baby comes home from college for the holidays, he'd kill me not sharing!). I'm wishing you bon chance, but I don't think you'll need it. The design is very, very good - attractive in a business-y way, and the content holds much promise.

What should I serve with that champagne? I'm thinking pumpernickel diamonds with a thin smear of very thick sour cream and a few grains of caviar?

Tequila shots for everyone! Vamanos! Muy buena suerte!