Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Anyone wishing to cook professionally should follow RichardF's advice: Work in the industry for a while before enrolling in an expensive school. I attended one of the top tier schools mentioned in Severson's article. While many of my classmates had plenty of experience in the industry, many did not and were in for a rude awakening. Entering any career with sizable student debt is a burden but it is even more difficult to bear in an industry known for less than stellar wages. Those seeking professional training should make doubly sure that they are not signing on for more debt than they can service with a typical starting wage in their area. No matter what the admissions people might say, $30 to 40K starting salaries are not all that common. The ACF also has an apprenticeship program that might be worth exploring.