International Food Education: Why It's Important for Future Chefs

As someone interested in culinary arts, you may have a favorite cuisine already. Maybe it's a tradition passed down through your family. Maybe it's something unexpected that you show a natural aptitude for. Whatever you love to cook, it's important to think like a culinarian when it comes to different cuisines and food styles. Part of the fun and importance of culinary school is that it's a place where you can experiment with unfamiliar ingredients and recipes and explore what kind of food the world offers.

Why Couldn't I Just Start Working at a Restaurant?

Imagine you decide to forgo culinary school. Instead, you get a job at an Italian restaurant washing dishes. After a few years, you move up to cook and start learning how to make various menu dishes.

The problem is that the only culinary training you've had is in casual American-Italian cuisine. If a new restaurant opens that's any other type of cuisine other than Italian, applying for a job there to widen your skills could prove difficult, as the only training you've had is in one type of food.

You could write on your application that you've made Indian food or Thai food in your home kitchen, but employers often look for applicants with previous commercial or educational experience. Even if you achieve your goal and get a job at an Indian restaurant, you are still only familiar with two types of cuisine. 

Why is Culinary School Important?

Now imagine you go to culinary school. You learn the basics, you learn mother sauces, you learn international dishes, and you learn how to combine cuisines while balancing flavors. You graduate with a culinary degree. Now when you apply for your first job, you probably won't have to start out washing dishes.

You could also tell future employers that you have studied a variety of cuisine. Even more importantly, you understand why some ingredients go other and others don't; culinary fusion, and recipe creation.

Fine dining restaurants are not just looking for someone who will do what they are told until the day they retire. They want experienced culinarians who could provide menu feedback, give opinions on dishes, and help create specials and menu items to attract more customers. If you aspire to be a chef, all of those tasks could be your job one day. There's no time like the present to start practicing and putting your culinary education to work.

What's So Special About International Food?

Formal training in international cuisine can sometimes make all the difference in a chef's prospects. After all, restaurants are a business have to remain profitable to keep their doors open. Customers are always on the lookout for something new to try. Even if they love a restaurant, they wouldn't want to eat the same few dishes every time they go.

Learning international food could expand your culinary experience and knowledge, so that you have a better foundation to build from. 

Are You Ready to Start Your Culinary Journey?

Are you fascinated by foods and flavors and want to enhance your skills while learning the restaurant business? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, ECPI University's Culinary Institute of Virginia offers the classes you could need to set yourself apart in the culinary world. For more information, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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