# Confused as to Career Path



## nicholastrinor (Sep 26, 2014)

Hello All. My name is Nicholas and im in my final semester of culinary school (Associate degree) and Im not sure as to what I can do with that qualification. I realise that i do not want to work as a chef and i would like to know what besides cooking can i do with my associate degree in culinary management .


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## laurenlulu (Sep 9, 2012)

Just curious, why did you choose this path not knowing what goal you wanted to reach?


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## mckallidon (Feb 14, 2015)

Nothing!  Hope this helps!  Heck, I cannot even do anything with a real degree.  Good thing I love cooking.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

mckallidon said:


> Nothing! Hope this helps! Heck, I cannot even do anything with a real degree. Good thing I love cooking.


What is a real degree?

Comments like that are a good example of why our industry is so slow to gain respect. Thanks for the step backwards.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

mckallidon said:


> Nothing! Hope this helps! Heck, I cannot even do anything with a real degree. Good thing I love cooking.


I don't really want an answer to this question, it is more for you to ask yourself and answer...why do you work in a profession that you have little regard for?


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## mckallidon (Feb 14, 2015)

cheflayne said:


> What is a real degree?
> 
> Comments like that are a good example of why our industry is so slow to gain respect. Thanks for the step backwards.





cheflayne said:


> I don't really want an answer to this question, it is more for you to ask yourself and answer...why do you work in a profession that you have little regard for?


There's a little misunderstanding here. I really did word part of that a little improper at some horribly odd hour. I'm still on no sleep. I was up all night cooking lol. My intent was to emphasize he has less regard for cooking than me. My bad. Hence the Good thing I love cooking. Um. I'm not trying to be difficult but I have higher regard than most people who work in the biz despite my poor wording of a snarky response at an odd hour half-poorly articulated, half taken out of context because of it. I should have said more advanced, or more education, which is truthfully what I meant. A great decoration on my wall, nothing more. I actually not regret not pursuing my passion when I was younger and getting out to NY while my knees were fresh so I could please my family. I work in the biz because I want to, I don't have to.

Cooks and Chefs can be the most honest people making the most honest living these days. The fraternal orders of most professions protect their own and can sweep stuff under the rug and chisel people and the state. We cannot. Karma acts on us fast. The odds are stacked against us and we do not get handouts, and yes, often no respect either. That is one reason why I respect it. A chef, a restaurant, they have to actually give people something of value for what it is worth to get by. Corporate America, almost all "professions", government workers have used the state to secure their livelihoods in one form or another. Not people who cook. To be fair, the actions of many people are the step backbards, more so than poorly chosen words. I don;t blame you for resenting them. I mean no disrespect. Btw. I think you post great stuff and are like the good ones I've worked for.

In my opinion, it is THE art. Before ochre animals were painted on walls, clay pots and music, we were cooking. In fact, when you look at the modern organization of the kitchen, the division of labor, it predates its application to manufacturing. Henry Ford gets credited for the assembly line when he borrowed it from old European kitchens.

In my opinion, there is a low regard for the trade, because of McDonalds, Corporate America, Red Lobster, Hell's Kitchen and many of the people from line cook to owner that are a disgrace because they have no respect for food. Money and drugs take over many people's work and life, and because it is such a free for all unlike say medicine, too many people start restaurants that shouldn't even be the assistant manager of a Subway franchise. The step backwards is people going into it mindlessly and not even wanting to do it.

But anyways. Take care. Keep the good posts coming. Keep being the obviously good chef that you are. Sorry if that upset you man. I understand. Peace.


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## johncoombs (Feb 21, 2015)

Nicholastrinor said:


> Hello All. My name is Nicholas and im in my final semester of culinary school (Associate degree) and Im not sure as to what I can do with that qualification. I realise that i do not want to work as a chef and i would like to know what besides cooking can i do with my associate degree in culinary management


If you still want to stay in food go FOH... You will still be around food, but most of the time make more money. Work into management and when you get there you can leverage your FOH and BOH experience to advance your career.


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## remi love (Apr 9, 2015)

Hello here is some real world advice for you when I got out of school I was cocky , arrogant, thought I knew everything . I did this for years into my career . Drop the attitude and so what you went to culinary school !! Take a lower job like line cook or something on that level and learn what you can do with what you have gained from school . Take a lot of lower level jobs and move all over and pick the places you by what you will get out of the experience. learn from the best and grow . You re not management just be cause you have a degree you have to learn management in the real world what they teach you in school is good stuff but how you apply it makes you a professional. and leave the attitude and the chip on the shoulder at home learn , learn ,learn and apply what you have learned in school and learn what makes a true culinary professional.


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## manyfacedchef (May 28, 2015)

Hey man, can't really relate exactly. I had some good luck out of school, found a restaurant and head chef I liked, and basically followed him around for the first part of my career. I'm thinking about a transition now and have used Tapwage (a job search website) to think about the future. They have some solid chef jobs there.


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