# Anyone who could answer questions for a school application?



## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

I live in a small community and am having trouble filling out some research papers for a school application. I hope to attend either a culinary or pastry course this coming September and would appreciate any help I can get.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! 

1.On a typical day in your position, what do you do?
2.What type of training or education is required for this type of work?
3.Where have you received your training to work in this field?
4.What part of the job do you enjoy the most?
5.What part of the job do you dislike the most?
6.What does a person generally starting out in this position do?
7.What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field?
8.Is there a demand for people in this occupation?
9.What advice would you give someone entering this field?
10.How did you find your job?
11.Who would you recommend I speak with in order to gather additional information?


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

No one?


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

Ure not the 1st to post such & come up snake eyes.

Maybe u should really think about what ure asking many

busy chefs to do. And why. Just sayin.


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## rbrad (Apr 29, 2011)

what are you looking for?..... it's a school application but you are asking about positions and fields...... research papers for a school application? if you are clearer about what you want then  lots of people will help but your post is pretty vague.why does living in a small community matter?


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

Not just for an application, I have to present information to a government organization for funding to put myself through school. It is between Culinary/Pastry Arts or IT.

I can see Pastry Arts being an enjoyable course as well as an enjoyable career. Culinary Arts being my second choice as I see it being a much more fast paced job. I've worked in kitchens but always on the bottom end of things, which makes things easier. I don't see me handling the stress of a nonstop kitchen well, let alone an entire restaurant.

I also have a bit of a sweet tooth /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Oh.

You are applying for a grant.

Those are pretty hard to do, no?

mimi


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

I am, more or less, already approved for funding based on medical conditions. I need to provide information showing I've done job research into whichever field it is I intend to get into. Because of a lack of job market in the fields which I was originally interested in, I went through a career counselor and picked three new job fields.

Being in a small town I'm limited as to people whom I could ask these questions face to face, which has lead me to this site. Which is quite resourceful, way beyond the few questions I need answered.


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## arugula (Sep 13, 2012)

Stage.


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

arugula said:


> Stage.


Stage?


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## arugula (Sep 13, 2012)

You want to center me out? Trying to make me look like a jerk? Why don't you try looking at a course discription or calling a schools guidance program? Because your defiantly not getting anymore help from me. Which I was looking forward to helping you. But now you can go pound salt.


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

I certainly didn't have to do much to make you look like a jerk, now did I? You did all the work for me.

I also do not believe I'm going to find many chefs in a guidance office.

Good luck running your business. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

> I certainly didn't have to do much to make you look like a jerk, now did I? You did all the work for me.


Way I see it, the "work" done here has nothing to do with Arugula, and everything to do with how YOU'RE looking.


> This site is obviously not about professionalism...


Okay just so we're straight here.....

you've developed a problem with one chef in here who was offering their time

to help you, and from this you've concluded this entire site is at fault?

And you've posted your PM's as your "evidence"?

Wherein you were asked for clarification and wouldn't give it. The only real

problem I see is that they somehow offended you by calling you kid.

Well firstly, the word kid can be relative to the one using the word.....

Secondly, there's a very old culinary saying....

"If it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck....

then pluck it, marinade it and throw it in a slow braise for 4 hours,

cuz chances are it IS a duck."

Sounds more like this whole thing is based more on your frustration at not

getting your list answered. Well to me anyway, the questions you list, within

the context of your explanation, don't make much sense. And not only that....

they're a bit VAGUE.

And your last few comments seem to indicate you have no respect for this established

site, or the many dedicated pros in here who really are here to help, if they can.

You have only to look at hundreds of prior posts to see the truth in that.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

First, nobody wants to type that much.  Even the first question requires at least a full page.  Next, these are the same questions we get asked over and over again by culinary students and potential culinary students.  Frankly, we're tired of these questions.  Most responses are pretty much the same anyway.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

My 2 cents before this thread is shut down.

You are all set for a government grant to go to school.

You "picked" 3 careers in the hospitality industry not because you have the passion but because they seem "fun".

From your previous posts you have worked a few entry level jobs and could not even hang with those (tell me again why you cannot question your former chef?)

You would prefer pastry because the BOH seems to be scary as it gets too busy.

I am mostly retired kid, but you are more than welcome to come and watch while I mix and bake and trim and fill and stack and dirty ice and roll out fondant (lets pretend the bottom tier is 16 in) and get this huge piece of heavy sugar dough to the correct placement so (please God) it is centered and will cover properly.

That is all before I even think about how many dowels or straws I will need to hold all the tiers centered and defy gravity.

Oh yeah, then I still need to pipe a thouand different spring flowers.

So lets make a couple of gallons of royal icing and color different amouts (hope I got that yellow right) and fill forty piping bags and dig out the proper tips for said flowers and then spend all nite decorating because the caterer wants this behemouth there by ten am.

So.

You may want to "pick" another 3 career paths, because if you have health issues that are bad enough to gain you disability payments you will never make it in this industry.

IMHO.

Kid.

mimi

* If your grant board asks you to do something, complete the task as assigned.

Nothing irks me more than the kid at the next desk cheating off my test.

m.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

flipflopgirl said:


> My 2 cents before this thread is shut down.


It's close.


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Skeletor, 

Here are some straight answers to your questions. 

1. I cook food.

2. culinary school

3. culinary school

4.cooking

5. washing dishes

6.wash dishes

7. minimum wage to 40K yr or more depending on the position

8. Yes.

9. go to culinary school.

10. I filled out an application.

11. Another chef. 

Your questions have been answered.


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

To start, I'd like to say thanks to Pete for the help.

Secondly, I'd like to point out that these questions were handed to me and need to be filled out, as is. As mimi stated, "* If your grant board asks you to do something, complete the task as assigned. Nothing irks me more than the kid at the next desk cheating off my test." which is what I have been attempting to do.

I also didn't just 'pick' these courses, I was helped along by a career counselor. We came to the conclusion that since I suffer from the health problems that I do, which have led me to not have much passion for anything, that a place where I am happy, comfortable and kept busy, would be a good start. I may not have "passion" as you say but we all do need some form of income in our lives. Considering I am no longer able to jack up houses and haven't been for almost 10 years, I've been stuck in dead end jobs since. The last job, having made serious attempts to throw my employment into the wind because my employer and I don't share the same religious views or views on human rights. I was given EI after a long battle with these people, which has also had effects on my health...

The monies I would receive for my schooling would not be coming as a disability payment but as a government grant, given to me for being in financial hardship, in a small town where you can't even get a job with a real Chef. Unless those of you here who have dedicated yourselves to your career consider burger flippers or Tim Horton's bakers Chefs...

You can also close this thread any time you please, it obviously isn't doing anyone any good anyway.

And again, thanks Pete! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

> The hours are long, physically demanding, pay is poor, your social life will be non-existent, it will take you five years to become a competent line cook, ten to become Chef de Partie, 15 for Sous Chef, and probably 20-25 for Chef.


The long hours would suit my insomnia as well as keep my mind occupied, physically demanding only keeps me in a physical shape which isn't round, I'm used to low pay but anything above $12 per hour locally is good money, my social life has been non-existent since birth.

Which leaves the issue of time, part of the reason for the schooling is because of my age, at 28 with no direction, it's quite scary. Money is a horrible thing but we all need it and I would like to be in a stable position should I ever end up bringing new life into this world, so as to not make that life suffer and relive the life I've lived. Considering this information, maybe as much as I would love to, maybe the kitchen isn't the place for me. I could easily spend the next 10 years chasing after something I may never achieve in the time I have left.

Unlike some of you, no doubt most of you, the dream I chase isn't to be fantastic at something but only to have stability in my life for once.

Why am I yammering? Because if it wasn't for people like Pete, answering these questions, I may never have the answers I need to properly make the decisions I need to make.


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

chefwriter said:


> Skeletor,
> 
> Here are some straight answers to your questions.
> 
> ...


Much appreciated. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


> My 2 cents before this thread is shut down.
> 
> You are all set for a government grant to go to school.
> 
> ...


Also very appreciated. If we lived in the same town, I'd be quite happy to help and would only ask to lick any left over bowls and/or spoons!


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

flipflopgirl said:


> My 2 cents before this thread is shut down.
> 
> You are all set for a government grant to go to school.
> 
> ...


Also very appreciated!


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## rbrad (Apr 29, 2011)

SkeletoR.....it's a tough business that takes a long time to start making decent money at,especially if you want to stay in small town canada.it can be a very rewarding career that can offer lots of opportunities including travel but if you want or need to stay at home then maybe you should stick with the IT option that you were offered. you might land a job that you can work at from home.if you graduated from culinary/pastry would there even be any options available to you in your area?


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

rbrad said:


> SkeletoR.....it's a tough business that takes a long time to start making decent money at,especially if you want to stay in small town canada.it can be a very rewarding career that can offer lots of opportunities including travel but if you want or need to stay at home then maybe you should stick with the IT option that you were offered. you might land a job that you can work at from home.if you graduated from culinary/pastry would there even be any options available to you in your area?


I do plan moving from the east coast to the west coast, I have a few friends on Vancouver Island.

I would prefer to be out of the house, as part of my medical conditions requires CBT in order for things not to progressively get worse. That said it would make life easier to be able to pick and choose when I do need to be around a crowd.

I also picked IT as a course option because I do personally know a few people in this line of work, all of whom are self proclaimed "nerds" such as myself.

As far as option in my local area, it would be more of a matter of bringing that market to my local area. My biggest aspiration would be to open a business at some point.

It's late Friday night, so I'm not sure how much of this will come out to make sense, so I'll leave it at this.

I would also like to clarify that my passions in life could easily be refined to, women, food, business, psychology, plants and animals (other then human beings). Hope everyone has a great weekend and Merry Christmas!


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## rbrad (Apr 29, 2011)

I still say IT is your best choice.It's very hard to bring a food related business to a small community that doesn't have any history of restaurants......people get stuck in their ways and think $10 is a lot for a pasta or burger and will come out once and then continue to eat at home.If you already have friends on the island in IT that will make it easier for you.and lastly if you don't like people then professional cooking is not for you because it's a very stressful but social life and you need to work well with other people and introverts don't do well and depending on your medical condition you might need to miss work on a regular basis which won't be accepted.the money and hours are better for IT anyway........you really need to enjoy cooking to work in a professional kitchen and if you're on the fence always take the other choice.staging is working somewhere for free for a short period of time to gain experience and it was pretty good advice but someone should of explained it earlier.


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## skeletor (Nov 20, 2012)

I completely agree on all fronts.

I would also like to extend an apology to arugala for the misunderstanding as well as the hastiness on my part.


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## missyd (Nov 26, 2012)

I live just outside Vancouver & do have to say I have seen plenty of jobs available around this area as well as the Island.  I to have to have questionnaires filled out for my application for retraining program as I, as well as yourself, have a medical condition which is why I qualify to do so.  I too found it difficult trying to speak to anyone in person so I decided to fire off a bunch of emails.  Of the 30 or so I sent I only had about 6 get back to me but hey that was plenty enough.

Are you planning on attending culinary school out here?  I have been going to info sessions & tours of the schools in Vancouver over the past couple of weeks.  Everyone has told me VCC is the best program to get into, however, the wait list for the culinary arts program is 10 months and the backing & pastry arts program wait is 1 1/2 years.  If you were thinking about going this route then I would recommend you apply now as there is still no guarantee that there will be a spot come September.  I also went to Pacific Institution of Culinary Arts.  They have spots available as early as April but holy shit they are expensive ($36,000 for a 1 year program - 6 months culinary + 6 months pastry).  I am meeting with the AI next week so if you want more info about that I would be happy to let you know.

Best of luck whichever path you decide to travel on & try not to take other people's criticism/negativity too personally.  I have always been told that getting to this industry is too hard, doesn't make any money and I would never be able to do it.  Where there is a will there is a way.  I was able to raise 2 children as a single parent working sometimes up to 16 hours a day in a hospital.  I say if you have the passion go for it.

~MissyD


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## arugula (Sep 13, 2012)

Appology excepted.


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