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About my school

Discussion in 'General Culinary School Discussions' started by Guest, May 6, 2010.

  1. May 6, 2010 #1
    Guest

    Guest Guest

    Hello!
    Greetings to everyone.

    I joined this forum to ask your opinion about something that worries me a little, it's about my Culinary school.
    I joined my school in a great excitement under a lot of expectatives hoping to become not just into a great chef but into a great researcher.
    i have to admit, some of the chefs that give us the lecture are indeed very good, however there are a few things that keeps me uneased.

    the first semesters in my school are not focused in practical activities but theorical, we have asigments such as Culinary Basics, Food Transformation, History of the Gastronomy, Hygiene (wich contains HACCP and Microbiology) Accountacy, Business Administration, Redaction Method and some more asigments related, the practical classes such as Italian, French, German cuisines, Bakery, Mukimono, Oenology  and many others starts from other semesters.

    At the beggining i thought it was actually very good, however... my friend's sister started at the same time than me into another culinary school in Mexico City,  I was in Mexico City last saturday and i was taling with my friend about it.

    I started to worry when she said her sister is working already in one of the fanciest restaurants of Mexico City as 3rd Cusinier, at this rate she already can identify spices that i only know by books, she knows very well already things that i haven't seen in class room yet, Business Administration, Accountacy and that kind of things, she is learning that too.

    Basically, my friend's sister already can do many things that i can't do yet and she got into her culinary school at the same time as i did.

    At this rate, i haven't entered the Kitchens of the school very often, I have only entered to get to know the equipment, tools and supplies and prepare some recipes in an assigment given not by a Chef but by a historic researcher who is actually the only person in my school i consider as my mentor.

    My friend also said, there is an university in Mexico City wich has the Career, however since its more theorical than practical at the beggining, many of the graduates are facing the problem of unemployment.

    I don't know what to expect from my school, and I'm actually very worried since i want to do many things and have a great professional development in this Guild.

    my school has the advantage of belonging to various associations and it's in constant contact with many people, the Chef founder of the school has a very active professional linking, in some events Important Chefs have visited our school and talked to the students in my case, giving me a lot of expectatives and hopes.

    however my school is a very young school. the first generation has just graduated last year, I'm not sure of what to expect and I will start second year soon, 

    in your oppinion, Is this rythm normal in a culinary school or should i find a better school somewhere else?
    as you know this is not a cheap career and i want to be well prepared.

    I need a profesional opinion, T T
    can anyone help me?

    Thank you for your attention ^^
     
  3. May 7, 2010 #2
    gunnar

    gunnar

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    Your in it, you've paid, stick with it. This is a field full of various educated peoples. Learn all that you can where you are. If you feel your not getting the experience or education you need talk to the dean or instructor about it. I noticed you left the name of the school out of your post, that's not going to help your answer. Schools have different curriculum's and one cannot be held up to another except for the end result. It sounds like a decent school and having the background in food science and business is more important then being able to recognize herbs at this point. Relax and LEARN!


    p.s  best of luck and remember me when your famous.
     
  4. May 8, 2010 #3
    joshua47

    joshua47

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    Line Cook
    Gunnar's brought up some great points. Schools don't teach the same things at the same times. So long as you leave there with the knowledge you need, when you learn it isn't always the most critical point. As with any school, it's also partially up to what you make of it. So, as said above, learn as much as you can as you can learn it. In addition to talking to the dean, perhaps talk to some of the instructors you're enjoying. If you have questions or want to learn more things, ask them. They'll hopefully do one of two things: 1) let you know that you'll be learning about fill-in-the-blank topic in a class you've yet to take; and/or 2) help mentor you on the points you want to learn! Really, no matter what the field, great teachers love sharing their passions and knowledge. I've had teachers who I've had to excuse myself from after talking with them for 2-3 hours after a class, because we'd talk another 2-3 hours if I'd have stayed! That's dedication to a cause, and it's often worth more than the lectures you're paying for.