Hey everyone,
I'm a bit new to the community, and after reading through some of the previous threads I'm still left with a few questions and would love some advice/feedback.
I went straight out of high school to a Bachelor of Culinary Management (4 years) that is mostly focused on 'how to run a restaurant', but I realised that this has left me with a massive skill gap. I'm due to finish my degree next year, and although I'm learning the business side of things, I don't have any accreditation/experience in actual kitchen work. I identified this early on, but to be honest, cooking apprenticeships in Australia are underpaid and I would have been making less than half of what I make now (supervising a restaurant).
My question essentially boils down to the following parts:
1) Knowing that I aspire to manage and (hopefully) one day own a restaurant, do you believe that it is essential for me to have a good knowledge of the workings of a kitchen beyond the basic-intermediate knowledge I have now?
2) If so, do you believe simply completing a cert. would be sufficient, or should I risk it and do an apprenticeship (typically 3 years)?
BONUS question/statement: I have the opportunity to study a certificate in Commercial Cookery or Patisserie for FREE, would it be worth me taking it even though it would be a further year of study (or 1.5 years if combined)?
Thank you in advance!
I'm a bit new to the community, and after reading through some of the previous threads I'm still left with a few questions and would love some advice/feedback.
I went straight out of high school to a Bachelor of Culinary Management (4 years) that is mostly focused on 'how to run a restaurant', but I realised that this has left me with a massive skill gap. I'm due to finish my degree next year, and although I'm learning the business side of things, I don't have any accreditation/experience in actual kitchen work. I identified this early on, but to be honest, cooking apprenticeships in Australia are underpaid and I would have been making less than half of what I make now (supervising a restaurant).
My question essentially boils down to the following parts:
1) Knowing that I aspire to manage and (hopefully) one day own a restaurant, do you believe that it is essential for me to have a good knowledge of the workings of a kitchen beyond the basic-intermediate knowledge I have now?
2) If so, do you believe simply completing a cert. would be sufficient, or should I risk it and do an apprenticeship (typically 3 years)?
BONUS question/statement: I have the opportunity to study a certificate in Commercial Cookery or Patisserie for FREE, would it be worth me taking it even though it would be a further year of study (or 1.5 years if combined)?
Thank you in advance!