George Bernard Shaw once said: "There is no sincere love than the love of food." Culinary arts, the art of preparing and cooking food requires passion, is like all other loves. Culinarians, professionals who specialize in this art, are also commonly known as cooks and chefs. They are assigned with the task of not only preparing food which is delicious but also visually appealing.
How to become a Culinarian?
Becoming a culinarian is one of the most challenging careers. They need to be innovative as customers become more demanding. Culinarians also need to be astute businessperson, especially when running their own establishment. They need to know the cultural and palate preferences of their customers. This is in addition to cooking delicious food and presenting it. All of this may be learnt in a culinary arts school.
Bachelors in Culinary Arts
A chef or head cook is either educated in a community college, technical school, culinary arts school, or a four-year university. Those with an undergraduate degree in culinary arts may qualify to hold administrative positions in addition to cooking. They may also earn more than others by having their own restaurant, etc. An undergraduate in culinary arts may be completed in less than 4 years, however, the actual date of a student's graduation would depend upon his/her enrollment status. Such is an all-encompassing degree wherein students are taught finance, business, management, foreign language, social science and liberal arts courses. The objective is to develop a wholesome personality, who is not only a good cook but can also talk to his/her customers outside of the kitchen.
Courses
Some of the core courses taught in a culinary school may be titled:
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Principles of micro/macroeconomics
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Literature and Composition
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Survey of Mathematics
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History and Cultures of the Americas
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History and Cultures of Europe
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History and Cultures of Asia
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Social Psychology
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Anthropology of Food
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Elementary and Intermediate Chinese, or
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Elementary and Intermediate French, or
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Elementary and Intermediate Italian, or
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Elementary and Intermediate Spanish
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Financial Accounting
Some of the electives students may need to complete are:
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Feasting and Fasting in Latin America
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Ecology of Food
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Beverage Operations Management
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Foodservice Technology
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Advanced Wine Studies
Enrolling in an undergraduate culinary arts program may require fulfillment of certain prerequisites including a high school diploma, and work experience in a non-fast food establishment. Tuition fee and other related costs will differ from school to school. Some schools may however offer scholarships to their students. Students may also be eligible to apply for financial aid when attending culinary schools.
Professional Outlook
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), chefs and head cooks earned a yearly median salary of $42,480 in 2012. This salary figure is quoted for those with a high school diploma and 5 years or more of work experience. Those with a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and work experience may be able to earn more.