Culinary schools Archives

With the rising popularity of culinary reality shows hosted by celebrities and bookstore shelves bulging with the world’s most famous chefs’ latest cookbooks and foodie guides, interest in culinary arts careers has never been higher. With this rising interest, we’re hearing from seasoned professionals that the job market is more competitive than ever. If veterans of the industry are expressing frustration over the competitive nature of the industry, where does that leave those seeking to begin their pursuit of a career as a chef? Earning a ServSafe Manager Certification can help improve your chances of getting that first hospitality career break.

How To Use ServSafe To Jump-Start Your Culinary Career — *Image credit: wavebreakmediamicro* via 123rf

Three Tips to Help Pursue Your Career Dreams

We have three tips that should help you get noticed as you begin your career, and help your resume stand out to prospective employers.

Complete ServSafe Manager Certification
Consider culinary school
Get your foot in the door.

A ServSafe Manager Certification Can Launch Your Culinary Career

The first two items on our list will look great on your resume. If you’re beginning your culinary career but have little industry experience, executive chefs and human resource managers will take note of these two items. Earning a ServSafe manager certification will show you are serious about a culinary career and have completed the necessary qualifications even before you have interviewed for a position.

Culinary education is now easier to obtain than ever. Gone are the days when serious culinary students would have to go to expensive schools in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Many community colleges, technical schools, and junior colleges offer two-year culinary arts programs. Enrollment in one of these programs will show prospective restaurant managers that you have the drive to grow and become an asset.

With a limited number of jobs out there, our third tip may sound intimidating. Many places won’t take a chance on inexperienced candidates for certain positions, but you may be able to find an entry-level position, such as a prep cook or dishwasher, open in many restaurants. Another tip for getting your foot in the door is to have reasonable expectations for your first industry job. While your ultimate goal may be to work for the fanciest five-star restaurant in the city, unless you have connections, you’ll have to start smaller. We’re not saying to lower your expectations for your entire career, but building a resume takes time and perseverance. Don’t be afraid to work lunch or breakfast or for chain restaurants, and never give up.

We’ve heard reports from some certified food protection managers CFPMs that the industry seems to have a shortage of applicants for open positions, and many food businesses are scrambling to bolster their staff to keep the kitchen fully staffed. Where help-wanted signs and ads on popular job websites may not be working, perhaps a call to your local culinary school would help fill vacancies, at least in the short term. We’ve talked to a few culinary instructors and found that they’re also looking for food businesses and CFPMs who have staffing opportunities to help their students gain real-world experience.

Useful Idea for CFPMs- Bolster Staffing with Culinary Students — *Image credit: GSK* via Flickr

How Culinary School Students Can Help Solve a Staffing Crisis for CFPMs

Over the past few decades, culinary schools have become more popular and have spread beyond exclusive schools for future high-end chefs to local technical and junior colleges for those looking to get their foot in the door in the industry. There are even programs at some larger high schools where students can earn future college elective credits by taking culinary classes, so while there may be a shortage of seasoned food-service professionals, there’s no shortage of those interested in learning about the industry.

CFPMs who need to fill staffing vacancies can take advantage of the culinary education sector by contacting these programs and searching for possible candidates for open job positions. These candidates may be raw when it comes to real-world experience, but they’ll have the desire to grow and learn. Many of these programs even require an internship or work-study, so your business’ interest in hiring a culinary student helps them to graduate and earn their degrees.

For the most part, internships and work-study programs aren’t exactly the beginning of a full-time career path for applicants in your company, but CFPMs can temporarily alleviate the staffing shortage for a set amount of time. These programs have a certain number of required work hours, so you’ll have a good idea as to an end date for your new temporary hire, and who knows, you could find a passionate professional who loves working in your food business and decides to stay if the option is available.

Has your certified food protection manager considered looking into hiring interns from a Minnesota culinary school?