A career that is great for those with an entrepreneurial bent is running a bakery or pastry shop. Between birthdays, weddings, and other special events, the market for specialty-baked goods is actually quite large – especially when compared to the number of shops currently in operation. If you have a flair for decoration and want to create a successful business to boot, this could be an ideal choice.
Catering is a common profession for culinary arts school graduates. Catering can be similar to restaurant work, but it is usually larger orders and the work is dictated by events and festivals. Similar positions are available to the list of restaurant positions above. Recent graduates should expect to work and gain experience before moving up to higher, more prestigious positions.
Although many cooking school instructors also work in the restaurant industry, some focus solely on the teaching aspect of the culinary world. Most instructors have a degree in addition to their culinary experience, as well as a love of teaching and mentoring.
Being a cook or chef on a cruise ship is a great way to travel while doing what you love. While it is not a job for those who aren’t willing to be gone for long periods of time, it is great for those with a little wanderlust for the world. You typically work in the kitchen of the cruise ship, much in the same way you would work in the kitchens of a restaurant. You may find yourself facing long hours and lower wages than many on-shore industry jobs, but you do get to see quite a few ports of call.
The executive chef is the leader-in-charge of everything that goes out of the kitchen and maintains full control of the kitchen staff at all times.
A Food & Beverage Manager forecasts, plans and controls the ordering of food and beverages for a hospitality property. He also manages the finances related to the whole process of purchasing food and drink for the hotel premises. “Purchasing” includes sourcing, ordering and transporting of F&B.
Graduates of pastry arts programs can find work at a pastry shop, some grocery stores, hotels, fine restaurants and many catering companies. While these people will be working with the food they know and love, it’s still important they gain as much experience as they can. They will often still have to climb the ladder in a similar way to other chefs. This usually means gaining a few years experience at a low-level position after graduation.
Some graduates prefer to go the personal chef route. Personal chefs work with select clients to create dishes they will thoroughly enjoy. Sometimes personal chefs will be required to travel with their clients – something many people see as a perk – and they are often tasked with creating meal plans and adhering to certain dietary restrictions.
People who graduate from culinary school who also have writing skills might pursue career as food writers. Food writers can work for online and print publications, such as newspapers and magazines. They also write food blogs, recipe books, memoirs, advertisements and more. Food writers often work on a number of projects and for a number of clients and companies over the course of their careers.
Food stylists are people who arrange food in beautiful ways so it can be photographed or displayed. Food stylists are really artists, but in order to be a good food stylist you need to know a lot about cooking. Graduates of culinary arts programs make great food stylists. Many people in this profession work as independent contractors, and although it can take some time to gain a reputation, it can be a very rewarding job.
A science-based side of a culinary arts degree is food science. This study focuses on the technical and chemical aspects of food. Food scientists usually study food processing, packaging, preservation, and even the way that smells and food interact. They dabble in everything from food safety to molecular gastronomy. Food scientists typically work for food manufacturers or laboratories associated with universities and research facilities.
Nutritionists combine culinary skills with a background in science. They study how the human body reacts to specific nutrients in food, often offering dietary consulting or meal preparation for specific dietary needs.
A restaurant owner is sometimes also the restaurant manager. The actual job description depends on the other workers employed. Some owners have various managers who supervise specific departments and then report to them. Others take care of every one of the aspects of the restaurant.
A sous chef plays assistant to the executive chef, who is the head of the kitchen. Sous chefs operate as second-in-command and take over when the executive chef isn’t there. They work in conjunction with the executive chef and must be able to fully run the kitchen. This includes duties such as keeping accurate inventory, hiring and training employees, purchasing supplies and inventory, planning menus and overseeing the working staff. Assistant pastry chefs have much the same duties but specialize in a different area of cooking.
Commis, Poissonnier, Entremetier, Garde Manger, etc.