by Barbara Calder

Created on: February 24, 2009

Back in the 1970's I attended, and subsequently graduated, a noteworthy culinary school. At that time in the schools history, students went through assigned culinary classes, from garde manger to pastry shop and table service. It was a two year program and upon graduation, you threw your toque into the air and walked away with an associates of occupational studies degree. Now at the same school, students can choose between a degree in culinary arts or baking and pastry arts . A choice can also be made between an associates degree or bachelors degree.

There is now a glut of culinary schools. Many community colleges offer culinary programs.Large cities may have campuses of l well known venues to smaller less known schools operated in almost store front facilities. While the larger, more well known schools may attract renowned chefs as instructors, they are often expensive. Community colleges can vary greatly to the talent they attract. Their class size is frequently smaller in size, and chefs teaching often teach part time and work full time at local venues. Corporate sponsorship at the large schools can lead to better well equipped kitchens. Smaller schools can often mimic the true conditions where students will work upon graduation. The chocolate tempering machines I learned to operate in school were fantastic. They were state of the art and easy to program. Almost foolproof. The only pastry shops I ever worked in that had such equipment were in Belgium and one in Orlando. Bringing a marble slab from home became common practice. While learning on new, well operating equipment is pleasurable, knowing how to do it the old fashioned way is priceless.

I have employed pastry cooks who have graduated from expensive, well known schools, community colleges and even a few who have worked there way up the food chain. Many from the high priced schools have a feeling of entitlement. Granted the education they received was expensive, but humbleness and talent trump all. Pastry chefs and cooks must be the most exact people in the kitchen. Recipes must be thought of as formulas. Not until the formulas are understood as to the how and why's, should the be deviated from.

When people eat at a restaurant it is often taken for granted that they will order an entree. Waitstaff are instructed by management to upsell the desserts. The pastry chef must have passion for their work. Baking and pastry work is both an art and a skill. Since the dessert is often the last impression of a restaurant,

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