Did you know there is a great cooking school in Beckley, West Virginia?
If you ever thought about going to cooking school in Beckley, West Virginia , here is a great choice you should look into.
What You Need to Know
Finding the right cooking school that meet your needs is the first step to an incredible new career in the field of Culinary Arts. Yes, a good culinary school is lot's of work and once you graduate the hard work continues. However, becoming a professional chef has its rewards too. Right now there is a huge demand for well trained cooks as America has a new found attraction to "celebrity" chefs.
Below is some basic information about the Mountain State University Culinary Arts program. It should help you decide if this is a school to consider.
Internet Culinary School Sources
Mountain State University
Beckley, West Virginia 25802
About Mountain State
Just a mere 50 miles south of Charleston, Mountain State University was founded in 1933 as an independent, not for profit school offering both traditional classroom based educational as well as distance learning programs. Back during the Depression era, less than 10 percent of West Virginia high school graduates were attending college because of the difficulty of attending school. Beckley College, as the university was known as back then, started with 97 students being taught out of classrooms rented from a local church.
A lot has changed since then, including a name change to Mountain State University and is now serving more than 6,000 students from over 43 states and a bunch of other countries.
Facilities
Back in 2003, Mountain State University designed and created a state of the art teaching facility for their culinary arts students. It houses three culinary teaching labs, all with high end professional restaurant equipment; a classic classroom and student locker rooms.
In addition to great facilities, the school limits the number of students to 16 per class. This allows for a real hands on approach by the instructors.
Degree Programs
Associate Degree in Culinary Arts - designed to prepare students with the skills needed to start a career as a professional chef. With a combination of classroom, kitchen labs and practical experience, you will build confidence in your abilities to make it in the food industry.
Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts - designed to further enhance your culinary experience by adding a solid background in business and restaurant management.
Both programs are structure according to the American Culinary Federation certification exam guidelines.
Real Job Experiences
Part of your experience as culinary arts student, you will be giving the opportunity to test your skills in a real life work situation through a series of internships designed to build your confidence and introduce you to valuable contacts in the restaurant world. Many Mountain State University students are offered full-time positions from their intern employers after graduation.
Going to School in Beckley, West Virginia
As the hub of Southern West Virginia with a trade area of over 200,000 people, Beckley is located in Raleigh County at the crossroads of I-64 and I-77. Beckley is the medical, education, and retail center of Southern West Virginia. Situated in the midst of a mountain paradise, the Beckley area offers the excitement of city life, the quiet of a small town, and a wealth of recreational and cultural opportunities.
Beckley's proximity to three national parks makes it a recreational wonderland with skiing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, and biking available just a short drive from the city.
Raleigh County is an ideal place to live. A low crime rate, beautiful surroundings, and strategic location make the area an attractive center for tourism, technology, and industry. This makes Beckley a perfect place for internships and job placement opportunities.
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What Do You Need To Know to Get Into Culinary School?
As the Reluctant Gourmet, I have never been to cooking school, but I keep telling myself it's never too late. The best way for you to learn more about becoming a chef is to visit my new Culinary School Resource Center. Here you will find articles, books, school resources and many other useful resources.
Also, try reading as much as you can about going to cooking school and what it is like to be a professional chef. One book I highly recommend to anyone thinking about culinary school is, The Making of A Chef, by Michael Ruhlman. It will really help you understand what you may be getting yourself into. For a complete list of Books For Cooks.
