How to Tell if Your Culinary School is Good or Not

Is Your Culinary School Choice Right For You?

Note: Students should determine if their culinary school is the right one before they attend. One of the biggest errors prospective cooking school students make is not taking the time to investigate if all aspects of the culinary program are right for them.

Getting a quality culinary education is the first big step in landing the career of your dreams – and a big part of that quality education is going to a quality school. The good news is, students can now get a good education virtually anywhere in the United States. However, as with most types of schools, your education is only as good as what you put in it.

In order to get the most out of your culinary college or program, give your school the following quiz (or, if you're considering prospective culinary programs, ask current students and graduates):

Are your instructors willing and able to answer your questions?

Do you feel like you learn something new every day?

Can you see the path of your own improvement?

Is your culinary program progressive (that is, does it get increasingly more difficult with each new quarter or semester)?

Are you learning on the same types of equipment you'll use in the real working world?

Do most of the students who begin the culinary program see it all the way through?

Are your instructors and fellow students enthusiastic about your culinary job outlook?

Most days, are you excited about the things you're learning and the people you're meeting?

As far as quizzes go, scoring this one is pretty easy – “yes” answers are good, and “no” answers might indicate that your cooking school isn't quite right for you.

That brings us to an important point in any good culinary education: the best indicator that your culinary program is going to work for you is you feeling enthusiastic about it.

If you're excited, it will show in your food and in the way you approach your future. While technical training skills and a big culinary school name go a long way, you are the biggest asset you have.