Culinary Arts: Career Training and Job Options

A Career in the Culinary Arts
If whipping up a gourmet meal comes naturally to you, consider a career in the culinary arts. With the right career training you'll find jobs in almost any town, in any setting. Culinary careers include:

• Chef de cuisine
• Head cook
• Sous chef
• Catering manager
• Pastry chef

In May 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a mean annual salary of $42,410 for chefs and head cooks.

Career Training Makes the Difference
Many private cooking schools and public universities offer college degrees or certification in culinary-related fields. Here are two things to keep in mind:

• Completing a two to four-year training program will significantly increase your chances of being hired as a chef or head cook.
• For those with culinary experience, an online degree may be the perfect way to keep working and round out your expertise with formal training.

The culinary arts offer a wide variety of jobs and hundreds of schools ready to provide the training you need to say "Bon Appétit!"