Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Education Of A Foodie

For all of you young foodies out there you may be wondering if there's a career out there for you. There is. It's amazing that there are so many possibilities with food. You can choose from culinary arts to home ec to nutrition. The field is varied.

Culinary school is the most obvious step for any foodie wishing to broaden their horizons. Also being a top chef or baker these days is akin to being a celebrity. What does it take to be a pro in the industry? First you do need your high school degree or GED. You can get an AA or Associates Degree which is two year or a full four year degree. There are also seminars and cooking courses you can take as well. Some programs also offer an apprenticeship program where basically you're thrown into the fire right away. The most famous cooking school in the US is the CIA , the Culinary Institute of America located in both New Hyde Park, New York, and Napa, California. There are also several universities in North America that offer a similar degree and training. Of course the best schools are in Italy and France. Florence, Italy's cultural capital and birthplace of the Renaissance, has s few good ones while Paris (and also Reims) offers the famed Le Cordon Bleu.

Foodies can also receive a degree in Home Economics with an emphasis on nutrition. Although they will have courses in other home ec related studies such as child rearing, textiles and family dynamics, nutrition will be their major area of concentration. Young foodies (or even those considering a career change) may want to think about a degree in the science of nutrition.This could even lead to a job as a dietitian in any hospital or facility such as a nursing home. This degree can be expanded to include a master's in the field.

There are different options for those young foodies out there. If they're dedicated enough to want to work with food, whether from a creative or a scientific standpoint. The best thing is that they will doing what they like - which involves food.

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