As students prepare for a culinary career in the luxury hotel and restaurant industry, Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley offer the ideal area and environment.  Okanagan College Culinary Arts program capitalizes on the resources provided in the Okanagan Valley area to offer programs based on the principles of “Real-world” practical training, world class chef instructors to provide unparalleled opportunities for employment in the culinary industry.  The “Real-world” practical, hands-on training Okanagan College Culinary Arts provides will result in marketable culinary skills necessary to be successful in a foodservice and hospitality career.

Students in the Okanagan College’s Culinary Arts program will experience a fast paced learning and working environment with a big emphasis on “Real-world” practical, hands-on activities.  Because Okanagan Valley attracts tourists and visitors from all over the world who wish to vacation and sample regional cuisine, students are given the opportunity to apply their culinary skills and knowledge under the instruction and direction of  world class chefs within the classrooms and kitchens of Okanagan College.

Okanagan College’s Culinary Arts School has a fine dining restaurant on their campus called Infusions. Infusions restaurant will exceed your expectations for fine gourmet dining.  Part of the students culinary training in the Culinary Arts program, they operate the Infusions restaurant, a hidden gem in the Okanagan Valley.  To prepare for employment in the culinary industry and work in some of the top restaurants, resorts, cruise ships and hotels worldwide, students receive “Real-world” experience at this restaurant under the instruction and direction of world class chef instructors.  To inspire student’s creatativity, every week they design and prepare a three-course gourmet menu under the direction of the Chef, and instructors teach students formal guest services so that the student masters all aspects of restaurant organization.  The weekly menu changes at Infusions restaurant ensuring that their restaurant guests receive a good variety of seasonal choices, and a constant source of fresh quality foods that are available in the Okanagan Valley.

There are many colleges and universities around the world that offer culinary arts degrees and certificate programs to prepare  a students culinary career challenge, and while fine tuning cooking skills that students already possess,  students at culinary colleges and universities will learn all about these important aspects of the art of cooking.  A successful culinary arts student will require a dash of hard work and a pinch of talent to make a great recipe for a career in the wonderful world of cooking.  Students who want to pursue a culinary education, the Okanagan College Culinary Arts program is a great choice, or just take a trip to this place of endless possibilities, experience the sights, and sounds that make Kelowna and Okanagan Valley an exceptional educational and vacation experience.

Become a baking or pastry chef with a degree from a recognized and accredited culinary school. Graduates of pastry and baking cooking courses from reputable culinary schools, such as The Art Institute and The Kitchen Academy can expect a fast growing market for pastry chefs and baking chefs over the next few years.

Culinary Arts <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.culinaryschoolsu.com/articles/cooking-courses.php”>Cooking Courses</a>

There are a wide variety of excellent <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.culinaryschoolsu.com”>Culinary Schools</a offering culinary arts programs available for students pursuing a career in the culinary arts. An education in culinary arts from top-rated culinary schools, such as Le Cordon Bleu or The Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago are your first step in achieving a position as a chef, food critic or anything else in the culinary field.

Culinary Management Cooking Courses 

Further your career with a degree in Culinary Management. Several culinary schools, such as The International Culinary School at The Art Institute and Scottsdale Culinary Institute offer excellent programs with classes focusing on employee relations, marketing and financial management.

Hospitality Management & Restaurant Management Cooking Courses 

Hospitality and Restaurant Management is one of the fastest growing careers today. Choosing to pursue an education in Hospitality Management and Restaurant Management from reputable culinary schools, such as Texas Culinary Academy or The Culinary Academy is a great first step in achieving a career in Hospitality and Restaurant Management.

Travel and Tourism Management Cooking Courses 

Educate yourself in the travel and tourism management industry by attending one of the several cooking courses nationwide. Culinary schools such as Le Cordon Bleu International or Bryan College are one of the institutions that will prepare you for your career in travel and tourism management.

Wine and Spirits and Beverages Management Cooking Courses 

In the Wines, Spirits & Beverage Management program, you’ll focus on the process of overseeing wines, spirits, and beverages supplies for restaurants, cruise ships, or banquet facilities. Attend a culinary school such as The International Culinary School at The Art Institute, and you’ll study communications, training, leadership, management, accounting, marketing, financial management, and employee relations.

The Call of the Kitchen

If you’d rather spend time studying a cookbook than a chem book, you probably know it already – most culinary schools seem to have an inclination toward the kitchen before they graduate high school. What you may not know is that your passion can translate to a very exciting and lucrative culinary career.

“I spent my freshman year at New York University (New York, NY),” say Debbie Shure. “I had a kitchen in my dorm and I would always cook for my friends. It was a great hobby, but I never knew that I wanted to make a career out of it.” Things have since changed, as Debbie recently graduated from Johnson … Wales’ (Providence, RI), a world-renowned culinary school, and now has a successful culinary career at Chocolatier magazine.

The same held true for Nathan Rhodes, who worked in Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s corporate office after high school. “I always had a passion for food, and I picked up on that early on,” says Nathan, now 24 and studying at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA, Hyde Park, NY).”I was working a corporate job, because that’s what I thought I was ‘supposed’ to do. Then I saw a television special on WOLFGANG PUCK [a famous chef and restaurant owner]. It inspired me to apply to culinary school, and now I love it to death!” Well – death by chocolate, maybe.

Nathan was able to find just the right recipe for his culinary career dreams. How to start? By finding the right culinary school for you.

Culinary Schools: Not Your Average Classroom

You may have a knack for whipping up late-night mac n’ cheese or adding just the right amount of cream and sugar in your morning coffee, but culinary school will probably be a bit more demanding.

“CIA’s associate’s program is about 85 percent hands-on learning,” says Nathan. “The day starts with a lecture that reviews recipes and answers questions, and for the next five hours you’re in the kitchen. Then there’s a lecture to close the day.”

But the hard work pays off. “The thing about culinary school is you get out what you put in,” says Debbie. “If you work hard, you’ll learn a ton. Your instructors are completely willing to help you as long as you’re motivated.”

The Real (Culinary) World

As the recent reality show, “The Restaurant” showed, the day-to-day operations of a culinary career – particularly within a popular eatery – are frantic, fast-paced, demanding, and most importantly, exciting. Most culinary schools have some kind of externship program, where you work on site, to help give you a taste of what a culinary career is like.

“CIA’s externship lasts 21 weeks and you can go to any of the 1,700 approved sites,” explains Nathan. “It’s sort of like a job application, where the restaurants are looking to hire students. You apply, go on an interview, and then hopefully get the position.” For students embarking on such study, finding a culinary school that places great value on in-the-kitchen experience is vital to your future culinary career.

A Culinary Career Smorgasbord

Perhaps the most important thing to know about earning a culinary degree at culinary school is that it won’t limit you to the kitchen. “The food industry is experiencing a huge boom right now, and there are many more jobs than there used to be,” says Colleen Pontes, a CIA graduate and former Chocolatier food writer. “The popularity of MARTHA STEWART opened the door for food media and food TV, and the industry in general is generating so much excitement and interest at the moment.”

“We want to show people the culinary career opportunities that are out there,” says Kathy Shaw, sales and marketing director at Le Cordon Bleu (Ottawa, Ontario), and graduate of the school’s culinary school programs in Paris. “I started out wanting to be a chef, now I do the school’s marketing. There are many ways to make this passion a career.”

“There are countless culinary careers beyond being a chef like catering, food TV, food writing, food art, event planning, food critic positions,” agrees Nathan. “Even research and development at major food companies like Hershey’s or Campbell’s – all of the sauces, candies, soups and flavors those mega companies put out are designed by people with culinary abilities.”

And you’ll never be stuck in one place. “When I first started, I wanted to be in the kitchen making desserts for people,” says Debbie. “Now I realize I want to be a food writer, which will be great. I can combine all of my food knowledge with my writing skills and help Americans understand what good food is all about!”

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1. Art Institute (AI)

This institution’s culinary program is excellent. They are actually one of the leading institutions for students who are looking for not just a culinary school but a place that greatly specializes in the creative arts. Culinary programs of the Art Institutes are top-notch education and training in the following culinary fields of expertise: culinary arts, the art of cooking, restaurant and catering management, baking and pastry and culinary management. The availability of these culinary programs may vary from one Art Institute culinary school to another. It’s best to call your chosen campus location first to verify if they’re offering the courses that you’re interested in. This will help you save time in trying to find the best suited culinary school for you.

2. Atlantic Culinary Academy

The Atlantic Culinary Academy is actually a division of the popular McIntosh college. This culinary school boasts programs that specialize in Le Cordon Bleu training as well as associate degrees in Culinary Arts. This culinary school is known for being able to teach and train its students in just 18 months. And, in addition to the completion of their culinary courses, the students will also earn the Le Cordon Bleu Diplome, a highly recognized international culinary arts diploma.

3. California Culinary Academy

In San Francisco, California, this school is located in San Francisco’s Civic Center district as well as in the hip and stylish Portrero Hill district. Aspiring chefs flock to this culinary school because it is internationally known for being able to produce some of the world’s best chefs. This is made possible through their extensive training programs, great cooking facilities, and excellent instructors.

4. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts

This school has several locations in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Florida to name a few. It is a culinary school that is highly revered for its Associate of Occupational Science Degree In Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts. There is a fifteen month program that includes a highly extensive cooking technique and training program, but what makes this school unique is their inclusion of an internship wherein the students of this culinary school will gain over one hundred hours of real on-the-job experience before they ever leave. This is a classical culinary school for aspiring chefs, and oh yes, one more thing, it is also incredibly demanding.

5. Online Certificate
For those who simply don’t have the luxury of time to just actually go to a normal culinary school, there is the Art Institute Online, that hopes to be able to reach out to more students who are interested in taking up art courses as well as courses regarding culinary arts. This online program is actually uniquely designed for working people who have already earned their Associate’s degree. Of interest, this program combines all kinds of courses such as human resource management to law and ethics and accounting. Why, you ask? The program is aimed towards culinary arts students who are thinking of opening their own restaurant someday.

Here are 4 things to consider when choosing excellent culinary schools:

Set your goals – This is the most vital part. The culinary school you choose and the areas that you decide to specialize in will lead to different career paths. Why did you choose to pursue a career in culinary arts? Is it to become a hotel manager, executive chef, or pastry artist? Perhaps you might want to become the owner of your own bakery? Be clear on your goals and this will help you choose the right culinary school to bring you closer to your hopes and dreams.

Do your research – Look for schools which has the right specialties; some excel in management courses, while others may have culinary arts or patisserie related prizes and awards. Examine the reputation of the culinary programs offered and quality of professional teaching staff. Reputation of the faculty is also something that will help you choose from the many culinary schools. Remember, the Le Cordon Bleu degree is definitely worth the effort to handpick the best culinary school.

Location – Compare culinary schools from your locality and other locations as well. Deciding the location may determine your chances of securing a favored externship or even job opportunities. Feel free to visit the school and gain a feel of the campus. Knowing that you will be spending quite some time there, choose a campus that you like. Keep in mind that culinary schools based in larger cities, naturally offer more opportunities and choices. High-quality culinary schools also offer more chances of securing a position in prestigious restaurants and hotels.

Accreditation – Good culinary schools take great effort in ensuring that their facilities, curriculum and faculties meet national accreditation standards. Check that the culinary school is accredited and follows national standards. This is usually done via the Department of Education, but may be different from state to state.

Many culinary school graduates end up working in many different positions in hotels, restaurants, bakeries and so on. As long as you are clear on what you want to achieve and pick the right culinary schools. You are on your way to success. To take advantage of more free information on finding the best culinary schools, visit us at online-food-guide.com.

For students seeking an education from a culinary school, there are many alternative options. Community recreation centers and other local organizations often offer recreational cooking courses, which usually run between 8 and 12 weeks for a session, and generally include a discounted price for residents or members. Local community colleges also frequently offer recreational cooking classes, some of which include a couple of college credits. So with all of these options available to prospective students of the culinary arts, why is an education from a culinary school still the best choice?

A culinary school has many advantages over these low-cost, primarily recreational alternatives to a classic education in the culinary arts. A culinary school is more likely to provide a quality experience to the student on all fronts, including instruction, available equipment, accreditation, degree programs, alumni services, and financial aid.

The quality of equipment in a classroom may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is a necessary and important part of a culinary education. It is difficult to learn how to cook when out-of-date, damaged, or missing equipment are your only tools. Many recreational classes are given by organizations that do not normally teach the culinary arts, making a shortage, or a lack, of the necessary equipment much more likely. A good culinary school, on the other hand, will be properly prepared to teach the culinary arts. Since their survival depends on it, a culinary school will have the staff and funding to stay fully up-to-date on the most recent equipment and techniques in the business.

A good instructor is also an important factor in a quality culinary education, perhaps the most important. The instructors at recreational centers and community colleges are typically underpaid and undervalued, which consequently reduces the quality of instructors available to them. Although an organization that brings in an outside instructor might have a better chance of finding a quality chef, students will most likely sacrifice small class size and other advantages so that the organization can afford to hire the best. Because teaching students the culinary arts is the primary focus of a culinary school, they are more likely to have qualified, fulltime instructors on staff. Also, a culinary school can more easily maintain smaller class sizes; as a result, students receive more one-on-one time with their instructors. This also increases the quality of instruction.

Accreditation is another benefit that alternative culinary education typically can’t offer. A school that is accredited must adhere to guidelines that have been established by the accreditation agency. Most recreational centers and organizations cannot offer this benefit. Although community colleges are accredited, recreational programs such as culinary classes may not provide college credit, and if even if they do the number of credits per class is likely to be very small. An accredited culinary school, on the other hand, guides its students through complete programs where each course provides credits toward their degree.

The degree programs a culinary school offers can also make the difference between fun courses and serious culinary instruction. Recreational cooking classes provided by your local community center, organization, or community college are more likely to address a specific but simple area of the culinary arts. For instance, one of these classes might spend the entire 8 or 12 weeks discussing a specific family of pasta dishes. Because of the time restrictions, any class that tries to cover more will end up being too general to be of much use to anyone but the most beginning level students. If you want a well-rounded education, a degree program at a culinary school is the option for you: there your teachers will have the time and resources to teach you everything you need to know about the culinary arts.

A big question to ask yourself is what you intend to do with your newfound culinary knowledge. If you plan to pursue a career in the field, you might want to stop and ask yourself how a recreational class is going to help you do that. In a course from a recreational center, community college, or other type of organization, there is no transcript to prove you have studied the subject, no job placement assistance, no alumni services at all. At a culinary school, you can rest assured that your education is going to count for something. As an institution dedicated to the instruction of the culinary arts, a culinary school can offer everything you need to land your dream job: a transcript, a resume, job placement, and other alumni services.

Finally, the cost of a culinary education can be a big concern for some students. While on the surface a culinary school may cost more than recreational classes from a local organization or community college, keep in mind that a culinary school can also offer financial aid, which most of the alternative cooking classes cannot. Also, frequently the cost of attending a culinary school includes extras such as textbooks and equipment, while the cost of a recreational course will usually surprise you down the road with additional costs.

Whether you are pursuing a career in the culinary arts, or you just want to be a better cook at home, the quality of your education will determine how skilled you become in the kitchen. If you really want a good culinary education, don’t shortchange yourself. Attend a culinary school and make sure your dreams come true.

Sculpture is something of a ‘dying art, with very few chefs having the skills and the patience necessary for blowing and pulling sugar into elaborate and decorative master pieces. And masterpieces they are , Attractively complimenting patisserie displays, or standing as table centerpieces in the dining room, making a delicious introduction for the feast to follow. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the heights I want to reach in the Culinary world. I’m finding that the more I work with sugar, the more I want nothing else! But sugar craft seems to be taken less seriously these days, and in many cases completely overlooked. It takes years of dedication and perseverance to  master this art, not to mention “a few burns” along the way. Since childhood, I have had this embedded in my mind that, perfection- in all that I do & make is my forte! And it is this quality of mine, which has helped me to take up this profession which requires a lot of artistic ability& innovativeness. A glimpse of how the sugar is prepared will show the technical artistry involved in sugar work.. good quality sugar in granulated form is boiled with water  and glucose to a caramel. It is at this stage that tartaric acid and food colors are added. The sugar is then cooled a little and with this hot mass of sugar, the artist goes to work molding, pulling and blowing the sugar into the shapes he requires.

A part from this, pastillage & nougatine are also popular sugar works. Pastillage is made using icing sugar, egg white, gelatin & lemon juice, which is pliable enough to be molded & made into beautiful & intricate center pieces. Nougatine is easier to work with as its basic ingredients being sugar & almonds, it can be made & cut into a template & then brought together using royal icing. Royal icing is used to dainty & delicate filigrees which impart a sense of beauty and finesse in every centerpiece.

Unfortunately, it seems the art of pastry is quickly becoming a lost art form. This is because it requires a lot of initial investment in setting up, with equipments which have to be imported from abroad at exorbitant prices. Also, there is a lot of hard work that goes in making a sugar sculpture, by putting in time, money & labor. Being  a pastry freak. I find this to be quite disturbing, & I along with my team are making efforts to bring back this dying art, through the curriculum we impart to students in the Culinary Academy of India, which aims at creating individuals who are creative, inventive & discoverers.

Sculpture is something of a ‘dying art, with very few chefs having the skills and the patience necessary for blowing and pulling sugar into elaborate and decorative master pieces. And masterpieces they are , Attractively complimenting patisserie displays, or standing as table centerpieces in the dining room, making a delicious introduction for the feast to follow. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the heights I want to reach in the Culinary world. I’m finding that the more I work with sugar, the more I want nothing else! But sugar craft seems to be taken less seriously these days, and in many cases completely overlooked. It takes years of dedication and perseverance to  master this art, not to mention “a few burns” along the way. Since childhood, I have had this embedded in my mind that, perfection- in all that I do & make is my forte! And it is this quality of mine, which has helped me to take up this profession which requires a lot of artistic ability& innovativeness. A glimpse of how the sugar is prepared will show the technical artistry involved in sugar work.. good quality sugar in granulated form is boiled with water  and glucose to a caramel. It is at this stage that tartaric acid and food colors are added. The sugar is then cooled a little and with this hot mass of sugar, the artist goes to work molding, pulling and blowing the sugar into the shapes he requires.

A part from this, pastillage & nougatine are also popular sugar works. Pastillage is made using icing sugar, egg white, gelatin & lemon juice, which is pliable enough to be molded & made into beautiful & intricate center pieces. Nougatine is easier to work with as its basic ingredients being sugar & almonds, it can be made & cut into a template & then brought together using royal icing. Royal icing is used to dainty & delicate filigrees which impart a sense of beauty and finesse in every centerpiece.

Unfortunately, it seems the art of pastry is quickly becoming a lost art form. This is because it requires a lot of initial investment in setting up, with equipments which have to be imported from abroad at exorbitant prices. Also, there is a lot of hard work that goes in making a sugar sculpture, by putting in time, money & labor. Being  a pastry freak. I find this to be quite disturbing, & I along with my team are making efforts to bring back this dying art, through the curriculum we impart to students in the Culinary Academy of India, which aims at creating individuals who are creative, inventive & discoverers.