Are you someone who has been told that you have a way in the kitchen? If so, why not transition your love for “all things cuisine” and consider getting a degree in culinary arts?
If you’re curious about all of the benefits that can come with going into this particular industry, not only will it provide you with challenging work that you can be excited about, but there are a variety of things that you can do with this kind of education.
As a matter of fact, that’s what this article seeks to explore: five great career paths that you can take with a culinary arts degree:
Research chef.
Commercial food chains are always coming up with new dishes and flavors. If you’ve ever wondered where the ideas came from, it’s usually thanks to a research chef. That’s because they have the scientific knowledge needed in order to execute many new food concepts. An undergraduate degree in nutrition topped with a culinary arts degree can qualify you for this job. The pay is good too. On average, you can get close to $67,000 as a salary.
Private chef.
One job that is becoming more and more popular is being a private chef. This is an ideal position for a culinary arts graduate who likes preparing meals but doesn’t want to do it on a large scale such as for a restaurant or hotel.
Although it is assumed that only wealthy people have private chefs, there are others who acquire them; especially individuals who are looking to adjust their diet for health reasons and want tips on how to make tasty meals or folks who travel a lot but don’t care for fast food. The salary for these is broad but it usually starts at around $42,000.
Nutrition consultant.
A fact that many people tend to overlook is that a culinary arts curriculum teaches individuals about the kind of dietary requirements needed for different types of settings, such as hospitals and schools for an example.
If you do decide to go this route, you will need to have an undergraduate degree in a field such as nutrition or food science aside from a culinary arts degree. And because it’s a competitive market, it’s also a good idea to earn a master’s too. Typically, you can earn close to $40,000 annually.
Executive chef.
If you don’t mind working in food service supplies and you’ve always dreamed of being someone who runs a restaurant, resort or hotel’s kitchen, then an executive chef is the perfect position for you. Having a special way with food plus a two or four year culinary arts degree can get your foot into the door. The national average salary for most executive chefs is $54,000.
Pastry chef.
We saved one of the sweetest jobs for last. Pastry chefs are the individuals who help to create all kinds of desserts from sorbets and custards to cakes and pies. The interesting thing about this particular position is that it’s so highly celebrated that there are contests held all over the world for pastry chefs.
You will also need a two or four year degree to be a pastry chef and you can make in the early to mid-30,000 annually. For more information on culinary schools in your area, go to your favorite search engine and put “culinary schools” along with the city and state (or country) you would like attend in the search field.
