Culinary Schools

[axion]

I am just wondering if anybody on this board goes to or has been to one of the culinary schools in the Vancouver area. Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, Art Institute, VCC ect...

I have gone for an interview at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and was told that I will be accepted into the September program if I apply. However I dont know anybody who has been in culinary school so have no idea what its like. I thought that I should get some more info on it before i decide this is for sure what I want to do. I had no idea who to ask so i thought i would make a post here.

Any info or experiences you could share would be appriciated.
Cheers.

[Mo...]

MMMMmmmm food.. hehehe.. sorry cant help yah but if u wanna cook for me feel free! ( im pretty sure culinary arts is food making ) if not i feel stupid hahaha w00t

[Rhianna]

I just graded from VCC for culinary arts on Friday. It rocked. From what I hear you get more for your money than Pacific.

It's 12 months long and split into 12 blocks.

I have a friend that went to Pacific and now wishes he had gone to VCC. You should for sure check it out. I had a great time there.

[Rhianna]

Also, if you are a top student they are really good at helping you find work after.

[kAyB]

after i finish skool i wanna go into culinary arts i loveeee cooking

[wigglesworth]

i was pretty serious about going to pacific, but then i found that it cost around 12 grand for 6 months.
:kam:

being a cook isnt all its cracked up to be.
i did it for two years and im glad i got into the front of house side of things.

there is NO money to be made being a cook in north america unless you are a sous chef or higher and that takes decades.

[MsAttitude]

if I ever finish Highschool I will be trying to get into one of these schools myself. Haven't looked into them much cuz I got a long way to go until I should even bother but VCC is great! I know tons of people who have been and done and they loved it.

[Aki]

my friend went to Debrulles ( can't spell it properly) and since he was a top student there has gotten a few jobs in high end kitchens. it's pretty pricey there.

[sNyx]

my buddy is enrolled in the AI culinary school in april..

I sat with him through all the intro to the school, pretty wikkid

althought only $23,000 year and a half

[Rhianna]

Vcc was only about $4000 when I went. I think it's gone up since. So I don't see the point of paying more. The other schools are only 6 months. If you're good you'll still get interviews at high end places.

[Jblaze]

If u get lucky and land a job on a Cruise ship as a Chef im told u make BIG bucks.... that would b cool.

[axion]

awesome. thanks for all the info.

rhianna - how intense are the courses at vcc? from what ive heard about pacific is that everything is really condensed so it makes the work load pretty hectic. i like the idea of it being spread out over 12 months, that way i have more time to learn everything properly without all the pressure.
also, how advanced are the skills that they teach you at VCC compared with Pacific?

[Rhianna]

Well a lot of the Chefs at VCC have been on the Canadian Olympic Team for Culinary Arts. They have the gold metals to show for it too.

Each block you have a new chef. I thought the work load was perfect.

http://www.vcc.ca/programs/progDetai..._PROGRAM_ID=40

[axion]

Again big thanks for the info. Im gonna definately take a look into VCC before i decide on where im going.

It's funny that the instructors at VCC seem to have alot more credentials than Pacific, especially considering tuition is 9000$ higher.

[LaMzWeLL]

i know someone who teaches at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

[Rhianna]

Debrulle coasts a lot becuase of the name. Both Pacific and Dubrulles are French which might have something to do w/ it. VCC's chefs are from all over.

[shorerider]

Cooking: The lowest paid of all the trades. Long hours, no breaks, high stress, lots of dickheads. Highly political as well. Be prepared to work 11 hours and only get paid for 8.

But you are never hungry, can travel, go to do cool events, learn a tonne, smell like onions and wow the ladies when you cook for them.

I graduated in Jan of 98 from VCC, and it is the best value for your money. They also teach you the basics, from the ground up. Dubrelle and PCAI teach you all of this fancy stuff and is not as hands on. And damn are they pricey! At VCC you don't just watch things be done, you do them over and over again, the only way to learn something and the scope of the program there is quite large, from baking to butchery and garde manger and what not. Go to VCC if you do go to a school.

[axion]

Shorerider & Rhianna - Would either of you be able to enlighten me on what the entry-level pay range is for some one who has professional cooking training.
As well, do either of you know what this industry looks like for job openings right now?

[shorerider]

I only worked/apprenticed in hotels. In a hotel, I would imagine around $14ish an hour after probation, bennifits after 6 months.
Have you worked anywhere else?

Not sure what they are looking for these days, other than a good attitude, work ethic and all of that stuff. Just say that you are a team player that works well alone if needed and you will work any shift any time.

[axion]

^^
Yikes.

14$ seems kinda low. I was told by someone at Pacific that i would be looking at somewhere around 16-20$.

Out of curiousity would someone with the classical french training have more of an opportunity to get a higher paid position?

[Rhianna]

It depends where you work. There is more $$ in instation cooking like care centers. The job I'm after right now is really great hours and $18-22/hr. It's an old peoples home. And it's still union. I better fn get it.

[Rhianna]

As far as the french thing goes. I'm not sure. I don't think so.

[shorerider]

lol, I bet you that you would be a chef de partis after 6 months of training, too eh?

Expect to be a third cook making under 15/hr. Then apprentice if you are any good, three years later you will be a first cook making 19/hr. Then, quit and move somewhere else and be a chef de partis, them sous chef ranks and then finally chef. 11 years to exec chef if you really work yourself to the bone.

Pacific wants you to believe that, but no one i have ever worked with from Dubrelle or Pacific has ever walked into a higher paid position, no matter how well you did. I have cooked for 8 years now, and my last job was pasty chef and sometimes chef for www.cmhski.com You are starting out in a career, you will start at the bottom, plain and simple.

The training at VCC is pretty classical albiet basic. But one thing I can't stress enough: Learn the basics and then expand upon them. If you don't understand the basics, you can never expect to be a good chef. Cuz it's the simple, basic things that make a good meal, like a good demi glaze, great soup, flavourful stock and all of the other things that come together to make a good meal.

[Rhianna]

Originally posted by shorerider
lol, I bet you that you would be a chef de partis after 6 months of training, too eh?

Expect to be a third cook making under 15/hr. Then apprentice if you are any good, three years later you will be a first cook making 19/hr. Then, quit and move somewhere else and be a chef de partis, them sous chef ranks and then finally chef. 11 years to exec chef if you really work yourself to the bone.

That was directed at him right?

[axion]

^^

I see. That's super good money and if the hours are good then you couldnt ask for much more. Good luck, hope it works out.