If you’ve been following our food blog for sometime now, you are well aware that Ken graduated from Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy. Since we wrote about them, we have received many inquiries about the kind of training they provide and if it’s well worth it.

With the way our food and beverage industry here in the Philippines is progressing today, it’s no longer a surprise that many of our youth and even adults are interested in pursuing a culinary career. But, does one really need a formal culinary arts education to become a successful chef?

One may argue that with many successful entrepreneurs, you only need guts, creativity and capital to start your own food business. We completely agree. However, if you are dreaming of taking on a job as a chef at any of the hotels and restaurants here in the country and abroad, a culinary arts education is a must.

Unless you have established yourself as a talented cook (yes, because chefs are professional cooks) without any culinary degree beforehand, your chance of being hired by renowned hotels and restaurants is not as immense as those who did go to culinary schools. Those who are doing the hiring are looking for individuals who received proper training in working the line and/or running a kitchen.

Ken was successfully hired by one of the hotels here in the Philippines. He has learned a lot from his culinary education at GCHA (which he has yet to write about), and combined with his creativity and precise skills, he has become an asset in their kitchen. A sister couldn’t be any prouder. 🙂

So, the answer to the question is YES. It is necessary to have a Culinary Arts degree if you want to become a successful chef. Sure, you can learn from the internet, but nothing beats being educated by real, working chefs in an environment conducive to learning the basics and advanced skills you need to be in the ‘real world’ of the culinary industry.

But it doesn’t end there. We know many who have graduated from culinary schools who are still having a hard time getting jobs. This is not an isolated case for culinary school graduates though since it can happen to anyone who took up any course, really. It all falls on YOU to make something of what you’ve learned and have become after your formal education is done. Like we always say, we NEVER stop learning. A culinary arts degree is just the beginning.

Stay tuned for more posts about culinary schools and Ken’s personal experience. It’s just that we’ve been really busy lately, but we’re looking at changing this for good very soon. 🙂