A Few Thoughts On Culinary Credentials
Hello again! Another week in absentia from me when it comes to posting, I apologize. It’s been busy. I had some health stuff to take care of. I’m trying to be more active as an admin on the Food and Beverage Industry Ottawa Facebook group. And, of course, we were helping our new cat settle in to her new home. Please give a warm welcome to Lady Scarlett Pumpernickel.
The reason I mention the Facebook group (which, if you’re part of the industry in Ottawa, you should join, by the way) is that recently there was a member on there who asked the question of whether or not to get their Red Seal. Which got me to thinking about cooking credentials in general and what they mean to today’s industry.
Lots of the best chefs in the world like to say they’re self-taught. What they mean by this often is that they didn’t attend culinary school or do any formal learning. They just got a job in a kitchen, then got another job in a better kitchen and so on, learning as they worked. While this makes for a great story, remember, these chefs are often the exception to the rule. Just like not everyone can be Michael Jordan, not everyone can be a self-taught superstar chef.
I know a thing or two about culinary school. I took courses at Algonquin College for both chef training and culinary management. Later, I worked at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa. I saw lots of the ins and outs of both programs. While both have their advantages, the question is, is culinary school necessary?
I’d say, 99% of the time, yes.
Unless you have access to a great restaurant or hotel kitchen right off the bat, you should go to culinary school if you’re serious about this industry. While sometimes you may learn things that seem dated or out of fashion, you get a base of knowledge that’s very important. An education rooted in French technique is a good thing, even in today’s culinary climate. You learn good knife skills, ways to build flavour and if anyone tells you you’ll never make a mother sauce outside of the classroom, they’re dead wrong.
Of the five mother sauces, you’ll still see sauce Béchamel, and its derivative sauce Mornay, in things like lasagna, moussaka or macaroni and cheese. A classical tomato sauce, whether French or Italian is something every cook should know how to make. And I can’t imagine brunch without Hollandaise sauce.
Which is the course for you? Well, a lot of that depends on where you are. With the world today being what it is, culinary school probably looks a lot different from what I remember. But, after seeing various programs as both staff and student, I can say this: no matter the program, you get out what you put in.
The harder you study, the more you practice, the more you read and learn on your own time, the more you’ll get out of your program. If you coast through, zoning in and out or dismiss certain topics because “they’re not what you’re into” or “you’ll probably never need to know this” you’re only hurting yourself in the long run. That’s on you, not the program. I speak from experience here.
As for getting your Red Seal, well, I look at this the same way I look at going to culinary school. Maybe some of your heroes don’t have it, but they’re again the exception that proves the rule. Having your documentation doesn’t automatically mean you’re the best chef. But it means you’re taking your career seriously enough to get documented.
The jobs and opportunities that you need documentation for may not be what you’re after now. But, as we’ve seen this year, the future is impossible to predict. You may end up changing course later on in life. And, like a valued mentor told me, it’s always easier to get these certifications early on, before you’re in a position where you suddenly find that you NEED them. Having another tool in the box is never a bad thing.
Just like getting your Red Seal doesn’t automatically make you a good chef, it doesn’t automatically make you a bad one, either. I’ve heard lots of talk from people in the industry that say only lazy cooks who want cushy jobs bother to get their seal. Don’t listen to that. People are individuals. I’m proud that I got my certification and I’m prouder still that I continued learning every day after I got it, all those years ago. I have many contemporary skills to stack beside my classical ones.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, never stop learning. If you really want to be a top chef, then never miss an opportunity to learn. If you can go to a culinary school, or take a college program, do it. Can get your certifications? Do that. If you have the opportunity to take a class or hear a lecture that concerns your industry, do it. The older you get, the harder it is to get away from your responsibilities to continue your education.
What are your thoughts on culinary school and certifications? Leave a comment down below or shoot me an email! Also, feel free to tell me how adorable our new cat is.
