When you think of food, you may think of your favourite dish and not necessarily of aesthetics. Except for those who think about it as a career.
A degree in Culinary Arts, for instance, is a popular course that deals with the science and the art of cooking and presenting food.
First thing first, culinary art is much more than being a chef in a restaurant or preparing food for the customers.
Culinary art is the art of preparing, cooking, and presenting food in an aesthetically pleasing way, while keeping in mind the nutritional value of the food. A person who has mastered the field of culinary art will have knowledge of the science of food and an understanding of diet and nutrition. He or she will also have the skill to create fusions between different types of cuisines or to even be creative and come up with a unique dish. Culinary art basically deals with the science and art of cooking.
The job of a culinary arts professional is to balance the aesthetics with the nutrition – basically to make food look good, so it appeals to our senses, and also ensure that its food value is not compromised. It’s a fine art.
An undergraduate course in culinary arts is for a duration of three years, and the course will includes operational, technical, and managerial skills. The main areas of study under culinary arts are food management, beverage management, table manners, kitchen management, and hospitality. There are universities that offer postgraduate courses in culinary art with more focus on dietetics and hospital food service, arts of Italian Cuisine, bakery and confectionery, bakery science and technology, food production, and bakery and confectionery.
Let us now look at the top universities globally to study culinary arts
| Serial No. | University | Country |
| 1 | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts | United States |
| 2 | Culinary Arts Academy | Switzerland |
| 3 | Culinary Institute of America | United States |
| 4 | Le Cordon Bleu | Paris, France |
| 5 | Institute of Culinary Education | United States |
| 6 | Apicius | Italy |
| 7 | Westminster Kingsway College | London, UK |
| 8 | Kendall College, School of Culinary Arts | United States |
| 9 | BHMS | Lucerne, Switzerland |
| 10 | New England Culinary Institute | Montpelier United States |
According to the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics, between 2020 to 2030, the employment of chefs and head cooks is expected to have a growth of 25 per cent in the U.S., and this is much faster than the average for all occupations. The data also predicts that there will be around 18,800 openings for chefs and head cooks in these years. The median annual pay of a head cook and chef was 53,380$ for the year 2020. The highest 10 per cent of the chefs and head cooks have earned close to 90,790$.
Graduates in culinary arts work in a wide range of profiles within and also outside the food industry.
Here’s a closer look at the career options available after graduating in culinary arts:
As we know, the food and hospitality industry was one of the most severely affected industries during the pandemic. Job openings were significantly fewer, and the existing jobs were also put on hold due to the pandemic. Now when we slowly get past the challenging days of the pandemic, things are looking up for the food and hospitality industry as well. The data by the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics reveals that the food industry is seeing a revival, and more jobs are being created in this sector, with online food ordering being the new trend.
Like every other course, even culinary arts has now completely gone online. There are universities that have built online programs to help the students get the right feel of cooking. Even though the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the food industry, culinary training has been in high demand at present. So, if food, cooking and presenting food excites you, then you may want to consider a career in culinary arts, which is considered the future of the food and hospitality industry and this particular course opens up a platter of opportunities.
Check out also why we should choose careers based on interests.
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