(NewsUSA) –
As enrollments in culinary schools across the country are growing,
many might think it’s due to the rise in celebrity chefs and
cooking competitions. It’s no doubt that kitchen reality shows and
24-hour food programming have been major influences. However, it’s
actually the thought of a general career change that has many
adults looking to make a switch after many years in the same job,
whether that is behind a desk, on a production line or in field
sales. One school that specializes in career changes is The
Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City, where
students expand their culinary horizons through diploma programs in
the Culinary Arts, Pastry and Baking Arts and Culinary Management.
Often those going to culinary school aspire to be a restaurant
chef. However, career possibilities are endless with a culinary
diploma: from personal chef, caterer and beverage manager to recipe
tester, food stylist and food media journalist. Edward Foppiano was
working in financial services for a major life insurance company in
New York City when he decided to take a second look at his career.
“Cooking was always a hobby for me, and it was very relaxing to be
in the kitchen,” says Foppiano, “I came to a point in my career
where I said to myself, ‘Do I really want to be doing this for
another 30 years?'” The answer to his question was found at
culinary school, where he is currently enrolled in the Culinary
Arts program at ICE. His current long-term goal is to one day
become an Executive Chef. Likewise, people interested in the
performing arts are turning to the culinary arts to further express
their creativity in a different form. Casey Duffy had aspirations
of a career in theater that brought her to New York, after growing
up in Pittsburgh and attending college in Virginia. A year after
her arrival, however, she realized that her passion for cooking was
something she wanted to turn into a career. After 10 months at ICE,
she hopes to work with four-star chefs like Daniel Boulud, before
eventually returning to Pittsburgh. These days, culinary school
offerings transcend cooking skills, baking fundamentals and palate
development. Notably, some schools have started culinary management
programs to address high student interest in entrepreneurship.
“Many of our students now go for the double major, to learn the
cooking and business side of food,” says ICE President Rick Smilow.
They must be doing something right. The International Association
of Culinary Professionals just awarded ICE its 2008 Award of
Excellence -; in essence, the closest thing the culinary world has
to “school of the year.” Tired of your daily grind? Log on to
www.iceculinary.com/grind or call 1-888-319-CHEF for more
information.