- Alabama Chef Schools
- Arizona Chef Schools
- Arkansas Chef Schools
- California Chef Schools
- Colorado Chef Schools
- Connecticut Chef Schools
- District of Columbia Chef Schools
- Florida Chef Schools
- Georgia Chef Schools
- Hawaii Chef Schools
- Idaho Chef Schools
- Illinois Chef Schools
- Indiana Chef Schools
- Kansas Chef Schools
- Kentucky Chef Schools
- Louisiana Chef Schools
- Maryland Chef Schools
- Massachusetts Chef Schools
- Michigan Chef Schools
- Minnesota Chef Schools
- Mississippi Chef Schools
- Missouri Chef Schools
- Nevada Chef Schools
- New Jersey Chef Schools
- New York Chef Schools
- North Carolina Chef Schools
- Ohio Chef Schools
- Oregon Chef Schools
- Pennsylvania Chef Schools
- South Carolina Chef Schools
- Tennessee Chef Schools
- Texas Chef Schools
- Utah Chef Schools
- Virginia Chef Schools
- Washington Chef Schools
- West Virginia Chef Schools
- Wisconsin Chef Schools
- British Columbia Chef Schools
- Ontario Chef Schools
Organic Food--Hip Not Hippie
Culinary training to prepare organic food is the wave of the future for aspiring chefs, as restaurant habitues become more eco- and health-conscious about dining out.
Do you need to spend a king’s ransom to prepare a special meal with fresh, organic, and locally produced ingredients? According to Dominique Rizzo, head chef at fashionable Brisbane organic eatery, Mondo Organics, it’s not always necessary to spend a fortune. “Cheaper cuts like beef shanks or osso buco are always well received.” With a little culinary training, you can also dress up less expensive ingredients like polenta, couscous, and lentils for your dinner party.
Organic Food is no Longer Boring
Restaurateur Brenda Fawdon put her culinary training to good use when she and her partners opened Mondo Organics, Australia’s first licensed organic restaurant, in 2000. According to Chef Fawdon, Mondo has managed to “debunk the myth of organic food as bland hippie roughage.” Mondo’s menu does include vegetarian, dairy-free, and wheat-free entrees but leave your preconceived notions that organic food is boring at the door. Chef Rizzo serves up dishes like wild mushroom truffle mousse and rosemary jus, cherry and ricotta pancakes with cherry almond syrup, as well as braised duck with bitter chocolate and polenta frittata, served with sweet potato and roast pear ragu—not a boring dish in the bunch.
Chef Rizzo also provides tasty organic catering “without a double deep-fried spring roll to be seen.” Instead, she serves duck, wild mushroom, and shallot pie canapes with tomato/honey relish or grilled prawn hors de oeuvres with prosciutto and fig jam.
Culinary Training to Face the Organic Food Revolution
Organic produce, with its fresher taste, and high quality free-range poultry and grass-fed beef is becoming standard rather than exotic fare on restaurant menus. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. organic food industry earned approximately $15 billion in 2005, and is expected to grow 9-16 percent per year by 2010. Think about enrolling in a culinary school and getting the training that positions you on the leading edge of the organic food revolution.
Sources
About the Author
Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.
California Culinary Academy
Get your Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts or Hospitality & Restaurant Management degree at the acclaimed California Culinary Academy in beautiful San Francisco, CA.
The Art Institutes
Turn your passion into a four-star career. At The Art Institutes, you'll explore traditional, fundamental cooking skills and get hands on training in our student-run restaurants.
Western Culinary Institute
Western Culinary Institute (WCI) offers world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu Programs in the heart of one of the nation's most beautiful and culturally-thriving cities — Portland, OR.
