The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC) prepares more students in the Chicago area for successful careers in food service than any other culinary school using the traditional, European hands-on approach to culinary education that was previously difficult to obtain in the Midwest. Affiliated with the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, CHIC combines classical cooking techniques with leading-edge American technology.
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The Soy of Cooking
In every industry, people try to look ahead and anticipate future trends so as to secure a competitive advantage. Pharmaceutical companies saw America becoming more obese, so they rushed to capitalize on diet pills. Phone companies saw the Internet, so they rushed to corner the market on VoIP technology. Even in the cooking world, there are signs of things to come. Anyone interested in starting a chef career would be wise to incorporate vegan, organic, and vegetarian cooking skills into their training with the future in mind.
Why Are These Skills Essential for Chef Training?
In a nation dominated by fast food chains and processed meals, more and more people have begun embracing healthier, heartier lifestyles. This health food craze began in isolated pockets along the coasts, but increasingly, Americans across the country have been scrutinizing the food they put into their bodies. If you are serious about starting a chef career in the coming years, you'd be wise to monitor this trend.
A More Accepting Public
Given the country's dependence on processed food, it might prove difficult to find customers in the beginning. But rest assured, junk food companies will not be able to weather future bad publicity. Movies like "Super Size Me" have already begun chipping away at their credibility.
If you learn healthier recipes and cooking styles during your chef training, you will find a flood of business in the coming years. A time might even come when vegetarian or organic expertise will become a requirement for most chef careers.
Bilingual Education
Even if this mad rush doesn't come for a few years yet, just think about the advantages that chef training in healthful cooking will have on your career. Just as a bilingual professional is able to find more work opportunities than the average worker, so too will you be able to accept more jobs than the average chef. Simply put, the ability to cook both meat dishes and healthy vegetarian ones is a skill that will open more doors than it closes.
About the Author
A freelance writer and researcher, Austin Brentley is an English teacher currently living and working in Yamaguchi, Japan. His previous experience includes working for a lobbying firm in his native Washington, DC and working for various record and television studios in New York. Austin holds a B.A. in history.
Chef School Features
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.
