Switching Careers to Pastry

[alwayshungry]

Hello,

I am a longtime journalist who is seriously weighing a mid-career change into the pastry world. I would love to hear thoughts from those in the field about this question:

How important is pastry school in building a career in the field, especially if you're starting at midlife?

In other words, are programs like the one at L'Academie pretty much prerequisites to being able to find good opportunities in kitchens? Or is learning on the job an equally viable path?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you can offer.

Catherine

[Arcturus]

Hello,

I am a longtime journalist who is seriously weighing a mid-career change into the pastry world. I would love to hear thoughts from those in the field about this question:

How important is pastry school in building a career in the field, especially if you're starting at midlife?

In other words, are programs like the one at L'Academie pretty much prerequisites to being able to find good opportunities in kitchens? Or is learning on the job an equally viable path?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you can offer.

Catherine

First, go stage and see if you like it. Call a place and offer to hang around for a bit unpaid and see if you're into the environment and such, and see if it's something that you're interested in doing.

Second, it all depends. Going to culinary school can open doors, but it does so at a high price. If you find a good chef that's willing to take you on and take you under their wing, it can be as good. Ferran Adria, Thomas Keller and Heston Blumenthal never went to culinary school.

[alwayshungry]

thanks!!

First, go stage and see if you like it. Call a place and offer to hang around for a bit unpaid and see if you're into the environment and such, and see if it's something that you're interested in doing.

Second, it all depends. Going to culinary school can open doors, but it does so at a high price. If you find a good chef that's willing to take you on and take you under their wing, it can be as good. Ferran Adria, Thomas Keller and Heston Blumenthal never went to culinary school.

[slarochelle]

Years ago I "followed" Malawry through the professional cooking program at L'Acadamie. She blogged about it weekly on eGullet; look for Diary of a Cooking School Student. Though not specifically pastry related, you may find it interesting. As someone who at the time was considering a similar career change, I thought it was a great look into the process.

[Gastro888]

1) Working in the kitchen requires lots of physical stamina and strength.

2) Attending a culinary school will give you the foundation you need for your career. Also, it will allow you to make contacts in the culinary field and help you figure out what you want to do.

3) Culinary school costs a pretty penny so I'd take the advice of doing a stage (if you can) before enrolling.

4) Yes, those chefs did not attend culinary school but their situations are unique.

I have friends who attended pastry school at ICE in NYC. It is a great program and they enjoyed it. One did her stage at Jean-Georges.

However, it was quite expensive and tiring to do the program.

[Mark Slater]

Getting to work at 3AM to proof the croissant dough could suck. Especially if you have to work all day.