Going berserk with a knife

Remember the ‘Long Kiss Goodnight’ in which Geena Davies starts chopping like an expert in the kitchen?. If you want to learn those kinds of chopping skills for real, it’s easier to try and get a degree in the culinary arts than become a secret assassin. That's not to say it's easy, even after that!

Of course there are plenty of excellent reasons for committing long-term to a cooking class to get a degree in the culinary arts besides learning to speed chop. First of all, if you have a passion for cooking, a degree will open all kinds of doors for you in the restaurant business. And if that appeals to you, then you will have to commit to a minimum of three years before you have a qualification that will carry enough clout to set you on a lucrative career path in the cooking industry. That’s why you need passion. It may only take ten seconds to fantasize about, but it can take half a lifetime to turn into reality.

More than a chef

There are lots of different kinds of career paths in the food industry. The first job that occurs to most people is that of a chef. Turn on the TV, and you'll see professional chefs entertaining us, introducing us to new ideas and touting their branded kitchenware. But there are many other equally satisfying jobs behind the scenes, including:

• restaraunteur
• owner of a catering company
• food and beverage manager
• sales manager for a major food or cookware brand
• government health inspector
• hygiene councillor

Although it’s not a requirement to enter the food industry, a degree in culinary arts will pave the way for the highest paid positions. The courses themselves teach everything from food preparation and nutrition to accounting and law. Many cooking schools put a lot of emphasis on teaching the business aspects of the food industry, so you can expect some in-depth tuition on business management and running IT programs such as CRM (customer relationship management) and ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems. To expand your knowledge and understanding of the chemistry that goes on in the kitchen, you may get the opportunity to play with food in a laboratory.

Managing people

Heating up foodstuffs is not the only chemistry that is crucial to the cooking business. the chemistry between people is just as important. You'll be taught about client management, which is essentially good business communication and marketing. But you'll also be taught how to manage the people who will be working with you, either in the kitchen or in business administration. Because of that, a practical placement in a hotel, restaurant or catering business is a key part of any culinary arts degree.

The practical aspects of a bachelor degree course are key to success both during the course, and afterward when you are looking for employment. Great chopping skills won't be enough to impress your fellow professionals. You'll need to develop good people skills. Kitchen management, from giving clear instructions to buying and storing food, is extremely important. Developing good planning skills is crucial. But the single attribute that will ensure success in the cooking profession is a passion for all things to do with food preparation.