[Sca-cooks] cooking schools

[Chris Stanifer]

--- Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com> wrote:
>
> The fact is that the restaurant industry is
> _extremely_ competitive,
> usually highly stressful, and low in profits for any
> but the best. Being
> a chef requires the ability to cook well, but also
> the ability to cook
> well while simultaneously planning twelve other
> projects, which in turn
> will be cooked while you are planning 144 more
> projects. It can be
> backbreaking and often dangerous physical labor, as
> well having perhaps
> the worst hours of any industry I can think of.

Unfortunately, all of the above is quite true.  The
difference, in my opinion, between a Chef and a cook
is that the Chef *thrives* on this kind of challenge.
Anyone can be a cook.  There are really no *special*
skills involved.  But, to be a Chef, and to be
successful at it, you have to possess an almost
obsessive *love* for the craft of cooking, as well as
an innate ability to multi-task on a countless number
of levels.  It is rigorous, frustrating and sweaty
work... but if you truly love the craft, then the
rewards are plenty.

There are a number of great culinary schools out
there, as well.  The CIA is probably the cream of the
crop, but on the West Coast we also have the
California Culinary Academy and Los Angeles Trade and
Technical Institute (LA Trade-Tech).  I have competed
(and lost) against students from both of these
campuses, and they have all been truly gifted
professionals.  Amazing work.

Balthazar of Blackmoor

=====
Let the people hate, as long as they also fear.

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