What’s a guy or gal to do when the passion to perfect the art of outstanding food service is too strong to settle for hosting in their own dining room?
Two culinary school graduates share their experiences
For some talented, creative home cooks, hosting friends and family is gratifying enough to satisfy their culinary passion. But what’s a guy or gal to do when the passion to perfect the art of outstanding food service is too strong to settle for hosting in their own dining room?
Attending brand-name culinary schools can cost upwards of $40,000 a year, and with starting salaries rounding off at about $15 an hour, is this a viable option? Is a degree or formal culinary training necessary to succeed in food service? And what about kosher and other religious concerns — can they be accommodated at a non-kosher cooking school?
There are currently just a handful of kosher culinary schools in the world. The Jerusalem Culinary Institute was the first of its kind, opening in 2003 under the direction of Yochanan Lambiase, who worked at several of Europe’s best restaurants but had no formal training. New York City is home to the Kosher Culinary Center, and Tel Aviv boasts the Dan Gourmet School of Kosher Culinary Arts, where classes are taught in Hebrew. Ben Gurion University in Eilat offers a six-month combined academic and internship program with two tracks: Hospitality & Tourism, or Certification in Israeli, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean Cuisine.
But for so many, schooling in Israel or New York isn’t feasible. Two graduates of non-kosher culinary schools, Denise Marcellus and Alex Idov, shared their experiences and ensuing career paths.
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