On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:03:44 +0000 (UTC), Doug Freyburger wrote:

> ImStillMags wrote:
>>
>> You are correct Dimitri. The only thing most culinary schools can
>> teach you is 'technique', knife skills and basic formulas of how to
>> make stock, how to make a roux, etc.etc.etc. Restaurant management
>> and kitchen management are courses where even the least skilled in
>> cooking can at least learn things that would help them in a 'career'.
>>
>> Cooking something that actually tastes good and is pleasing to the eye
>> is an ART, a SKILL, I like to call it a KNACK.
>>
>> That is inherent in a person. You cannot teach the knack for
>> cooking. That is why there are so very many 'chefs' who
>> never rise beyond 'cook'. I have personally hired 'chefs' who have
>> the degree, the piece of paper, but no knack and not
>> a lot of sense of what goes with what and what compliments this
>> ingredient. They couldn't cook their way out of a paper bag.
>>
>> So.....big bucks for a fancy degree from a major culinary school is
>> great certification. But you better have the innate knowing to make
>> it work if you want to climb up the culinary ladder.
>
> This reads so much like discussions I've read about IT workers and
> degrees in computer science. There are plenty who suceed without a
> degree, but my degree sure opened doors for me that had been blocked
> before. There are enough degreed folks who aren't any good.

i went to a trade school before getting my programmer gig. it's unclear
how much that had to do with my hiring, though - they (arlington co., va,
government) seemed to use IBM's programming aptitude test as their
screening device at that time. that was in the 80's.

your pal,
blake