Whether it be a family member, a friend, or a stranger, human beings have been teaching each other to cook, arguably, since cooking itself was invented, which may date back to around 780 000 years ago. It is an art as old as that of cooking itself. As the world has modernised, so too has culinary education; the first official cooking school was founded in 1879 in Boston and now there are thousands scattered across the globe.
With the fees, however, of these prestigious cooking schools reaching (g)astronomical prices, upwards of four thousand euros a month (the Cordon Bleu being 4500), the question is: is it worth it? I interviewed two alumni of cooking schools, the prestigious Cordon Bleu in Paris, and Ireland’s own Ballymaloe, to ask them about their experiences there, and whether they thought cooking school was worth the expense. Both interviewees asked to be anonymous and so for the sake of this article they will be called Collette (Cordon Bleu) and Linguini (Ballymaloe).
What was your drive to attend cooking school?
Collette: I have always loved cooking and as a child it was always a dream of mine to go to a cooking school because in my mind there was nothing more fun than to learn about what I love and have something tangible [a qualification] to take away.
I thought at the time becoming a chef was something I could end up wanting to do but it was only when I was there that I really wanted to become a chef and seriously considered not going to college.
Linguini: I have always loved cooking, and Ballymaloe in particular: the ethos and experience there is unique and that is what I really wanted. It seemed perfect for me, as an Irish cooking school and whole foods based. They have a garden there and their focus is on local produce: […] this is a very important aspect in cooking for me.
Darina Allen herself is a pioneer in what she’s done and is an incredible force of a woman with a huge influence on the Irish food scene. Prior to Ballymaloe, I wasn’t sure about a career in the kitchen, and I was very intimidated by the culinary scene, and the idea of being a chef; but when I was there my opinion changed and I became a lot more interested in cooking as a career. It was always a dream of mine but being in the environment that dream became a reality. I would love to continue to work in restaurants and be in that industry for some period of my life.
What is your main takeaway from cooking school / the standout thing you learnt?
Colette: The theory of cooking, the idea of basics and methods and technicalities, specifically in French cooking. The other main takeaway was confidence in my own ability, one of the main reasons people say they can’t cook is a lack of practice and confidence. The Cordon Bleu provided me with the opportunity of three months of intense practice and confidence in my ability.
Linguini: Confidence in your own ability, I am never intimidated by recipes or cooking. […] It now feels very intuitive cooking, knowing what will work, understanding how food works on a deeper level, how ingredients work together and the importance of caring about where your food is coming from.
What was the demographic of your class during your time there?
Collette: Being nineteen I was the youngest, forty was the oldest, and in general concentration was twenty to twenty-seven. Their levels of experience varied, some had decided to be chefs and had worked and saved up, some were already chefs and wanted the qualification and to improve their skills.
Linguini: Interestingly, it was mainly women, and the age ranged from eighteen to sixty.
Was it a high-pressure environment, and was there pressure to be a chef?
Collette: Yes, it was a very high pressure environment, the demonstrations were as you would imagine a French kitchen to be. They wanted to induce you into the world of high-end kitchens. It was high pressure but fair, and there was humour, I never felt anxious or attacked. There was also pressure to be a chef, my head of the cohort attempted to persuade me not to go to university and to stay in Paris, and that he could get me a job in a kitchen in a month.
Linguini: No, not at all. The only stressful time was the exam for the qualification. There was also no pressure to be a chef in that environment. I never felt intimated, everyone was there for their own different reasons. It’s very inclusive and everyone wanted to help
Given the expenses of cooking school, do you think that cooking school and the culinary scene is a ‘pay to play’ system?
Collette: I don’t think so, a lot of high-end restaurants have chefs that are keen to hire newbies who are very enthusiastic. Having a regimented way of cooking going into a new place can sometimes be jarring for both the chef and restaurant.
One thing that is ‘pay to play’ is that when you leave [cooking school] you can get a job not at the bottom of the ladder, you don’t have to work your way up from a kitchen porter.
Getting these jobs is all about references, getting your foot on the ladder and experience is key, but it is easier to get in with a qualification.
Linguini: Yes and no, cooking school is a way to bypass the worst parts of getting into the industry, starting from the very bottom, there is less proving of yourself to be done as they see the name and prestige and it’s a lot easier to come in not at the bottom – I don’t necessarily agree with this system, but it is the truth.
Do you think that cooking school was worth it – in the grand scheme of things was the large expense worth the output, and if so, or if not, what was this output?
Collette: I think yes but it depends on what you want to get out of it. If you really want to be a chef I don’t think it’s worth going to cooking school to facilitate that – it is a huge expense and working in a kitchen won’t pay it back very quickly.
One of the main things I really liked about it is that there is something very fulfilling about having a physical skill that you have a qualification for. Everyone is stressing about what they are going to do after college and having a cooking qualification means that I can go anywhere and get a job in a kitchen easily.
It’s also fun to explore your passion for cooking in an environment where everyone else is as passionate as you […].
Linguini: A hundred percent, it was invaluable what I learnt and my experience there. It is a huge part of who I am, I think about what I learnt there and what I did there every day. I think about where food comes from and how it is sourced. I think it is so important to understand food […].
From the training itself, the love that I already had for food and cooking grew, however Ballymaloe does not prepare you for the environment. The first job I had in a kitchen, I was still so nervous. Every kitchen is different and sometimes you have to unlearn what you have learnt, but it did help undoubtedly with knowledge […] and hugely helped with my confidence. Especially with jobs further down the line, I feel very comfortable in an environment where I am surrounded by food.
