Jakea222

I will tell you guys/gals right now that I just come off of a 5 month stint for a know it all my way or no way - yelling throwing make the servers cry chef and I think he sucked - I left there thank GOD because of my wife. But this industry is changing - more ladies in the kitchen and sexual harassment can get lots of distration. Before changing my career I was subject to the training films on harassment and a good work environment and the studies that went along with it - a confused unhappy borderline postal walking out on you chef is not a good thing to have = the place now is a family and understand and help each other out - does not mean we don't get confused at what the servers punch things in - and yes that is nerve stomping - but all in all everyone is to get that person fed - good food and drink and get money - buring out is the responsibility of MGT to see things that aren't quite right - before chef joe comes in and goes postal or leaves. addition - burnout is MGT - if they wnat to keep the good people then you do something if not you don't - let people fire themselves. I come from the real non food world and vaulable people are hard tom find and keep - so you gotta do something even if it is small

I like Fine Cooking - but I have founf myself getting bored of the American Cooking Mags - I have been buying at newstands since culinary school - Olive, Delicious and Good Food - they are all UK/BBC productions and usually have Gardon Ramsay as the lead - he is not as crazy as the Hells Kithcn Show made him - he is really quite brilliant.

Well - Chodorow may have his faults but having lots of money to start out places is not a problem. I am CIA grad and found Rocco an idiot and embarassing. Actually we all did (CIA Class) when he had his show. If he would have thought about the numbers instead of his ego he probably would have done better - but all of these reality shows are ending up bad - all of the married people (nick/Jessica) are all but a memory. As far as names - he can name it crap - but I bet it will be ver well thought out.

I met Michael Ruhlman as he was writing his book "reach" and let me tell you he is one all around nice guy. He used our class for the segment on Chef Roe who was our Chef for skills. Since then, I have been in touch with him all the way through CIA and beyond. He is a great writer and even though some people picked on his Charcuterie book on Amazon - I enjoyed it very much as I have all of his books. Making of a Chef was one of the books I read on my start of the journey to career executive changer to culinary. He has a great website too ----

I am new to this eGullet so forgive me if I do something wrong. Look I think all culinary schools are important in their own way. Me, I am a CIA grad. I chose the school after looking at lots of places. I am a career changer, being in the real world for 10 years before making a switch. The CIA for an older student is the only school. See the CIA helps older career changers because it is considered one of the best in the world...now I am not saying that FCI, NECI, JW are not fine schools they are and you can make the best of any situation. I wanted the best foundation because I don't have as much time as some of the kids in typical culinary classes and I wanted that wow factor on my resume... I went in in March and my class only had a couple of HS grads - everyone else had degrees. Of the 15 after we split up after the first few classes with all of the students that was amazing....Our class was the one mentioned in Michael Ruhlmans new book Reach Of A Chef, in which he specifically mentions all of our careers and even me by name. CIA had more to offer in several areas. Not only world class chefs - but as someone else said contacts - HIGH contacts. My resume has not been questioned as I just moved and been looking for a job a week or so. I had 4 CMCs - and a CMB (Baking) in my rotation. They are amazing to see and watch - but demand excellence. I did my extern in Boca Raton Fl at a high end club. The Exec Chef, Sous Chef and Banquet Chef were CIA. They told that they had lots of externs from the FCI where I think they told me that the majority of staff were CIA grads - well since I graduation I have had no trouble - the CIA is a great thing to have on your resume - I have never had to explain my decisionto go to the best to anyone - nor should anyone else going to other programs - difference - yes - but when it all comes down to it - we all love food.