"Self-taught" v. Cooking School

[FoodZealot]

Michael,

from your unique perspective, would you please share any thoughts you have on the relative merits of going to a cooking school like the CIA versus a more apprenticeship/self-guided path such as that of Thomas Keller?

Thank you.

~Tad

[Michael Ruhlman]

Culinary school gives you a broad base fast. Apprenticeship depends on finding a great chef to train under, a little more risky, a little less efficient. After culinary school, you go out and apprentice anyway (or ought to) so the question is not culinary school vs apprenticship but rather culinary school or no culinary school.