Today's young chefs and students

[GordonCooks]

Today's cooking schools are packed with starry-eyed youngsters that have never baked a cookie before entering their first class. Are these people truly passionate or seeking celebrity fame, fortune and $$?

In addition, do the older professional chefs enjoy their new aristocratic status? And/or feel compromising their craft/ideals for money is selling out ?

[Andrew&Karen]

It's hard to address your question, which is sort of like being asked, "Are stereotypes true?" Some stereotypes are rooted in fact, others aren't. All we can really share is our experience.

Andrew recalls the time a few months ago when he accompanied our photographer Mike Donnelly to cooking schools to capture shots of culinary students for the new edition of our book BECOMING A CHEF that's coming out next month. He was pleased to find that virtually all of the students he met were serious and earnest and asking good questions. He's been in enough restaurant kitchens to know when someone's head is "not in the game," and didn't run across any of that.

It could be that the cost of culinary schools are helping to screen out people who are less dedicated.

We're not sure what you mean by your question about older chefs' enjoying their "new aristocratic status" -- do tell!

Karen & Andrew