How about that Job Corps?

How is the job corps culinary arts program?

• i heard it sucks he Culinary Arts Program at Job Corps will prepare you for a job as a prep cook in a kitchen, teaching you soups, salads, quick breads, how to host, serve, do ...show more

• Answer:

  I studied at Treasure Island Advanced Culinary Arts Academy (Now, San Francisco Job Corps Center). Back when I trained there it was the same format following the grand tradition of Le Cordon Bleu. When you graduated, you were qualified through experience and apprenticing for a Soux Chef position. We found that many students coming from Basic Training had less skills than they needed to cope with the caliber of work required in the bay area. For a handful of centers that prepared their cooks for the real rigors faced by working chefs, those Corpsmemebers excelled. Unfortunately, most of the others that were merely qualified as Food Service Workers took up space and were in the way. At that time, the center was beginning its expansion. The world class chefs who were all old school New York CIA chefs and Master Bakers soon departed. This bygone era of Treasure Island Culinary Artists qualifying for and shipping out with the Merchant Marine has faded into history. Most of my class failed strict qualification for these coveted positions. In those days, the island was guarded 24/7 with active Navy Offices still on board. We worked and learned in the Old Galleys and it was tough slogging for sure. But, we loved it! Bay area kitchens loved us! We worked for low pay and had high skills and often worked circles around the University Chefs that were only good at ordering products! Culinary Arts, you need passion and strong work ethics, not so much the BS in Food Science or BA in Management.