Would you recommend your daughter go to culinary school?

amother

Sun, May 31 2020, 4:12 pm

My daughter is in 12th grade and looking beyond seminary. She wants to go to culinary school. Would you recommend your child go this educational route or not? (Before you ask- she asked me if I approve. I am aware she is nearly an adult and may certainly make her own vocational choices.)

amother

Indigo

Sun, May 31 2020, 4:24 pm

What does she want to do with it?

I went and took classes. I use everything I learned when cooking for my family.

amother

Cerise

Sun, May 31 2020, 4:31 pm

Why not?

Is she willing to take student loans for this, or are you concerned about the financial end?

If she goes to a secular culinary school, she will have some (surmountable) kashrus issues, and may not be able to taste her food.

I don't know what the job market looks like, but presumably she has some idea of what she would like to do with her skills.

If nothing else, it provides some excellent opportunities for part-time business.

amother

Orange

Sun, May 31 2020, 4:45 pm

I know someone who did. She did need to ask a lot of halachic questions, the main thing I recall was that she couldn't cook meat with milk but was allowed to cook otherwise with non kosher ingredients. Obviously she didn't taste anything.
She is a good cook, but never got a job connected to cooking or the food business at all. It's not the most practical or realistic way to plan on supporting yourself or a family as a frum woman tbh.

amother

Sun, May 31 2020, 4:45 pm

amother [ Cerise ] wrote:

She is willing to take loans. Going to a not kosher place will place too many obstacles in her way.

amother

Orange

Sun, May 31 2020, 4:57 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

She is willing to take loans. Going to a not kosher place will place too many obstacles in her way.

I don't think it's different than going to a regular secular college in that regard. Would she still be living at home? If you are worried about secular influences, that is an important factor.

gnatan

Sun, May 31 2020, 5:02 pm

Yes, my daughter went to culinary school and she is an amazing pastry chef.

amother

Floralwhite

Sun, May 31 2020, 5:03 pm

Does she have a plan of what she would like to do with it when she finishes school?

amother

Burlywood

Sun, May 31 2020, 5:37 pm

My sister went to culinary school, is a pastry chef and now owns her own successful cake business. I went to culinary school and then worked in several high end restaurants and other places before giving it up to become a paramedic lol
I never got to taste any of the food I made but when I was in school I would just have a classmate taste, and when I was working in the industry in non-kosher restaurants again, I would just have someone else taste for me. It was a wonderful career but absolutely brutal hours, some days I would go to work in the morning and leave around 2am.

Raisin

Sun, May 31 2020, 5:37 pm

I know a frum girl who did so and she now works in a kosher restaurant in NY. I think she went to a Jewish program.

Many jobs might not be very social hours in catering or restaurants so I would suggest your daughter speaks to people already in this field.

She can always start her own business but I think you need some business savvy for that as well.