Needed: Your recommendations on a school.

(Apologies beforehand if this was not the correct place within the forums to post this question.)

Good day all,

I've recently retired from the US Army, and am currently working the pantry at a downtown restaurant. When I retired last summer, Uncle Sam stuffed this Montgomery GI Bill in my pocket, and ( as he chuckled,) waved me out of the door. It's a pretty good sum, and representing 21 years of active-federal service ( and your all's tax dollars,) I don't want to waste it. The 'but' is that I want some professional 'polish' to my current OJT. So....which culinary school (ing) should I go for ?

Note: No, I wasn't a cook in the Army. I carried a .5 oz. plastic shaker of cayenne/garlic powder mix in my rucksack, just for the MRE's main course. The Tobasco in each MRE wasn't quite enough to smother the 'flavor,' sometimes.

Welcome to the forum, Rob. While I cannot point you in the direction of a culinary program I can say thank you for your service to our country.

Rob, there are quite a few people on this forum who have experience and will guide you vety weel- I just want to ditto what Ed said so well. Welcome and I hope to meet you some time soon.

Ooh! There's just a bit of room left for the next offline at Flabby's, that would be a great chance for a meet & greet! Please say you'll join in!

Hey, Rob - very informative discussion on this topic was carried on in this thread right before Christmas: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4967&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=culinary+school

But I'd say that since our Uncle Sam is buying, you can disregard a lot of the advice in that earlier discussion, because it's all based on having to borrow money to go to school If you're going to go, please do check out Sullivan but also check out the Culinary Institute of America in New York. There's also Johnson and Wales not too far off.

If you have your heart set on staying in Louisville, go ahead and go for Sullivan as long as you don't have to borrow tuition!

(Apologies beforehand if this was not the correct place within the forums to post this question.)

Good day all,

I've recently retired from the US Army, and am currently working the pantry at a downtown restaurant. When I retired last summer, Uncle Sam stuffed this Montgomery GI Bill in my pocket, and ( as he chuckled,) waved me out of the door. It's a pretty good sum, and representing 21 years of active-federal service ( and your all's tax dollars,) I don't want to waste it. The 'but' is that I want some professional 'polish' to my current OJT. So....which culinary school (ing) should I go for ?

Note: No, I wasn't a cook in the Army. I carried a .5 oz. plastic shaker of cayenne/garlic powder mix in my rucksack, just for the MRE's main course. The Tobasco in each MRE wasn't quite enough to smother the 'flavor,' sometimes.

Rob...

Congratulations on your service...a good friend of mine retired in '07 after 30 years as a Naval Aviator -- it's an outstanding commitment.

Suggestion....consider copying your original post onto the "Louisville Restaurants Forum", as well...many of the same people visit both, but I think that one gets more regular traffic and is apt to be seen by a larger number of food service professionals who can guide you in the right direction -- good luck.

Ok, I asked the chef in the family-- if money was no object, where would you go?
His suggestion is the CIA, especially the one in Napa Valley. Here is a link: http://www.ciachef.edu

Hope this helps.

Welcome to the forum, Rob. As the mother of a Navy aviator, I totally appreciate you dedication and service to our country.

Thank you all very much for your input !

And thank you all for your congratulations, etc, on my service. Maybe someday I won't be embarrassed by those.

I was "bitten by the food bug" a long time ago, when asked to cook something for a family in ( at the time, West) Germany. I did something Tex-Mex, and was amazed at how happy everyone was at the table. That is, after enough beer had put the fires out in some of their mouths. Feeding people rocks. Period.Dot.

I've worked for two shops since retiring, and it's shown me a bit of two different 'philosophies.' I've been immersed ( drowned even,) by what two separate Chefs had to teach me, and am most inspired by what the pastry-Chef does. What she creates, and what I was plating for those months, was like the after-glow/cuddle following sex. No better analogy, and I hope no-one is offended !

So. Sullivan, it is. I'm nailed down to Louisville by family and mortgage, and Sullivan's baking program seems to offer something I'm not going to pick up at the saute' station at 'Z's Fusion.' Thanks, Marsha.

Ooh! There's just a bit of room left for the next offline at Flabby's, that would be a great chance for a meet & greet! Please say you'll join in!

Mandy,

I do the dinner shift at 'Z's Fusion.' Is it possible that this will be scheduled during a Tuesday or Thursday evening ? If so, I'd be happy to come.

Rob, this offline is on a Saturday afternoon - but we have these shindigs all the time, and yes, sometimes even on weekdays! So we'll get to meet you.

I did go to Sullivan but I did not major in pastry - we have another Sullivan graduate board regular that did, though - Leah Stewart.

If pastry's what you're going for, and you're staying in town, and it's basically paid for, then I can't recommend Sullivan highly enough under those circumstances. And if Chef Rhea is still the department head - he's an old army cook, as well.

Get yourself onto the culinary competition team! Start angling for that right away, even if they won't take you the first semester. Attend their meetings! You might get to go on a free trip to compete (I did, twice - once on a cruise to the Bahamas!)

Good luck, and don't be a stranger around here.

As usual, what SHE said...

Chef Rhea is no longer at Sullivan, but Chef Hickey still is, with an Army Culinary Team background if I recall correctly. You should check out the wooden "suitcase" that he used as his knife kit. It used to be in one of the classrooms; the cubbies and the goodies stored within are worth sneaking a look at. Not that I did.

Definitely go for the culinary team, and Plus Fridays. You'll get your money's worth (you earned it, it's yours) with all of the opportunities that come up outside the classroom. Good luck!