Careers In Culinary
For individuals who love food and enjoy cooking for others, a career in the culinary arts may be an obvious choice. Culinary careers can be made working in restaurants, hotels and resorts and institutional settings or even as a personal chef. Aspiring cooks should be aware that the more highly coveted positions in this field are extremely competitive and entry-level positions offer relatively low pay.
A degree or certificate in culinary arts is typical for chefs and restaurant cooks while a degree in hospitality is often required for food service managers. After gaining experience, individuals can often make career moves to higher end restaurants or take on higher levels of responsibility.
The culinary jobs below are those identified by BrainTrack as commonly requiring higher education either for entry or for advancement. Hyperlinked jobs go to detailed profiles, including lists of schools with relevant programs.
| Occupation | Jobs | Growth '08-'18 | Low - Median - High | Some College | Bachelor Degree+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Cooks | 899,000 | 8% | 19% | 5% | |
| Bartenders | 492,000 | 8% | 41% | 16% | |
| Institution And Cafeteria Cooks | 384,000 | 10% | 19% | 5% | |
| Food Service Managers | 190,000 | 5% | 35% | 24% | |
| Bakers | 141,000 | 0% | 23% | 8% | |
| Chefs | 94,000 | 0% | 36% | 13% | |
| Private Household Cooks | 1,000 | 4% | 19% | 5% |
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