Earning a Culinary Career in a Disease-Ridden World
by Stanley Rubenti
stanley.rubenti@collegedegreereview.com
College Degree Review Columnist
Eating should never be a dangerous affair, but recent news headlines definitely provide much room for concern. There was a hepatitis outbreak in Australia at a fast food restaurant. Then there's E Coli, mad cow disease and the bird flu. And if that weren't enough, the FDA has approved the use of cloned animals in food. So the question remains, should or shouldn't you pursue a culinary career in a world constantly threatened with food scares, suspicious ingredients, bird flu, mad cow disease, and other potential health concerns.
Restaurant Training Will Only Become More Important
You would think that the entire dining industry would shut down in the wake of such news headlines. In truth, some aspects of the industry probably will suffer, but most Americans simply don't have time to prepare 3 square meals a day. Our collective reliance on chefs and food preparers will only increase as time goes on. That being said, however, people will probably be more discriminating about the places they frequent. If you're interested in pursuing a culinary career, now is not the time to turn back. But you should make certain that your restaurant training is of the quality one would expect in our increasingly health-conscious, disease-phobic society.
How to Prepare for a Successful Culinary Career
Versatility is your best weapon. Chefs who specialize in chicken and chicken only could find themselves out of a job if H5N1 gets out of hand. Steakhouses could suffer if mad cow disease makes its way back onto the scene. Your restaurant training should expose you to as many different disciplines as possible. So if one food or ingredient is in the penalty box for awhile, your culinary career needn't suffer.
Vegetarian Restaurant Training
Be sure to incorporate vegan and vegetarian dishes into your curriculum as well. You'll notice that almost all of the aforementioned food threats were related to meat. This is not to say that soy crops or celery can't have a bad year every now and then, but vegetables offer greater variety and more overall safety.
Sources
About the Author
A freelance writer, Stanley Rubenti currently lives in Bangkok where he provides admissions consultation for college-bound students. Stanley holds a B.A. in history.
Posted on: May 17, 2007
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