SAIT Professional Cooking Program? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

SteveToms · 04-20-2009, 12:51 PM

http://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/acad...mas/acpk.shtml

Been looking at it, wondering if it is a good program to take. Anyone know of good things or bad things etc?

driveway · 04-20-2009, 12:54 PM

I know a lot of people who have gone through this program. It's an excellent program but, like any post-secondary education, it's more about what you put into it than the program itself.

I know people who completed it a few years ago and now own their own restaurants, and I know people who went through it and it did nothing for them.

If you're serious about becoming a chef, it's a great program.

czure32 · 04-20-2009, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveToms

http://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/acad...mas/acpk.shtml

Been looking at it, wondering if it is a good program to take. Anyone know of good things or bad things etc?

I went through the program in 2000, and am no longer in the hospitality industry.
When I took the program, I had already been working at the U of C catering for 2 yrs, so for myself, I didnt really learn anything that I didnt already know.
3rd semester, "working" in the highwood dining room was certainly the best.
As driveway says, if youre serious about going into the industry and have no previous experience, it can definitely be beneficial. Looking through the link it looks like theyve added a 16 week internship as well (which wasnt there when I went through it)

The program (when I was in it) had a high drop out rate though. starting in the fall there mustve been close to 150 students enrolled. By the time I finished I think there was 35 left

troutman · 04-20-2009, 01:26 PM

I know a few that have gone through it. Many get frustrated and leave the industry, when they see waitresses make more in one night than they make in a week.

tete · 04-20-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

I know a few that have gone through it. Many get frustrated and leave the industry, when they see waitresses make more in one night than they make in a week.

Yup. Our one friend went back to teaching after making pittance as a chef. I think it'd be a neat program to take, but you might not make a ton of money working.

Rathji · 04-20-2009, 05:50 PM

I know 2 people who had training as professional chefs. One is now in school with me for his comp sci degree, and another is a salesman. I do appreciate their training though, when I go over for dinner.

ma-skis.com · 04-20-2009, 11:48 PM

you're better off working in a restaurant for a little while to see if it's a lifestyle that you like and make some money doing it rather than paying tuition to find out what it's like to work on a line. Keep in mind, if you're going to be a chef, it's a lot of line cooking and prep work before you get to make big bucks as head chef. It's not easy work either at any level, particularly if you want to do it well. (I remember being so stressed that washing a pile of dishes and scrubbing pans seemed relaxing)

Most decent restaurants will also help you with your tuition or something if you're a decent cook / leader and are willing to make a long term commitment to them... if they like you.

Coach · 04-21-2009, 12:04 AM

i have a friend in the program and he LOVES it

SteveToms · 04-21-2009, 12:08 AM

I've worked in a kitchen before and I enjoyed it, and I am working in a another kitchen this summer, so I seriously thinking of it. Been for a while.

FunkMasterFlame · 04-21-2009, 03:35 AM

I graduated from this program in the winter of '07 and am still working in the industry, but I would be willing to bet that a good 50% of my fellow graduates have moved on to other careers. I really enjoyed my time at SAIT, and learned a ton from excellent chefs that teach there. They give an excellent starting foundation for you to draw upon when you are thrust into an actual kitchen environment.

That being said, a cook's job isn't easy. The pay is low and the stress is high, but it can be extremely fulfilling at same time. Nothing like banging out 100+ covers in an hour when you know you've sent out every damn plate to the best of your ability.

troutman · 04-21-2009, 09:02 AM

It is an honorable profession, and chefs should be compensated better. The best ones are artists.

albertGQ · 04-21-2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

It is an honorable profession, and chefs should be compensated better. The best ones are artists.

Chefs get tipouts too right? I'm sure the ones that work at fancy restaurants get a good salary in addition to their tipouts from the servers

troutman · 04-21-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Chefs get tipouts too right? I'm sure the ones that work at fancy restaurants get a good salary in addition to their tipouts from the servers

I worked as a line cook at a number of places under some real chefs, and we never got tipouts from the severs. It might be different at fancy restaurants.

Table 5 · 04-21-2009, 11:28 AM

My one dream in life has always been to marry a good cook.

I do love all the reality chef shows on tv (Top Chef, Ramsey shows etc), but the lifestyle definitely doesn't look easy. A friend of mine's had a boyfriend who was chef in town, and the guy was basically never home because of his job. It was more or less the reason they broke up. But he sure seemed to love what he was doing....and the results were pretty spectacular.

flamesfever · 04-21-2009, 11:42 AM

You have to have the passion for cooking.

It's like working as cowboy on a ranch. You aren't there because of the pay. You're there because you love what you are doing.

driveway · 04-21-2009, 12:54 PM

As a general rule, the kitchen tends to be tipped out more at mid-range restaurants. When it comes to fine-dining, the kitchen tends to be paid well, and the servers keep all their tips. This is done to attract professional servers, as well as top-end kitchen talent.

Nothing about working in, owning or running a restaurant is easy. It's only something you should do if you're a) good at it and b) enjoy it.

Burninator · 04-21-2009, 01:01 PM

I got part of the tip pool when I worked in the kitchen at Boston Pizza, go figure. That place had neither professional nor top-end talent anywhere within those walls. They also held the tip pool over your head and threatened to take it away all the time if you did/didn't do something they wanted. Asshats. I vowed never to work in the food service industry again after that job.

Ford Prefect · 04-21-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotze

My wife did it. She said its pretty good. There are points when she wondered why she was paying SAIT tuition to work in their cafeteria and make sandwiches for them to sell, but I think the grunt work stuff goes away after the beginning.

Is a bit of a crappy industry to get into, low pay for long crappy hours and to be a head chef you need to be a bit of an a-hole so you end up working for many big a-holes.

Spooky. My 15-year-old son likes cooking and is taking a Foods course at school. When I asked him if he's interested in it as a career, that's almost word for word what he said. He no doubt got that bit of wisdom from his Foods instructor, who is a former chef at the Banff Springs and had his own cable TV cooking program for a while.

sadora · 04-21-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveToms

http://sait.ca/pages/cometosait/acad...mas/acpk.shtml

Been looking at it, wondering if it is a good program to take. Anyone know of good things or bad things etc?

Working in the culinary field myself my advice would be to pursue an apprenticeship rather than the full time program.

Think about it this way, if you were to go to a fine dining restaurant without any experience you will have to start off at the bottom, probably do some time in the dish pit...don't laugh, but the best chefs all started out in the dish pit. Now, if you were to take the full time program, get your Red Seal then go to a fine dining restaurant you will still have to start off at the bottom, regardless how good your grades were.

The main advantage of doing an apprenticeship is the hands on experience. They'll teach you methods which are important to know, you can't be a good cook without understanding how to do it properly, but you won't really understand them until you put them into practice day in and day out in a professional setting. At the same time you will see if being a chef is something you really want to do with your life. I have met a lot of PCK students, fresh out of school that can't handle the pressure of being in a kitchen for 12+ hours a day without stopping. Don't get me wrong, I love my career and find it very satisfying but the demanding nature of the beast is not for everyone.

Now, if you decided to do an apprenticeship I would recommend that you do your homework and find the right restaurant to work in. Find the best restaurants in the city and see if they'll take you. Be very selective because I can tell you from experience that working in restaurants and chefs that are below par are more damaging for your career and self esteem as a cook...I mean, you have to be 100% proud of the food you're working with because otherwise, why do it.

I hope this helps and if you have any questions just PM me.

PS. There's some books you can read that will give you a better idea of what you can come to expect if you choose a life in the kitchen.

Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential"
Jacque Pepin's "The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen"
Marco Pierre White's "Devil in the Kitchen"