As an international student reviewing culinary schools across Canada, you’re at the first important milestone in your culinary education. The next stage in the process involves researching the schools, their culinary programs, and the value their courses provide.
To help you navigate your path forward, the team at PICAchef presents their guide for international students choosing a Canadian culinary school.
Consider Your Career Path
Beyond the hands-on training you’ll undergo at culinary school, the complete learning experience can offer immeasurable benefits for your career. For example, choose a culinary course in which you’ll learn how to not only cook and prepare world-class meals but also how to interview at top Canadian restaurants. This one-on-one training for interviews helps prepare international students for the intricacies of the application process and for how to communicate with potential employers.
It’s the ultimate method for streamlining the transition from the culinary school to the workplace while minimizing the time in between.
Look Up the Alumni
One of clear differentiators separating top class Canadian culinary schools from the chasing packs is the experiences of their alumni.
Ask for information about past students and the experience of those students after graduation. Have their past students found fame in the culinary market? Can the school’s administrative team explain their graduation rate and provide stats regarding student performance? These are key questions to consider when evaluating the total value of the school’s certification.
Learn About the Instructors
The instructor of your culinary course will be your guide to the Canadian marketplace. Their experience and expertise will form the foundation for your progress in your culinary career. Ask about the past experience of the instructors and the steps the instructors took to reach their position at the school.
Your instructors should have significant, varied, experience in a number of culinary roles. This experience will help them provide a unique vantage point from which to teach you about the Canadian kitchen experience and the environments you’ll be working in when you begin your career.
Discuss Employment Placement
In addition to helping prepare you for the interview process, the Canadian culinary school you select should have a wide network of connections across the industry to help you book interviews and gain employment. The school’s network should include contacts throughout the marketplace, from restaurants to bakeries, and all roles from restaurant owners to kitchen team members.
When reviewing schools and speaking with the Admissions team, ask them how they help you find employment and explore the benefits their networks can offer your potential culinary career.
Explore Their Facility and Training Kitchens
Only by testing your skills on the highest quality equipment and learning within a real life kitchen can you ensure you’re ready for a successful culinary career. Review the culinary school’s equipment and ensure it’s updated to meet the standards of the modern restaurant industry.
Kitchen equipment such as convection & combi ovens, sous vides, blast freezers, and stoves must be cutting-edge and the school must set exemplary standards for safety. Discuss the facility with the school’s team and find out more about the learning environment in which you’ll be making your favourite foods.
Learn Culinary in Canada with PICAchef
PICAchef continues to set the highest standards for culinary training and education in Canada. Since 1994, we’ve helped thousands of international students reach rewarding roles in the industry, taking them from student to kitchen leader. To discover more about your Canadian culinary training options and the courses within our wide-ranging curriculum, please contact our Admissions team
