Pastry/baking School - Bachelor's Degree

Decorating By EnjoyTheCake Updated 12 Sep 2009 , 11:09pm by LaBellaFlor

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EnjoyTheCake Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 4:55am
post #1 of 21

Hi Cakers,

I searched the forum and didn't find any information so I thought I'd send a new question out there.

I really want a Bachelor's Degree and would love to get one that is Baking or Pastry related.

What schools have a decent program out there specifically for acquiring a Bachelor's degree in culinary art with an emphasis on Baking, Pastry, and/or Decorating?

Your input is greatly appreciated.

20 replies
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Mike1394 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 10:04am
post #2 of 21

I don't know if they offer degree programs, or not. I do know you'll NEVER get a better pastry education than at the Notter school in FLA. I don't know if the take beginners, or not.

Mike

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nikki72905 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 11:05am
post #3 of 21

le cordon bleu school (the art institue) has a program bachelors in Culinary Arts/Management and you can get an associates degree in Baking and pastry arts.. I have not seen a bachelors program in Baking and pastry arts

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vickymacd Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 11:12am
post #4 of 21

Check your community colleges. Some are top rated in these areas. One of our nearby ones is rated the best. It will give you your Culinary Degree which is broken down in the different areas. Usually they are two year programs, but then what you 'train' in is up to you. Many of these people who graduate from there go onto owning restaurants, bakeries, etc.
Good luck.

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 12:00pm
post #5 of 21

Le Cordon Bleu is a bloated and outrageously over priced program to me. The school programs might be and probably are good but the money is nutso crazy. I vote for community college all the way.

You can get hospitality management bachelor's degrees.

Does Wales & Johnson offer a bachelors' degree?

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Mike1394 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 1:13pm
post #6 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by K8memphis-

Le Cordon Bleu is a bloated and outrageously over priced program to me. The school programs might be and probably are good but the money is nutso crazy. I vote for community college all the way.

You can get hospitality management bachelor's degrees.

Does Wales & Johnson offer a bachelors' degree?




I totally agree.

Mike

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babcaro Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 1:31pm
post #7 of 21

ditto on community colleges

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baycheeks1 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 1:37pm
post #8 of 21

I do have my Bachelor's in Hotel and Restaurant management with an emphasis in Food Serivce from University of Houston. Now the classes are not all cooking, but they do offer you time in the bakery along with the regular cooking classes and business classes like accounting and hospitality law and some others.

You just have to look around to see what different people have. I think the baking degrees are pretty much associates...well at community colleges...

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 1:54pm
post #9 of 21

And let me hasten to say I'm not knocking anybody's hard earned degree--it's not just a piece of paper either!

I'm just saying certain schools have huge problems & folks might not see this going in and get suckered with culinary programs that cost so much money it's stupid.

You have a great time & learn loads then you have the rest of your life or the next 25 years whichever comes first to make monthly payments that range from car payment size to mortgage payment size. And there are few jobs in the industry to get you the income to handle these blood sucking school loans--crazy.

So I'm shooting schools not students.

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EnjoyTheCake Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 5:23pm
post #10 of 21

The Culintary Institute in Austin has a 12 month certificate programe for Pastry/Baking but the 12 months cost approx. $30,000. For people who have taken this route how does this compare to other programs?

Our community college here has a program, the problem for me and community college is I can not qualify for student loans or financial aid of any kind since I have too many credits already. I have an Associates of General Studies +50 additional credits at the community college level. None are focused in the culinary program.

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Mike1394 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 5:32pm
post #11 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnjoyTheCake

The Culintary Institute in Austin has a 12 month certificate programe for Pastry/Baking but the 12 months cost approx. $30,000. For people who have taken this route how does this compare to other programs?

Our community college here has a program, the problem for me and community college is I can not qualify for student loans or financial aid of any kind since I have too many credits already. I have an Associates of General Studies +50 additional credits at the community college level. None are focused in the culinary program.




For 30,000 I better be taught some dam amazing stuff. The instructors had BETTER be award winng chefs. Honestly 30 is probably cheap compared to LCB. I just checked the school I went to. 72.00 in county 110.00 out of county. For 30 you are never ever going to recoup the cost of your education.

Mike

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Curtsmin24 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 5:47pm
post #12 of 21

Make sure that the program is accredited. The american culinary federation is one that I now of that is known internationally. I agree that a community college is the best way to go. Most private schools offer associate or degree programs only so make sure to look into that and keep track of all financial aid documents and reciepts. Good luck! thumbs_up.gif

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 7:24pm
post #13 of 21

But even if they were award winning chefs--that does not translate to marketable skills, aka prowess in the kitchen which is what an employer wants.

I mean go to school for accounting or physical therapy or something--you have marketable skills where you will not find the average joe in line for the same job.

No so with culinary schools. You make the same wage as Average Joe & Josephine who don't have degrees, maybe less.

And culinary students are a dime a dozen and often woefully inadequate skill wise in the commercail kitchen. No offense to anyone.

Pay thirty thousand dollars for that privilege??? Why?

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EnjoyTheCake Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 8:37pm
post #14 of 21

I'm not interested in working in an average kitchen. I'm interested in running or owning a bakery or possibly working as pastry chef in a resort atmosphere. I believe the skills you need to do those jobs is not available without the skills you get from professional training.

Perhaps a bachelor's is unrealistic, and that's why I am looking for input on the idea.

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Mike1394 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 8:52pm
post #15 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by K8memphis-

But even if they were award winning chefs--that does not translate to marketable skills, aka prowess in the kitchen which is what an employer wants.

I mean go to school for accounting or physical therapy or something--you have marketable skills where you will not find the average joe in line for the same job.

No so with culinary schools. You make the same wage as Average Joe & Josephine who don't have degrees, maybe less.

And culinary students are a dime a dozen and often woefully inadequate skill wise in the commercail kitchen. No offense to anyone.

Pay thirty thousand dollars for that privilege??? Why?




I think you took this the wrong way K8. For that amt. of money I better be taught by the best. They better be top of the line Chefs. That's why I suggested Notter. Now for what your going to spend there, I think it's worth it. I mean there are only a few in the world that are on that level.

Now how ripped off would you feel if you spent that kind of $$$, and were taught by someone with lesser talents?

Mike

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 9:08pm
post #16 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnjoyTheCake

I'm not interested in working in an average kitchen. I'm interested in running or owning a bakery or possibly working as pastry chef in a resort atmosphere.




You are the only one talking about 'average kitchens'.

Quote:
Quote:

"I believe the skills you need to do those jobs is not available without the skills you get from professional training.




Well you're not just wrong you're quite wrong.

You should go back and read what I said.
It's valuable and important.

Here's the bachelor's at Johnson & Wales http://www.jwu.edu/content.aspx?id=45974,
knock yourself out.

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Mike1394 Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 9:15pm
post #17 of 21

LOLOL I certainly don't know what you mean by average kitchens. I hope you realize if want to start out in a resort you will start out as dish dog. There are very few high end pastry shops that will start out someone with no experience actually doing pastries. Here check this out http://www.payard.com/

Mike

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 9:41pm
post #18 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike1394

Quote:
Originally Posted by K8memphis-


But even if they were award winning chefs--that does not translate to marketable skills, aka prowess in the kitchen which is what an employer wants.

I mean go to school for accounting or physical therapy or something--you have marketable skills where you will not find the average joe in line for the same job.

No so with culinary schools. You make the same wage as Average Joe & Josephine who don't have degrees, maybe less.

And culinary students are a dime a dozen and often woefully inadequate skill wise in the commercail kitchen. No offense to anyone.

Pay thirty thousand dollars for that privilege??? Why?



I think you took this the wrong way K8. For that amt. of money I better be taught by the best. They better be top of the line Chefs. That's why I suggested Notter. Now for what your going to spend there, I think it's worth it. I mean there are only a few in the world that are on that level.

Now how ripped off would you feel if you spent that kind of $$$, and were taught by someone with lesser talents?

Mike




My kid graduated from TCU Cordon Bleu program--we got off easy--we have a super low interest rate--some poor kids will never get out from under their school loans and the industry will not support them as they strive to go up the ladder--just ain't happening.

We've got the 'car payment' type payments for a remaining 21 ish years.

Notter's baking school is $20k for 6 months of instruction. They'll have living expenses for 6 months too.

When a student emerges from there or anywhere he might get a door opened for him but he's not making any better wage for all those thousands of dollars than anybody else that gets their foot in the door without a degree.

It's a giant monkey on your back--you have to invest further years and years to get to the sweet spot.

And more power to them but, Notter's school is designed to support Notter and Rohira.

I'll see if I can find some newspaper articles....

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 10:18pm
post #19 of 21

I can't find my favorite article--but even if you just google

culinary school tuition ripoff

Then google

culinary school tuition ripoff paying back the loan

You will get an ear full.

Then everyone can make up their own mind.

Culinary schools are a racket--they are set up to vaccuum up the loan money- hello. Sure some people go through & it's great but it's a small minority.

And make no mistake it is heart breaking and life ruining.

Nobody leaves school and steps into the pastry gig at a resort.

icon_lol.gif

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LaBellaFlor Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 10:51pm
post #20 of 21

I can't speak for the other culinary schools, but the one I know for a fact that carries a lot of weight around the world (aside from the Codon Bleu in France) is the Culinary Insitute of America. I know a few people have gone there and have gotten pretty good paying jobs coming out. They also didn't start out as dish washers. Don't get me wrong, there are A LOT of top chefs that did start out as dish washers, but thats cause for the most part they weren't classicaly trained. You tend to start at the bottom when you have no training. But as far as what you mean by an average kitchen, you gotta start somewhere. The odds are not in your favor to walk into a 4-star restaurant and becoming sous chef just cause you went to culinary school.

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LaBellaFlor Posted 12 Sep 2009 , 11:09pm
post #21 of 21

Wow K8 I just read some of those aricles. I can't believe some of those schools promise that you'll come out being a head or sous chef. How awfull of them. They definetly seem like a raquet!

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