Chicago Schools

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Like quite a few people here I'm looking to change careers and want to study to become a pastry chef. I live in the Chicago area and would like to know which would be the best school to attend. There are at least four schools here offering Pastry Chef programs,
1. The French Pastry School
2. CHIC
3. Kendall College
4. Robert Morris College
Has anyone here attended any of these schools?

I would also like to specialize in wedding and specialty cake decorating and would like to know how I can go about learning this technique also? Are there any good cake decorators here in Chicago or south suburbs? I would like to find out as much information as I can about the schools (looking to apply for summer) and if anyone out there knows (or is) a good cake decorator who would be willing to help a newcomer out. Thanks,

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 03:56 pm: Edit

Cake decorating is a world unto itself. If that is what you want to do, "Pastry School" won't even be a good primer.

Working for a Wedding Cake Shop would be your best bet.

Call a few caterers and ask who does their wedding cakes. If you get one that is mentioned over and over, that's the one to go to work for.

By Andapanda (Andapanda) on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 05:24 pm: Edit

Courtneyae,
I agree with Cheftim. I would suggest that instead of spending a fortune to attend a school which would only introduce you to cake decorating skills, go to the cake decorating supply shops in the Chicago area and ask them about their classes and any job openings.
Check out the Chicago Cake Club.
BTW, The French Pastry School is the best school from your list.

By Tortesrus (Tortesrus) on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 10:43 pm: Edit

A good start would be joining the local I.C.E.S.
Chapter- they are the wedding and cake decorating
specialists all over the world. It will provide you with the connections and access to information to the "cake world"- (I think it's
www.ices.org on the net.)(sorry - I don't know how to make it pop up blue) I agree with Chef Tim-
I had a catering business and did wedding cakes-
Rolled white chocolate fondant, handmade gumpaste flowers, etc- you can learn from books, videos,and PRACTICE...going to school to be a pastry chef will give you a touch of the wedding cake skills- but alot more in the areas that it doesn't sound like you desire to have the expertice. Focus on what it is you want and check out all the avenues. Maybe take a Wilton cake decorating class too.

By Andapanda (Andapanda) on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 04:27 pm: Edit

Courtneyae:
Here are some links(+ new ones) from one of my posts on WanaBe a Chef, In dire need of some answers...Please help!:

Home-based decorators article

The Business of Cake Decorating articles

Cake Decorating Meetup

International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association Annual Cake Decorating Challenge

Colette's Classes

Winbeckler Enterprises Cake Decorating Classes

American Cake Decorating Magazine

Cakes and Sugarcraft Magazine

Cake Directory

International Cake Exploration Societé

Australian National Cake Decorators' Association

South African Cake Decoratoring Guild

The British SugarCraft Guild

American Institute of Baking

The Bread Bakers Guild of America

Bakers Exchange

Retail Bakers Association

Albert Uster Imports

That should get you started and keep you busy for a while. Anyone else coming here to ask about cake decorating info will have to refer to the above links. I'm not doing them again. Have fun!

(Tortesrus,
Scroll down left side to Documentation, click Formatting, scroll down right side to Other Formatting, click Hyperlinks.
Thus, endeth lesson for today.
You may send cash, M.O., check, winning lotto ticket, telephone numbers of supermodels, etc., to me for the class fee. 'Just kidding. )

By Courtneyae (Courtneyae) on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 10:42 am: Edit

Thanks so much. I will check out all the information that was provided. I'm actually taking the Wilton Step 1, 2, 3 classes at the Michaels by my house this week coming up. I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for all of your answers. This is a great site.