Posted by Victoria Emry on December 15, 1998 at 07:58:58:
I am interested in a cooking career and am hoping for some advice on how to get started. I am 26 yrs old and currently work as a janitor for the Boeing company in Seattle. They have a tuition reimbursement program that will at least cover the cost of a two year comunity college program, but I'm not sure if they will cover the cost of a more expensive school. I was wondering if it is worth taking advantage of this and continuing my present job(which I hate) for at least a year while going to school full time or if I should take a leap and just find a kitchen job or apprenticeship right away? If anyone has any recommendations or suggestions about schools or apprenticeships in the Seattle area(where to look and how to get them) I would greatly appreciate it!(One last thing- I am curious as to what is the difference between a chef and cook- is it the type of food prepared-gourmet vs.average quality or is there more?) Thanks