Get Your Degree at Pastry Chef School

California Culinary Academy is a goal for a number of students. I worked as a guidance counselor in a high school and I had a young man who had the appreciation for baking and the appetite, as well as the motivation to go for a chef's career. I remembered that a few years ago I had a roommate who was a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, a man named Matthew who would bring home the most heavenly desserts made of custard and fresh berry tarts, frittatas, and other delights. He was enrolled in the Pastry Chef School. So I told my student about the school.

I then got curious myself, troubled as I was that my economically challenged teens wouldn't be able to find the money for the tuition at California Culinary Academy. I checked their website, which is not what you might expect but is full of great information! First, I learned that like any accredited academic or technical institution, the California Culinary Academy makes financial aid application accessible. You can even apply for it through their website.

Then, while I was there, I checked out the offerings of the renowned cooking school. The trainers, teachers, or coaches are professional and licensed chefs, restaurant and bistro managers, and culinary professionals. The school's facilities and equipment are up to date, allowing for the learning of the most sophisticated techniques. The technology is also modern, allowing for a certain amount of virtual training, practice, and testing. And the majority of the courses and classes are held not in a lecture classroom but using a hands-on approach-for as most of us will confirm, we learn best by doing and doing ourselves.

There are campuses in the north end of San Francisco, which they call San Francisco's Culinary Hot Spot; in California Hall on Polk Street, which is considered the headquarters of the academy; and at the south end of San Francisco, on Rhode Island, where the new contemporary kitchen and mixology lab (as well as a casinoroom where student chefs can practice bar and casino operations) are showpieces to instruction.

With the help of financial aid, my community college student can transfer to California Culinary Academy, can pick a specialty, and can earn certification or degrees in Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry Arts and/or Hospitality & Restaurant Management.