Culinary Schools in Washington: The Journey to a Successful Culinary Career

Though Seattle is notorious for its rain, there are many rewards the city has to offer, including irresistible seafood cuisine.  Famous for its local salmon, tasty Dungeness crab, clams and oysters, Seattle boasts some of the best tasting seafood in the world due to its freshness. Although seafood has given Seattle its reputation for food, it isn’t the only cuisine students will master while attending Seattle culinary schools.

Students will perfect their skills while learning a variety of dishes and cooking styles from around the world. Upon graduating, Seattle’s diverse restaurants and eateries offer a wealth of opportunities for culinary students to enter the field in any culinary specialty they desire.

Seattle’s diverse culture and love for food, has lead to the success and even fame for some local chefs.

Known as one of the founders of Northwest cuisine, Tom Douglas has brought diversity and unique flavor to Seattle with his many critically acclaimed restaurants. Tom has won numerous awards for his culinary skills, cookbooks and restaurants. He’s battled and won in Iron Chef America’s famed Kitchen Stadium. And he’s even developed his own line of kitchen tools.

Tamara Murphy is yet another great chef drawn to Seattle because of its reputation for using fresh ingredients.  In just a few years after relocating to Seattle, Murphy skyrocketed to success winning Best Chef of the Pacific Northwest by the James Beard Foundation. After managing two very successful restaurants, Tamara opened her own venue called Brasa. Brasa became a huge hit in Seattle and was quickly named Seattle’s Top Food in Mediterranean Cuisine by the National Zagat Survey.

One key benefit of attending a culinary school in Washington is the increasing employment rate. Currently restaurant jobs represent 10 percent of employment in Washington and restaurants are projected to bring in over $9.5 billion in sales by the end of 2010. The National Restaurant Association predicts that by 2019 there will be 334,900 restaurant jobs in Washington, representing 19.2 percent growth over the current level.

Below are the average annual salaries for some of the culinary careers in Seattle:

With strong local agriculture, Washington is an ideal location for those interested in culinary careers.

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Seattle is famous for its focus on classical and international cuisines inspired by legendary chefs such as Escoffier, Verge and Bocuse.  The culinary program teaches popular dishes from South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and many other areas around the world.

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Seattle provides students with the opportunity to work in professional environments and develop their skills through demonstration and hands-on experience. Students spend a significant amount of time in the kitchen applying techniques and methods to further enhance their basic skills. Curriculum is based on theoretical concepts and industry-relevant education courses.

With growing opportunities in the culinary industry, there’s no better time to join the upbeat and ever-changing food scene and make your mark on the industry. Compare culinary schools to find the right Seattle culinary school for you.

_Sources:

• _{www.indeed.com}
• _{www.restaurant.org}
  
• _{www.starchefs.com}
  
• _{www.tomdouglas.com}
  
• _{www.chefs.edu}