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Culinary Career Outlook

Find your niche within the ever-expanding world of culinary career options.

Restaurant Industry Offers More Culinary Career Options

chef with salmon

Across the country, chefs are enjoying greater prestige than ever, with some even reaching celebrity status thanks to their culinary skills—and their TV shows.

Americans have also become increasingly sophisticated about the kinds of foods they enjoy eating, and as a result, the culinary industry is booming. This means that there are more culinary career options than ever.

The demand for locally grown, organic produce continues to increase, at the same time that the public is becoming more curious about global cuisine. Upscale Oaxacan, French, Italian, Indian and Pan-Asian restaurants are all the rage. The choice of cuisine depends on your taste...and mood.

The convergence of these two trends has led to an increase in the number of fine dining restaurants. This gives you more choice as a consumer and more culinary career opportunities.


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Demand for Highly Skilled Chefs

The restaurant industry is currently the nation's second largest employer, providing jobs for approximately 13 million people, according to the National Restaurant Association. However, while the demand for trained chefs is growing, you should still expect to have to compete for executive chef positions at high-end restaurants. More then ever, if you want to follow a culinary career path, a good culinary arts education is a must. (Read more about the culinary career outlook.)

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Executive Chefs

Chefs who gain experience in a supervisory capacity, may become executive chefs with responsibility for more than one kitchen. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment growth will be stimulated by increases in population, income and leisure time, which will encourage people to dine out and take vacations more often.

As the affluent 55-plus population, who tend to frequent fine dining restaurants, increases, the demand for highly skilled cooks and chefs is also expected to increase.

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