The French Culinary Institute

The French Culinary Institute (FCI) of New York is one of the most respected Culinary Arts Colleges in the world, with students coming from the other end of the country and even overseas. This Chef School prepares their student to have a successful career in Culinary Arts, specializing in French and Italian Cuisine.

The French Culinary Institute offers three different Culinary Arts Careers education (40 to 120 classes) and three more Advanced Studies education (about 5 to 10 classes): Classic Culinary Arts, Classic Pastry Arts and the Art of International Bread Baking for Careers education and Restaurant Management in Business Development, Wine Studies and Food & Technology for Advanced Studies. This institute also offers amateur courses for those who want to learn more about culinary arts without making it their career, such  as Culinary Arts, Pastry, Bread making and Wine, Beer & Food Pairings.

Classic Culinary Arts

Classic Culinary Arts is a 600 hours (169 hours Theory, 469 hours Hands-on), 120 courses program within 6 different levels and flexible schedules (day and evening courses), and although concentrating on French Cuisine, teach its students a wide variety of Western Cuisine.

After learning the Basic Kitchen Techniques in the first level, the student will learn higher level Kitchen Techniques, Nutrition and Kitchen Management in level 2. This Culinary Arts College program will forge the consistency and refinement needed to work in a kitchen at level 3, completing the cooking part of the Classic Culinary Arts Program.

The second part of the Classic Culinary Arts Program will first teach Buffet, Catering and À la Carte Preparation in level 4 for basic knowledge on how to run a restaurant. As an excellent cook, the student of this Culinary Arts College program will learn how things are on the real field, learning all about Restaurant Service.

The final level of the Classic Culinary Arts Program is about teaching the student about Control, Confidence and Creativity in the reality of a restaurant. Complete projects are given to students in order to make them real Chefs formed in one of the best Culinary Arts Colleges there is.

This program costs is 40 000$ for the day program and 32 000$ for the night program.

Classic Pastry Arts

A 600 hours 120 courses program (537 hours Hands-on and 63 hours on theory) as well, Classic Pastry Arts is a Culinary Arts Program concentrating on pastries, desserts and cakes. This 6 month-long program by day and 9 month-long by night gives intense thorough and fast training in Pastry Arts. The program does not have levels, and is simply separated by different categories of food.

What students will learn in this Culinary Arts College Program will be how to make Tarts, Cookies, and ServSafe^® Pâte à Choux, Pâte Feuilletée (Puff Pastry), Viennoiseries / Bread, Cakes, Petits Fours, Chocolate Creations, Individual Desserts, Sugar Decoration, Wedding Cakes, and also will have a final Review, Written Exam and Practical Final Exam at the end of the training.

This cost of this programis 40 000$ for the day studies and 32 000$ for the night studies.

Art of International Bread Baking

This is a short 240 hours 40 classes program teach four separate units for different categories of bread. After learning how to make Classic European Breads, students learn about German and Middle European Whole Grain Breads. In the third unit, they will attack Traditional Italian Breads before finally taking in the final unit the Art of Advanced Bread Baking, such as diabetic, gluten-free baking and so on.

The cost of this program is just under 10 000$ US.

Overview

The French Culinary Institute is a reference among other Culinary Arts Colleges for its ability to compress an extremely high number of courses in a short amount of time. Also, note that it is better to choose another Culinary Arts College if you wish to make a career outside the three programs offered as pre-career courses.

Find out more about careers in food here.

Pastry Chef Job Description

Culinary Schools now have majors available to become a Pastry Chef, also called Pâtissier. They work at professional kitchens as station chef, and specialize in making pastries, desserts, breads and other baked goods. Culinary Arts Schools students that choose this concentration can expect to work in hotels, bistros, restaurants and bakeries. And after gaining some experience, many will own their own bakeries, and have their own creations.

As the station chef (Chef de Partie) of the pastry department, the Pastry Chef is a member of what is called a brigade de cuisine in a professional kitchen (also see Private Assistant Chef ). Note that Bakers, usually formed in those institutes, may also be part of the pastry department in large establishments and in pastries.

A Pastry Chef has to research new recipes, using various techniques that are taught in school. Preparation of various desserts and other bakeries are usually done in advance, before dineer seating, with the plating done by another station Chef (usually the Garde manger). Pastry Chefs will also design the dessert menu, usually including desserts wines, dessert beverages and cheese platters.

Skills and Knowledge

Programs leading to a Pastry Chef Culinary Arts Career will form their students in order to make them able to oversee kitchen staff, order necessary supplies, produce all kinds of baked goods, decorate and do plating for pastries and desserts as well as keep the kitchen organized at all time.

The French Culinary Institute of New York is a good example of a Culinary Arts College that offers such program. Pastry Chef Programs in Culinary Arts Colleges include the inducing important skills that they will need in their Culinary Arts Career.

The first is the Culinary Arts Ability and Creativity, as the Pastry Chef needs to be able to pay attention to all kinds of details, know his or her ingredients and have a lot of patience. Their artistic sense and their creativity will be enhanced by their education, and they will also have to make sure everything they make will look just as good as they taste.

The best Pastry Chefs formed through those programs will pay attention to the smallest detail, since as many other fields of Culinary Arts, the smallest change will make a big difference in the final result. They must avoid falling in the trap of not paying attention to what they are doing when performing routine tasks.

Already a bakery owner? Then enroll yourself in a Restaurant Management and Customer Service. These are great skills to have as it is important to know how to manage your bakery’s finances and to know how to deal with your customers.

To work as a Pastry Chef requires a lot of stamina, as while very satisfying, is often a very exhausting job. You will often stay for a long period up on your feet, and wake up very early in the morning to prepare your morning pastries, often having to start at 3 or 4 AM. Some lifting may also be involved and good Culinary Arts Colleges education should prepare mentally and physically their students for that.

Overview

Pastry Chefs earn an average salary of 42 000$ US per year in the United States, and is one of the most well-paid Culinary Arts Careers. It is also a very satisfying job as it allows for a lot of creativity and imagination.