Should You Take Culinary School Online?
There are a lot of different culinary schools online available, starting from the very expensive, world-famous schools all the way down to the after-school programs and everything in between. Which one is best for you depends on your unique circumstance and your personality.
D.I.C.E.D. Culinary Centre is one great option in online culinary school. Everything from young students to people looking for a career changer might find enrolling in online classes a great choice.
How Do Online Courses Work?
Just like a degree or certificate offered in traditional culinary programs, online classes are created to offer students in-depth training required for careers in the hospitality industry and restaurant management.
At culinary school, online programs utilize the latest advancements in technology to provide the same amount of personal attention from instructors that you would receive in a traditional classroom.
Lessons are taught using live web-based lectures or pre-recorded webcam instruction. Many teachers of online culinary classes also have handouts with step-by-step instructions and tutorials that explain the latest techniques and topics in culinary arts.
As an online culinary school student, you will be expected to read, complete assignments and possibly take tests online. It may sound easy but it’s a lot of work and can be even more difficult than traditional culinary school. Taking online courses requires a greater amount of self-motivation and discipline than conventional courses.
Are There Advantages To Taking Classes Online?
An online class is a much different experience than a traditional classroom environment and like anything, there are some pros and cons. One of the more obvious downsides is you may not have access to some of the more advanced tools that a commercial kitchen has to offer, but there are a lot of advantages as well which we will discuss.
It Costs Less
It’s no secret that culinary school is expensive and can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, especially for some of the more renowned ones. The money definitely adds up really quick, especially if you are trying to work the debt off with a minimum wage job. There’s a reason most students have to take out loans to pay for it and this can be a huge burden to someone just trying to launch a career.
If you’re trying to save money but want to go to culinary school and don’t want to take out a huge loan or simply just can’t afford it, taking online culinary is a perfect solution. Most traditional culinary schools have large overheads which is why they have to charge so much.
With online classes, you’re only spending money on the things you want to spend money on. Of course, you have to buy your own supplies such as food and equipment but you have control of the costs and can substitute some of the more expensive items.
More Flexibility
Life can always get very hectic and so having the flexibility to attend online classes can really help.
If you take classes online, attending them is as simple as opening up your computer or tablet. No rain-soaked walks to the bus stop or long commutes are necessary. It’s incredible how much more productive you can be if you don’t have to commute to and from school.
You can be flexible about when you get your work done if something comes up, like needing to take a child to a hockey game or attend a meeting for work.
Less Intense
Taking classes usually means showing up on class at a particular time, sitting through a somewhat lengthy lecture and then going directly to your next class. Culinary school is often compared to bootcamp. The chef is often seen as somewhat militant who dictates orders to his or her students. It can make for long, intense, and exhausting days.
Then you have to come home, do homework, sleep and do it all again the next day. It can easily become a difficult grind and one that many students can’t handle.
With online culinary classes, you do most of the work at your own pace. As long as you meet your deadlines and participate appropriately online, you’ll be able to avoid most of the stress that is associated with culinary school.
Better Access To Chefs
In some ways, the distance is greater between you and your teacher because you’re not in class with them regularly and that can make communication difficult. But in other ways, you have much easier access to them.
In an online class, you can email or message questions directly. This can often make it easier for the chef to answer. When they respond, they can take as much time as they need to give you a thorough answer. They also don’t have to worry about getting to someone else’s question before class ends.
You Can Stay Home
There is absolutely no dress code with online classes. If you want to cook in your pyjamas or tracksuit, you can. If you want classical music on in the background while you chat with your classmates on the forum, you can.
Most people also learn better in their own kitchens then they do foreign ones. Learning can be stressful enough if you don’t know where everything is. In your own kitchen, you know exactly where you keep your cutting boards, your knives and your measuring cups. There isn’t any guessing.
You Can Still Work
Most of the time culinary school is intense and requires you to quit your job. After all, it can be next to impossible to juggle the demands of school and work simultaneously. But if you’re organized and self-disciplined, it’s often possible to do both with online courses. This is one of the most significant advantages and one of the main reasons people choose to do culinary school online rather than in person.
You can also use weekends to either work or review the online session that you didn’t have time for during the week. Of course, it’s demanding and is a lot of work. But if you want to keep working while enrolling in culinary school, you can make it happen with online classes.
Conclusion
Online classes aren’t for everybody. Some people just learn better in a traditional classroom. But online classes offer some really unique benefits that traditional culinary schools can’t. These benefits allow people who might not normally be able to get a job in the hospitality industry and allow them to achieve their goals.
