California Culinary School Graduates’ Perspectives on Their Education Programs

The skills that culinary school graduates gain from the curriculum do not align with the culinary industry requirements for their first position. This problem, if not addressed, will lead to lower enrollment of students and a limited number of employed culinary arts graduates in California. This basic qualitative study aimed to explore California culinary school graduates’ perceptions of the education programs preparing them for their first restaurant position. The research questions guiding this study focused on (a) California culinary school graduates’ perceptions of their education programs preparing them for their first restaurant position and (b) California culinary school graduates’ perceptions of the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in their first restaurant positions. The conceptual framework that grounded this exploration of culinary education programs’ curriculum is based on Harrington’s model for culinary program design utilizing resource dependence, efficiency, and institutional perspectives. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 15 graduates of U.S. culinary school. The findings will help explore California culinary school graduates’ perceptions of the education programs preparing them for their first restaurant position and provide recommendations as to the curriculum needed to improve the required skills for the restaurant industry. The results of this study may contribute to social change by making recommendations for improving the enrollment and employability of the culinary workforce in the food service industry. Creating jobs, retaining the young workforce, and allowing new chefs to reach their full potential are forms of social progress. Exploring California culinary school graduates’ perceptions of the education programs preparing them for their first restaurant position may help to identify and improve some of these issues.