History of culinary schools

Ever thought how the professional chefs looked during the XIXc. And how the profession has developed ever since?

The profession of a chef has never been as praised as now. World-wide many young people look up to the professionals and dream to become as skillful in their work as them and are ready to develop their hobby into a full-time job. Culinary academies have gone through many changes in aim to better their students and have developed drastically throughout the years. They have also multiplied and now there is at least one university of cooking in every modern country. But all of them would not be present and as popular if it wasn’t for the first culinary schools.

Before the first cooking school was established, cooks were studying this art at the military bases or religious centers. Most of them had come out as unqualified workers and to acquire a higher education on the profession it must be desired from the owners of the kitchen.

During XIXc. The first cooking schools are established. Their primary aim is to turn their students into specialist of preparing food. In 1891,  in Paris was opened the “Professional school of cooking and food science”. It was funded by the country and only males studied in it. Unfortunately, the funds are cut down and the school is forced to close only 14 months after its start.

Two years later, in 1893, in Switzerland was opened the still-famous school Ecole Hoteliere de Laussane in the town Lozana. It was among the first institutions that have offered professional hoteliere education and even today it is one of the best in the world. Parallel to Europe, in the USA a few similar schools opened their gates for students but, the educational system there is quite different. The schools we’re talking about are learning centers where lower class workers are taught to work. Such centers were founded in New York (e. 1872 by J. Corson) and Boston (e. 1878).

While the States are having their progress in a pace of their own, here in Europe cooking schools are rapidly gaining popularity. The range of taught subject got broader and broader and the profession of a chef gains the due respect. In Paris, in 1895, the famous “Diplôme Le Cordon Bleu”school is opened following the idea of Marthe Distell. It soon became one of the most popular culinary centers and professionals from the whole of Europe went to study there. In present days, it is still one of the best schools worldwide.

Summed up the cooking centers and schools in XIXc. Were:

• Cooking schools for catering cooks and communal eating
• Housekeepers schools
• Culinary arts and sciences schools

Today the profession of a chef is given its due praise and it is a very prestige one and the education that is required to become one is expensive but worthy.

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