Internships provide valuable opportunities for students to get hands-on work experience in club and resort operations.
A culinary arts program teaches students how to cook and prepare dishes, but a culinary internship teaches even more. Students are taught in a controlled classroom environment but having opportunities to practice and apply these skills in a real kitchen is essential to becoming a successful chef. This is why most culinary arts degree programs make doing an internship a requirement in order to graduate. There are a few resources to finding interns for a kitchen and being involved with an internship program has many benefits for a club’s kitchen.
The best place for students to find a culinary internship is through a college or vocational school’s career development office on campus. Most likely, the best chance of finding talented culinary interns for a club is by having a relationship with any school with a culinary program, both local and non-local. A lot of students will complete their internship during the summer, giving them more flexibility in location.
With so many things being able to be accomplished online, some might think attending career fairs are outdated. However, career fairs can still be an excellent opportunity to meet future prospects. There are also numerous websites dedicated to helping students find culinary internships where clubs can post any available openings. Respected organizations such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF) not only allow employers to post available internships on their website but also allow students to post their own information for employers searching for possible candidates.
During an internship, students are able to work alongside other professionals and mentors that provide supervised support and feedback. While having extra hands in the kitchen is a large benefit, the daily feedback a student receives is also beneficial for their long-term career goals all while helping them hone their skills, perfect their culinary techniques, and make valuable industry contacts.