There are good baking schools in California where students can train to be professional chefs. California offers one of the largest selections of culinary schools, baking schools and a lot of hospitality management programs in the country.
Therefore if you are living in California and planning to take culinary programs, there are culinary/Baking schools in California where you can get that.
From redwood forests to the Golden Gate Bridge, California as a whole is a magnificent and exciting place to live. Read on as we explore the culinary/Baking schools in California.
Americans and cake
There may be nothing more American than mom and apple pie. However, mom and cake come to be quite close.
“Cake is an icon of American culture,” says Byrn, who has just published American Cake, a lavish tome layered with buttery pictures.
“Be it vanilla, lemon, ginger, chocolate, cinnamon, boozy, Bundt, layered or marbled— cake has a special hold on the American palate, imagination, and heart. Why? Because it is celebratory.”
what it simply means is that there will always be jobs for bakers and chefs in general.
How do I become a baker in the US?
To become a baker in the United States, you will need to learn some baking skills through long-term hands-on training. Formal education is not required, however. All you need is to attend a technical or culinary school.
Education
Attending culinary or baking schools or sometimes a technical school is one of the routes to becoming a professional baker. The programs in this school usually last between 1 to 2 years and cover food safety, nutrition and basic math.
Training
Most bakers learn their skills through long term, hands-on training. This training can last from 1 to 3 years depending on the training platform.
Some employers provide apprenticeship programs for aspiring bakers. They study topics such as nutrition, sanitization and procedures, and basic baking.
Through experience
Some bakers learn their skills through work experience related to baking. For example, they may start as a baker’s assistant and progress into a full-fledged baker as they learn baking techniques.
What important qualities must bakers possess?
There are important qualities that should be found in a chef or in a baker. Some of these qualities include:
- Communication skills
- Detail oriented
- Math skills
- Physical stamina
- Physical strength
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Certification is voluntary, which means you can decide not to have it. However, it shows that a baker has the skills and knowledge to work at a retail baking establishment.
The Retail Bakers of America offers certification in four levels of competence, with a focus on several topics, including baking sanitation, management, retail sales, and staff training.
Those who wish to become certified must satisfy a combination of education and experience requirements before taking an exam.
The education and experience requirements vary by the level of certification desired.
For example, a Certified Journey Baker requires no education but must have at least 1 year of work experience.
A Certified Baker must have 4 years of work experience and 30 hours of sanitation coursework, and a Certified Master Baker must have 8 years of work experience, 30 hours of sanitation coursework, and 30 hours of professional development education.
How much are bakers paid?
The median annual wage for bakers was $29,400 in May 2020.
Job Outlook
The employment of bakers is projected to grow 10 per cent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 28,300 openings for bakers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labour force, such as to retire. Read on to see the baking schools in California.
The List of Baking schools in California
Here are some top baking schools in California:
- The Institute of Technology
- San Francisco Cooking School
- The Institute of Culinary Education
- Culinary Institute of America at Graystone
- Laney College Culinary Arts
- American River College
- California Premier Culinary School
- The Culinary Academy at Contra Costa College
- Culinary Institute of Los Angeles
- The Chef Apprentice School of the Arts
FAQs
Is it worth it to go to baking school?
When it comes to attending a baking school or culinary school, there is a lot of mixed opinions. Some people will tell you that it doesn’t actually worth the cost and time.
However, it is important we note that the culinary or baking school is not essential for success in the culinary industry.
Can you be a pastry chef without a degree?
Getting a degree from a culinary school can get very expensive despite its advantages.
Interestingly, you can still become a pastry chef by cutting some corners, doing your own legwork and being open to learning in a real-kitchen setting, all without the aid of formal education.
Are pastry chefs in high demand?
Projected employment growth for pastry chefs is slightly slower than average, however, job opportunities are predicted to be good. This profession has a high turnover rate.
What is a bakery chef called?
They are called pastry chefs. A pastry chef is a station chef in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries, desserts, bread and other baked goods.
They are employed in large hotels, bistros, restaurants, bakeries, and some cafés.
Quick facts
- There were 68,144 eating and drinking places in California in 2014
- $72.3 billion in restaurant sales projected 2015
- Restaurants will account for 1,605,300 (10%) jobs in California in 2015
- By 2025 the projections are 1,781,300 jobs, a 11% job growth
Tell us what you think about these baking schools in California.