Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country, but it packs a real culinary punch. There are almost 1.1 million people living here, many of whom live in Rhode Island’s main cities of Providence, Warwick, and Cranston. These cities also have many of Rhode Island’s most prominent restaurants, including Ichigo Ichie, Pastiche, and Nick’s on Broadway. You must be prepared to serve the tourist crowds as well as Rhode Island’s residents.
Although the cost of living in Rhode Island is 26% higher than the national average, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the median household income is higher than the national average.
Culinary students can choose from two schools in Rhode Island. One school, the Community College of Rhode Island, offers a certificate and Associate’s degree program. The other school, Johnson & Wales University, which offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. The average cost of tuition is $15,031, and there is an average scholarship award of $6,208.
In the first stage of your culinary training, you can get ready for line chef work. You learn basic skills like julienning, dicing and chopping. You also learn about different proteins, how to break them down, and how they must be served. You should expect to practice these skills throughout the course of your program, since you need to be perfect at these skills by the time you get a kitchen job.
Of course, your eventual goal may be working as an executive chef or sous chef. To tackle these high-end jobs, you need to be able to plan menus, create delicious dishes, and run a kitchen. These skills will also give you the confidence you need to be a successful chef.
If you plan on earning a Bachelor’s degree, you may have space in your schedule for elective courses. Some students choose to study a specific cuisine. However, you can also take business and management courses to prepare for the tasks of job ownership.
You learn lots of diverse skills in culinary school, and you can put them to use in many different careers. Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that 46% of chefs are employed in restaurants. However, 13% of chefs are self-employed, so there are lots of self-employment opportunities. Most self-employed chefs are caterers, private chefs, or restaurant owners.
Rhode Island has a significant amount of great culinary employers. Some of these employers include Panda Restaurant Group, Bonefish Grill, and Brookdale Senior Living. As you can see, chefs may be employed as restaurant chefs, caterers, or private chefs.
Rhode Island is one of many states in the country that does not require certification or licensure for cooks and chefs. This gives you more freedom in how and where you work. While certification is not an essential part of your career, you may want to get a certificate to demonstrate your skills. The American Culinary Federation offers certification in different fields and levels.
As a chef, the amount of money you earn depends on your experience, the amount of seniority you have, and what type of restaurant you work in. Chefs with more experience tend to earn higher salaries.
Cooks in Rhode Island earn an average salary of $25,200 per year (O*Net, 2012). The average salary for a chef in Rhode Island is $46,800 per year (O*Net, 2012).
The hospitality industry is growing rapidly across the country. It is growing even faster in Rhode Island. Chefs should anticipate a job growth of 4% between 2010 and 2020 (O*Net, 2010). In that same time frame, cooks can expect an 18% increase in job openings (O*Net, 2010).