Despite its small size, Maryland packs a strong culinary punch. People from all over New England drive to cities like Baltimore and Frederick to get a taste of Maryland food. As a chef, you may serve Maryland’s 5.9 million residents in addition to the tourists that flock to this state every year. Some of the best restaurants in Maryland include Assaggi, Mannequin Pis, and Jaleo.
The cost of living in Maryland is approximately 20% higher than the national average. However, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the median household income in Maryland is almost $20,000 higher than the national average.
Ready to get your start in your culinary career? There are eight schools in Maryland that can help you meet your goals. Tuition in Maryland is generally affordable, since the average cost of tuition is $5,912. Your education can be made even more affordable with an average scholarship award of $1,989.
There are different specialties you can choose to pursue as a culinary student. The most popular specialty is culinary arts, since culinary arts is the most generalized field you can train in. You get a thorough education in how to work in different parts of the kitchen, as well as how to prepare different types of cuisine. Bakery arts is a field that allows you to learn about how to prepare different desserts. Chef training may offer more specific skills that help you run a kitchen.
In the early part of your kitchen training, you can plan on learning the basic skills that will shape the majority of your time in the kitchen. A good kitchen service starts with prep work, so you may learn different knife skills, how to set up a kitchen line properly, and how to prepare different cuts of meat. These skills will be built on throughout the duration of your program, since you’ll need to be excellent at them to get a kitchen job.
If you are ready to start your culinary career in Maryland, you may want to look to restaurants first. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 46% of chefs work in restaurants. In addition to restaurant work, you may want to look into catering or working as a private chef. These opportunities can give you more freedom in what you cook, but you may have to work more hours.
If you have a mind for business, you can look into owning a restaurant or catering business. Both of these options require the ability to manage staff, take care of finances, and become licensed by the state.
There are a variety of culinary employers in Maryland, including the Ocean Pines Yacht Club, Seasons 52, and Bo Brooks Restaurant & Catering.
Maryland allows you to start your career as soon as you graduate from your culinary program, since they do not have any licensing or certification requirements for chefs and cooks. However, some employers may require you to take a safety/hygiene course prior to beginning employment.
One option for certification is the American Culinary Federation. After choosing an area of certification, you can take the relevant skills exams and get your certificate.
As a new chef, your salary is likely to be influenced by a variety of factors. In general, the more experience and seniority you have, the more you can earn. This is why executive chefs, who have the most responsibility in a kitchen, earn the highest salaries. Sous chefs, who are second-in-command in the kitchen, come next, followed finally by line chefs.
The average salary for a cook in Maryland is $24,100 per year (O*Net, 2012). Chefs in Maryland typically earn an average salary of $39,500 per year (O*Net, 2012).
In general, the demand for cooks and chefs in Maryland is increasing. Cooks can anticipate a 15% increase in job openings between 2010 and 2020 (O*Net, 2010). However, the demand for chefs is expected to increase by 1% in that same time frame (O*Net, 2010).