This document provides information about culinary arts careers as a chef or baker, including their typical tasks, salary ranges, hours, and education program options. Chefs earn between $40,630-$62,000 annually and oversee kitchen operations like menu planning, hiring staff, and food ordering. Bakers earn $22,500-$33,840 preparing baked goods by measuring ingredients, baking, and setting oven temperatures. Both careers require early morning, late night and weekend hours. Relevant diploma and associate's degree programs from the Illinois Institute of Art and Le Cordon Bleu College are outlined.

1. Culinary Arts Studies
By: Matilda Kuenster

2. Chef Tasks
• Check freshness of food
• Supervise cooks
• Plan menus
• Inspect supplies
• Monitor sanitation
• Hire and train workers
• Order and maintain inventory of food and supplies
needed to ensure efficient operation

3. Baker Tasks
• Prepare equipment for
baking
• Measure and weigh
flour and other
ingredients
• Knead, roll, cut, and
shape dough
• Set oven temperatures
• Observe color and state
of products being baked

4. Salary of a Chef
• Salary ranges from
$40,630-$62,00 a
year
• Works out to be
$19.50-$29.75 an
hour

5. Salary of a Baker
• Salary ranges from
$22,500-$33,840 a
year
• Works out to be
$10.75-$14.75 an
hour

6. Hours of Work
Chef
• Chefs work full time, early
morning shifts, late
evenings, weekends, holid
ays, usually about 12 hours
a day
Baker
• Bakers work early
mornings, late
nights, weekends, holidays,
most work in different shifts

7. Illinois Institute of Art
Chef
• Diploma programs are
intended for students with
specific career plans that do
not require associate or
bachelor’s degrees
• $25,599 for tuition
• Interview required to be
accepted

8. Illinois Institute of Art
Baker
• Look at ACT scores, but
no specific required
• $26,000 for tuition
• Program takes 16
months to get a degree
in Baking and Pastry
• Interview required to be
accepted

9. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
Chef
• Associate’s Degree in
Culinary Arts
• Tuition is $37,050
• Interview required to be
accepted
• Acquire basic kitchen
management
skills, including purchasing
and inventory controls and
front-of-the-house
operations.

10. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
Baker
• Associate’s Degree in
Pastry and Baking
• Tuition is $37,050
• Interview required to be
accepted
• Develop skills in baking
and pastry preparation
with elements of plated
desserts, international
creations, and
centerpieces.

11. Bibliography