<p>but to go back to the thread
My daughter is really interested in cooking- doesn’t really follow recipes,but if she was interested in cooking enough to want to go to cooking school, I imagine she would be cooking all the time.
Is this one of the Art Institute of _____ schools?</p>
<p>Sorry to hijack this thread to a good cook book thread, but here I go again.
I love watching Oliver(Naked Chef?) cooking show, he made cooking so simple, and Nigella Lawson for some basic English recipes(such as Christmas pudding). I must admit, I bought a lot of these books to help me with the recipes, not so much as follow step by step.</p>
<p>First what school was this? If he went to a reknown school with lots of successful almuni, I don’t think you have a case. Negligence means did they act as a resonable person would expect them to act. If they have large numbers of successful alumni, how can you argue that they don’t have a successful curriculum.</p>
<p>Also, if they have a lot of theory in the first year but do more practical stuff thereafter (as one person noted), your case will be weak. I can’t imagine any doctor or lawyer being able to practice after only one year of professional school.
If, however, they have few success stories, and can’t show a strong curriculum, you may have a case. Just maybe.</p>
<p>Also, you could be partially culpable even if the school was negligent. Did you thoroughly investigate the school? Did you check out their alums’ sucesses? Did you investigate the curriculum? If you didn’t do these minimum steps, you can be contributorily negligent. </p>
<p>Anyway, just some things to think about.</p>
<p>hey thanks interested dad. I also love the essentials of italian cooking, I have used that for years. I also use a book put out by the cordon blue, it takes you step by step through recipes, starting with easy, going up to way hard. I used to cook a lot, now with a three year old we are on boxed macaroni and cheese, (yuck), and yocco’s hot dogs, (northeast pennsylvania people would know about those). But anyway, I appreciate all the input. It is johnson and wales, yes, they are probably the most renowned culinary school in the country. The culinary institute of america is probably most known, but they don’t offer a degree. Johnson and wales most notable graduate is Emeril Lagasi. I don’t really recognize the others they have in their initiation booklet. I think others have read about my problems with Johnson and wales, the new campus my son went to etc., the problems with things not working, no help and apathy from the people running it etc etc. (don’t get me started,). Again, I would never sue the school, because I personally believe that even if the kid learned nothing, (which I am sure he did, he just, as many said, fears to show it because then he might actually have to cook me something WHILE I AM WORKING FULL TIME TO PUT HIM THROUGH SCHOOL, and he is home sitting on his butt until the restaurant that hired him needs him. the experience alone truly opened him up to a world where he has to fend on his own, learn, figure things out and take care of himself. (but gees, the smell of those clothes that came home, what the heck is that smell!!!). It truly is just a question that I was wondering what others think. I at one time, in an attempt to get my masters in nursing, tried an on line/home study course. It was awful, the online part never worked, the professor who was supposed to help me was never available. I ended up getting all my money back, now that was a situation where I would have at least done the small claims court thing if they didn’t give me my money back. But $33,000 is a little past that. anyway, I also appreciate all the input on the geology thing too. my husband and I were racking our brains with what you do with that, and we just figured it was way above our head dealing with archeological digs, volcanic eruptions, predictions, tectonic plates etc. and I indeed was correct from the posts. I just love this board, you guys are great and very helpful. and thanks for the cook books. I need more of them, am so sick of macaroni and cheese!!!</p>
<p>My close friend, and former apartment mate from college went to some very prestigios cooking schools, as this was her hobby. And, yes, she was a terrific cook. But what she could make was waaaay beyond our student ghetto budget which meant lot of mac and cheese–and not the fresh pasa mac and the 5 cheeses, with a toasting on the top. When it came to making a marvelous meal, she was, no question about it, wonderful. But I was the the quickie chef and still am on a low, low budget. I can’t cook a 4 star meal like a graduate from these programs can, but I can whip out low cost cost meals for a crowd very quickly. </p>
<p>I can sympathise, Amith1, more than you could ever know. Last year my son came home for the summer after graduating from college and was noting but a pain in the rear. After costing us a small fortune from his misadventures, a tremendous amount of stress, we had to kick him out. He seems to be doing all right now, though relationships are still not great. He let a perfectly good job offer that he accepted just go away so that he could have a free summer which amounted to running around like wild kid with everyone else left with the debris. Not much good to say about him for that time period. I just hope that they outgrow all of this, and when they need to belly up and support themselves, they can.</p>
<p>Amith1, I do sympathize. However, supposedly Johnson and Wales has one of the best cooking programs around (especially at the Providence location), and, if I remember, it is a 4 year university. I am curious as to what your experiences were? For what it is worth, I see all kids of ads here in Washington DC for cooks. I would think that a good cook would have lifetime employment with no chance of outsourcing.</p>
<p>Should kids sue their parents or their teachers if they don’t learn how to spell?</p>
<p>Johnson and Wales is one of the best culinary schools in the country, and I’ve enjoyed many a fine meal prepared by its graduates.</p>
<p>I think one of the keys to being a good cook is knowing how things ought to taste, and appreciating what happens to food when you prepare it in various ways. You can’t cook just by formula, though having good recipes can certainly be a help. You need to have a good palate, knowing how things ought to taste. To some extent this can be taught, and I suspect this is part of what students learn in culinary school.</p>
<p>The earlier editions of Joy of Cooking were better - just pour a can of cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup on top of everything, and, presto, everything is French!</p>
<p>This subject is a bug-a-boo with me. The problem with what is advertised in a college course book vs. what is actually delivered goes well beyond culinary arts programs. Its typical in many colleges for the under grad curriculum to stress specific social ideas and political precepts in the guise of higher learning. This is particularly true in many English and History depts. In many under grad English courses content and sentiment are prized over structure and form. In History classes dubious historical interpretations trump fact. </p>
<p>I am convinced the problem stems from the fact that the professors conducting these classes now were students themselves in the 70s and 80s and were similarly taught. As a result these professors lack an in-depth understanding within their own field of supposed expertise.</p>
<p>I think your generalization is far too broad, whether applied to college in general or to the specific majors that you mention. I also think it’s wrong-headed.</p>
<p>Fashions come in and out in English, History, and food – as well as mathematics, the hard sciences, and art.</p>
<p>College is not just learning form and structure but rather how to solve problems and to think and to create (or to recognize good thinking and creativity when one sees it – or engages in it). If the kids don’t become engaged in the subject matter but expect to learn things by rote, they won’t get nearly as much out of a college course as they would otherwise.</p>
<p>toblin, you bring up a whole other aspect. I agree with you in the extent that I went to nursing school, and in some classes we did not come out with the knowledge we needed, either because the professor was no longer practicing and wasn’t up to speed, or the hospital we did our practicals at were so outdated that we did not get the experiences we needed. that I feel is the universities responsibility, to provide adequate and up to date information. but again, did I get a good experience, knowing the hospital and teacher were pretty bad, yes I did because I applied myself, took away some great experiences from the patients I worked with, and although I did not get the medical knowledge I needed, I could always “look that up”. I do believe though that schools need to watch what they promise, and what they publish, because someday somebody will hold them to those promises. the recruitment person from J and W in this area, and the admissions person promised the world, and came through with none of it. Then when questioned, defer to somebody else who can’t help you and doesn’t know what was promised. it’s somewhat of a game I do believe. a really expensive game</p>
<p>
With all due respect, you need to put your foot down as a parent and set some rules. If he is living at home and you are working, he should be responsible for some of the cooking at home. Not because he happens to be going to culinary school – just the combination of his being at home while you work is enough to trigger responsibility for household tasks. But you have to make it clear what your expectations are.</p>
<p>One of the reasons my kids know how to cook is that I don’t regularly cook for them. Partly this was because with their disparate eating habits, I would have been cooking multiple meals all the time – whatever the one kid liked and was willing to eat, the other one would refuse. So I always kept the house stocked will lots of food that is easy to prepare, and pretty much let everyone fend for themselves for most meals. My son actually loves too cook, but he also likes his food really spicy – so his cooking is not alway suitable for everyone. </p>
<p>But Jamimom’s post about kicking out her college grad son says it all - I pretty much did the same with my own son, though I didn’t really have to kick him out. But I laid out my expectations very clearly – the laying around on butt while mom does all the work thing was not acceptable. </p>
<p>So sit down with your son and tell him what you expect from him before you pay next semester’s tuition. Make it clear that if he wants you to pay and if he wants to live at home, then he needs to contribute.</p>