The southern state of Georgia is known for its delicious home style cooking, which many restaurants in Georgia play off of. There are almost 10 million people living in Georgia, and there are large clusters of people living in and around Georgia’s largest cities. Some of the biggest cities in Georgia are Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, and Savannah.
One of the benefits of living in Georgia is its low cost of living. The cost of living in Georgia is about 8% below the national average. This is important to know when pricing and planning menu items.
There are many excellent restaurants in Georgia, including Restaurant Eugene, Bacchanalia, and Empire State South.
Georgia’s dedication to food is clear when you look at its 22 culinary schools. The average acceptance rate in Georgia is 45%, so you may have to go through a competitive admissions process to get accepted. Georgia has an average tuition cost of $3,964 and an average scholarship award of $770.
Georgia schools offer a variety of certificate and degree programs. If you complete a culinary certificate, you can plan on earning your certificate in one year or less. Associate’s degree programs, on the other hand, take an average of two years.
Culinary programs focus on the core aspects of being a chef, including food safety, food preparation, menu planning, and kitchen work. Early in your program, you can plan on taking rudimentary cooking classes that teach you knife skills, different cooking methods, and food safety regulations.
Throughout the course of your program, you will continue to build on these core concepts. In addition, you may be able to take business courses that prepare you for the world of restaurant ownership. You may have the option to take elective culinary courses that allow you to delve into cuisines and techniques that you find interesting. It’s important to take a well-rounded selection of classes that leave you feeling prepared for a restaurant job.
After getting your culinary degree, there are three primary directions you can take your culinary career. First, you can work in a restaurant. This is a popular choice, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 46% of chefs work in restaurants. Second, you can work for a catering company. Finally, you could work as a private chef. All of these career paths have different demands and benefits.
Some of the primary chef employers in Georgia include Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, Gecko Hospitality, and Patrice & Associates. If you don’t want to work for others, you may be able to open your own catering business or restaurant.
Georgia, like almost every other part of the country, does not have any licensing or certification requirements in place for cooks and chefs. Employers may require you to complete a restaurant-specific guide to food healthy and safety procedures, however.
If you want to get a certification that makes your skills stand out, you may consider American Culinary Federation certification. After passing a skills and written test in a specific area of study, you can get your certificate.
Salaries for chefs and cooks in Georgia vary depending on experience, education, and seniority. In general, sous chefs and executive chefs make more money than line chefs. The overall average salary for chefs is $33,900 per year (O*Net, 2012). O*Net reports that the average salary for cooks is $20,100 per year.
While the job outlook is steady for chefs across the country, it is even brighter in Georgia. The demand for cooks in Georgia is expected to increase by 20% between 2010 and 2020 (O*Net, 2010). The demand for chefs is expected to grow by 3%, which is faster than the national average (O*Net, 2010).