You may be one of those candidates that dream to take up a culinary career yet are not ready to stand the heat of the kitchen. They would love a culinary career which involves no cooking. Well, options remain such candidates as well. The field of culinary arts provides space to even those who like to avoid cooking and the kitchen heat. So if you thought, chef or cook was the only career option in the field of food service industry, you need to think again. Cooking alone can not limit the career opportunities that the field of culinary art provides to candidates.The restaurant and the hospitality industry have a continuous demand for professionals like sommeliers, marketers, restaurant managers, even managers or event planners etc. So, candidates who are not ready to handle the kitchen heat can easily make a choice from among these culinary careers without cooking and earn a profitable income too.In fact, you can establish you career in the food service industry even when you have no idea how to fry and egg. Isn’t that exciting? Aspiring candidates and students can attend one of the many professional culinary schools across America. However, candidates should make sure that the academic institutions or culinary schools they select are well reputed and have the necessary accreditations.

If you are looking for culinary careers with no cooking involved, you can choose to become :

Sommelier Pronounced saw-muh-lyey, the position of a sommelier is considered to be one of the most significant in dining establishments. In fact, the sommelier may immensely contribute towards the success of the food or dining establishments they work for. The core duty of a sommelier includes selection of wines and spirits that should feature in the establishment’s list of wines. These professionals possess extensive knowledge about a variety of wines and their preparation. They have the capability of counseling patrons on which wine would pair well with a specific meal. The success of a sommelier’s career depends on his expertise about wines, their counseling skills, love for a variety of wines and of course a sharp palate.

Restaurant Manager The second wonderful option to make a culinary career with no cooking involved is joining as a restaurant manager. The culinary profession of a restaurant manager, however, can be quite demanding. These professionals have the responsibility of setting a culinary tone for the food service establishment they work for. Everyday task of a restaurant manager includes staff supervision and training, new recipe development and customer service as well as marketing and promotion work. Expert managerial skills and a keen love for food are the prerequisites to establishing your culinary career as a restaurant manager. The basic managerial skills that you acquire in other industries remain the same in the food service industry as well.

Pastry Chef Though the work of a pastry chef requires him to be around ovens, they have a really sweet job to perform. Besides the preparation of a variety of desserts, a pastry chef also helps in the menu planning of the hotel or restaurant they work for. In addition, pastry chefs are called to wedding ceremonies and other celebratory occasion for preparing desserts. It will not be wrong to call pastry chefs the real artists, as they need to focus on the visual appeal of the dessert as much as they do on its taste.

Gourmet Store Shopper/ Manager Besides considering a career in restaurants or hotels, you can also decide to join a gourmet shop. Candidates can find a number of popular gourmet and organic chains across the country. There is a growing demand in the food industry for professionals who can figure out the actual food requirements of people. A degree from a culinary school can train you well in this culinary field. Equipped with relevant skills and academic background, candidates can take up jobs as gourmet store shopper or buyer or gourmet store manager at gourmet shops. Becoming a buyer for one of the leading gourmet shops or organic chains in the country can prove to be an exciting career option for candidates.

So, exciting career opportunities await even those candidates who aspire for culinary careers which does not involve cooking. All you need to do is be advised and well informed about the culinary school you should attend and the training program you should select.

** The various titles of "chef" generally apply to more advanced roles in a professional kitchen Sous Chef. Graduates of a culinary arts training program should expect to pursue entry-level opportunities and should not expect to become chefs upon graduation but are encouraged to work toward becoming a chef through the course of their career. Le Cordon Bleu does not guarantee employment or salary.

Though the dessert is served at the end of a meal, it is also the most important part. You must have had a wide range of desserts. But have you ever thought whose innovative skills go in the making of breads, chocolates, pies, cookies, ice cream etc. The food service industry has a growing demand for chefs and cooks. A pastry chef (Patissier in French) is one of those careers that have always been required by the food industry. Today, candidates have the benefit of selecting from a multitude of accredited culinary or cooking schools where they can get trained to become a pastry chef or Patissier. The career of a pastry chef is both quite fulfilling and rewarding at the same time. The best part is you will never get bored while working as a pastry chef in a hotel chain, high end restaurant or a luxury resort.

A professional kitchen in a high end restaurant or hotel, there is a whole team dedicated to the pastry department, known as the classic brigade de cuisine. The pastry chef is a part of this brigade and holds the position of the station chef in the pastry department. In charge of the dessert menu, the pastry chef is responsible for performing daily tasks including planning of menu, cost control and food supply control. The pastry department also has a number of other assistant chefs or kitchen workers to help the pastry chef with his dessert preparation task. Besides menu planning, cost reduction and supply control, the job of a pastry also requires him to innovatively develop and create new recipes. The chef is responsible for research, testing and applying new concepts using their working skill and expertise.

It is very important to make well informed decisions when candidates aspire to become a pastry chef or patissier. To excel in your chef career, you should have a strong inclination towards cooking or the field of culinary art. While you join a degree program or a course, you get trained in the art of baking or pastry making. Planning and preparation are the core areas that you will be focusing on while being trained to become a pastry chef. After you have planned the recipe of the dessert and prepared it using all your cooking skills, it's time to make it look attractive to the eyes. Desserts need to be quite attractive so that people may order as soon as they notice them. To make desserts or the sweet dish likeable to all pastry chef has to take into account a number of things - taste, color, size, shape and the presentation.

Candidates, who want to know the secrets of how to become a pastry chef, must be aware of the skills that need to possess for making a great career in this field. Besides having expertise in the art of baking and dessert preparation, pastry chefs skills also include some great artwork. The chef needs to make use of his creative skills to make the desserts look good to the eyes as well. Paying attention to even the minutest details can sometimes make a lot of difference to the dish. The chef, therefore, should have a sense for minute details.

Becoming a pastry chef may look easy on the face of it. The career of a pastry chef, however, demands a lot of dedication, activity, innovativeness and an eagerness to excel always. Pastry chefs may be working on their toes for long hours without losing vigor or interest. Working hours will depend on the type of food establishment you join. Depending on your job or work profile, you may even need to start as early as 3 am or 4 am.

Culinary schools across America offer a number of degree programs, courses and training to train aspiring candidates in the field of pastry art. To kick start your career as a pastry chef you need to obtain a Baking and Pastry Certificate, an Associates Degree in Applied Science Culinary Art or a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Culinary Arts from an accredited culinary institution or cooking school. All these degree programs, training and certifications include both classroom study as well as hands-on experience in baking or pastry making. If you enroll in a course of one year duration or less like the certificate course, you will only be eligible to join at entry level position in the pastry department. A 2-year Associate's Degree in Applied Science Culinary Arts or a 4-year Bachelor of Arts degree will prepare for a successful career in the field of pastry art or baking. Entry level pastry chef positions include entry level pastry cook or helper and assistant pastry chef. A corporate executive pastry chef is a higher level and much respectable position in the culinary field.