Is 国产福利 School Worth it?

Hillery Hargadine
Three students in chef whites smile behind a table of plated meat dishes

Industry leaders Mashama Bailey, Evan Funke and Gabi Chappel weigh in on the time, value and benefits of a culinary school education.

鈥淚s culinary school worth it?鈥 It鈥檚 a question that food industry veterans have asked and answered for years. While all education is an investment in yourself, the question that鈥檚 really being asked here is whether formal culinary education provides better skills training and offers more professional and networking opportunities than learning on the job.  

We asked three culinary industry stars their thoughts on the matter 鈥 and they had a lot to say. Their thoughts are below. But first, let鈥檚 meet the chefs.

  • Mashama Bailey 鈥 ICE alum + Chef/Co-owner of The Grey. Winner of two James Beard Awards: 鈥淏est Chef: Southeast, 2018,鈥 and 鈥漁utstanding Chef, 2022.
  • Evan Funke 鈥 Chef/owner of LA鈥檚 Felix Trattoria, Mother Wolfe and Funke.
  • Gabrielle Chappel 鈥 ICE alum + media personality. Winner of Gordon Ramsay鈥檚 Next Level Chef, Season 3.

Three themes emerged while talking to these culinary professionals.

国产福利 school offers a tool kit of foundational techniques.

Chef Mashama explained that she was already working in kitchens when she came to attend ICE for 国产福利 Arts.

鈥淚 think that culinary school was worth it for me," Chef Mashama says. "I was a career changer and I wanted that foundation. I wanted those fundamental skills before I went out to restaurants to cook professionally.鈥

Chef Gabi reflected on how cooking school taught her how to interact and engage in professional kitchens.

Chef Gabi and Gordon Ramsay on "Next Level Chef." CR: Lorraine O鈥橲ullivan / FOX. 漏2024 FOX Media LLC.
Chef Gabi and Gordon Ramsay on "Next Level Chef." CR: Lorraine O鈥橲ullivan / FOX. 漏2024 FOX Media LLC.

鈥淚CE really has given me the foundation and the tools to be ready to work in a kitchen, to understand how to move in a kitchen: 鈥楬ow do I conduct myself each day?鈥; 鈥楢m I the first person there?鈥 [These have] helped me grow immensely throughout my career," she says.

Chef Evan cited how the value of formal schooling goes beyond the cooking skills themselves.

鈥淔undamentals are paramount," he says. "It鈥檚 important to have structure, have discipline, and I think that ICE does a great job doing that.鈥

Formal training is rigorous and disciplined.

When asked how school prepared her for the real world, Chef Mashama reflected on the supportive but realistic environment.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think [ICE] pulled any punches," she says. "I think they really let us know that if you want to pursue a career in culinary arts, you have to be serious about it. The Chef-Instructors are serious, the classes are serious, the deadlines are serious, and they really ask you to perform to a high standard.鈥

ICE Alumna Mashama Bailey at a podium accepting a James Beard Award
Chef Mashama at the 2022 James Beard Awards.

Chef Gabi said ICE鈥檚 Plant-Based 国产福利 Arts program caught her eye because it was one of only a few programs focused on the nuances of plant-based cooking:

鈥淚t allowed me the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a field that I was really curious about, which was plant-based, holistic cooking鈥It鈥檚] so unique. It鈥檚 not really something that you would learn in a restaurant or learn in any environment that was just a kitchen,鈥 she says.

Staff [at ICE] do an exceptional job of preparing students for the real world.

While the curriculum is important when choosing a school, the Chef-Instructors delivering the education are a vital consideration. Having hired many ICE alumni, Chef Evan reflected on its Chef-Instructors efforts.

鈥淪taff [at ICE] do an exceptional job of preparing students for the real world,鈥 he says.

国产福利 school helps you build a network in the food industry.

Chef Gabi emphasized the mentorship that accompanies attendance at a school like ICE.

鈥淢y biggest influences are definitely some of the Chef-Instructors I鈥檝e had," she says. "They鈥檝e really encouraged me, especially in the beginning of my career, just to put myself into situations that were maybe a little scary, and pushing me.鈥

Beyond the in-class education, Chef Mashama believes networking opportunities are among the biggest values in receiving a formal education.

鈥淵ou already have a built-in mentorship connection when you go to culinary school, and that's really important when you鈥檙e working in this culinary industry,鈥 she says.

Chef Evan agrees, noting that culinary school provides an 鈥渆xceptional opportunity for students to begin their journey of becoming a professional.鈥

Ultimately, Chef Gabi鈥檚 opinion on the 鈥淚s culinary school worth it鈥 question was clear.

鈥淵es! Absolutely, it鈥檚 worth it," Chef Gabi says. "It was so worth it for me. It introduced me to new concepts, new theories, new ideas about cooking and about how there鈥檚 such a deep relationship between chefs and the ingredients and the environment 鈥 and I wouldn鈥檛 have had that without culinary school. So for me, it was 100% worth it.鈥


Mashama Bailey 鈥 Chef/co-owner of The Grey in Savannah, Georgia. Winner of two James Beard Awards: 鈥淏est Chef: Southeast, 2018,鈥 and 鈥漁utstanding Chef, 2022. She鈥檚 appeared on numerous culinary TV shows, co-authored a book, chairs the Edna Lewis Foundation, and continues to grow her culinary business with The Grey Market and The Diner Bar at the Thompson Hotel in Austin, Texas. She鈥檚 also slated to open a restaurant in Paris in 2025. Chef Mashama is a graduate of ICE鈥檚 国产福利 Arts program in New York City.

Evan Funke 鈥 Chef/owner of Felix Trattoria, Mother Wolfe and Funke in Beverly Hills, California, as well as restaurants in Las Vegas and Chicago. Accolades include two James Beard Award nominations, one as a 鈥淏est New Restaurant鈥 finalist for Felix. He has written a cookbook, starred in his own documentary, and is the central figure in the premiere episode 鈥樷 on Netflix.

Gabrielle Chappel 鈥 Food media and cooking video/TV personality with over 80,000 Instagram followers. Featured cook in several Epicurious videos and recently won Season 3 of Gordon Ramsay鈥檚 Next Level Chef on FOX. Gabrielle is a graduate of ICE鈥檚 Plant-Based 国产福利 Arts (formerly Health-Supportive 国产福利 Arts).

Hillery Hargadine

Hillery Wheeler Hargadine has been with ICE since 2009. A graduate of ICE鈥檚 Restaurant and 国产福利 Management program, she was a member of the school's Admissions team 鈥 helping students to fulfill their dreams of receiving a culinary education 鈥 for ten years. Today, she works on messaging and content, authoring student profiles and supporting marketing communications. Hillery currently lives in Toyko, Japan with her husband and son, and eats as much sushi and ramen as possible.