In recent years, I have noticed something troubling in culinary education. It’s not the content of what we teach or even the way it is delivered in the classroom and kitchen. I am troubled by the growing unwillingness on the part of students to break out of their comfort zones and experience the world and the differences between people. They have a lack of interest or sense of adventure to see what’s out there. Now, this is not all students, but I see it more and more these days. 

This failure to launch materializes in missed opportunities and a lack of confidence in one’s ability to adapt and thrive. Students will never learn to swim if they fail to jump into the deep end of the pool and they will find it difficult to catapult their potential career unless they embrace the unknown.

Internships and externships have, for decades, been a way for students to explore opportunities, learn a different approach in a fresh kitchen, test their skills and problem-solving abilities when faced with challenges, and show the world their capabilities. Students from colleges across the country found themselves in operations hundreds and even thousands of miles from their home base. It was the excitement of trying something new, being somewhere that felt adventurous, and learning to manage their own lives without the protective safety net provided in a parent’s home or a college dorm that helped them to jump out of bed in the morning with a high level of excitement. This was the transition semester that made it possible for a student to define competence and confidence – two critical pieces of the career puzzle.

Over the past decade or so I have spoken with numerous faculty members and internship supervisors who point to students’ lack of interest and willingness to step outside of their comfort zones. The world is scary but welcoming if we are willing to give it a chance. This is a natural part of growing up and a key to long-term success. 

I see so many incredible career opportunities from coast-to-coast; great operations with exciting visions, wonderful places to learn and grow, dynamic locations that could help a young culinarian or established professional truly blossom – yet these operations struggle to find young talent willing to pick up and move, embrace the opportunity. 

Anthony Bourdain once said: "If I am an advocate for anything, it is to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else's shoes or at least eat their food. It's a plus for everybody."

Oftentimes, what separates a good chef from a great chef has less to do with the technical skills they have acquired and more to do with the experiences under their belt, the places they have been, the people they have worked with, and the open-minded approach to life that was a result. The greatest advances of humankind have come from being uncomfortable. Problem-solving is our key to moving forward and being comfortable will oftentimes stand in the way of progress and learning.

What are we doing in our programs, in our classrooms, and in our interaction with students to encourage adventure and a desire to step into the unknown? How are we crafting our lessons to include a nudge in the right direction? What stories do we share that inspire the need to experience something different? 

Early in a culinary graduate’s career is the time to be adventurous and build a portfolio of important experiences. The older they become, the more personal responsibility stands in the way of being adventurous. Families, home mortgages and immersion in a community are wonderful aspects of life, but they make it so much more difficult to pick up and leap toward the unknown. Shouldn’t we encourage our students to jump into the deep end now?

Food for thought.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER – TAKE THE LEAP

Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC, president of Harvest America Ventures, a mobile restaurant incubator based in Saranac Lake, N.Y., is the former vice president of New England Culinary Institute and a former dean at Paul Smith’s College. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..