Los Angeles, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/01/2013 --The Culinary Connection is pleased to announce their grand opening in twenty cities across the nation, coast-to-coast, with an additional twenty locations slated to open in coming months. The school’s six month culinary arts programs place aspiring chefs in real kitchens where they learn under the direct instruction of a chef. Direct, on the job experience fused with structured, in-depth lessons enable apprentices to learn the real ins-and-outs of the craft and to make valuable connections with industry professionals while they train. Already, the affordable, no-nonsense mentored-apprentice program offered by Culinary Connection has top chefs from across the nation offering up their hearty endorsements.

Alicia Boada CEPC, CCA, CCE, ACE, West Coast Technical Consultant Barry-Callebaut Chocolate, ‘Pastry Chef of the Year 2012’ Orange Empire Chefs Association:

“Any mentorship/apprenticeship program is invaluable to a young culinary student. I love how the Culinary Connection brings back the old apprenticeship scenario into the workplace. It worked for our founding chefs, why not work for us today?”

Chef Raimund Hofmeister CMC, Head of Culinary Operations Martins Fine Caterers, Baltimore, Maryland, also feels the traditional mentored approach to culinary education surpasses that of the classroom approach:

"I’m outspoken critique about cookie-cutter culinary schools. I believe the degree education offered at these schools has become very watered-down. After spending a number of years in education I still truly believe that no one can teach our craft and skills in a mainly classroom-style setting. On the job training is essential to learning the craft. In fact, for hundreds of years mentored-apprenticeship has been the classic training one had to go through to become a chef."

Chef Joseph Friel, Executive Chef at Beau Rivage Hotel Resort and Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi:

“As a mentor apprentice prodigy myself I can’t say enough about this approach to culinary education. It’s the sink or swim mentality that gives young chefs the opportunity to achieve their goals in a much more efficient manner.”

The immersed training and hands-on experience that is the core of the Culinary Connection approach, allows individuals the exposure and connection-building opportunities they need to secure work and launch their careers quickly. Considerably less than tuition at Le Cordon Bleu, Culinary Arts Institute or the culinary arts programs offered by the Art Institute, the school’s on-site, immersive nature has industry professionals like 20 year veteran Chef Douglas Schonfeld excited about the influx of better prepared, less supercilious graduates.

"In my view, there is too much “sense of entitlement” from students coming out of today’s culinary programs. They expect their new jobs and titles to be handed to them on a silver platter without putting in any serious work to earn them.”

Schonfeld calls Culinary Connection “an invaluable commodity” for young aspiring chefs and says, “I believe that there would be a better trained work force out there for the culinary industry to hire from, if they had on-the-job experience.”

Principle Academic Advisor for Culinary Connection, Martin Gilligan CEC, MCFE, American Culinary Federation’s ‘Chef of the Year 2005’ Los Angeles, CA, feels a return to hands-on, in-the-trenches approach and a structured, to the minute curriculum will the 21st Century answer for culinary arts education.

"As an executive chef I used to throw away resumes from kids dumb enough to blow 65k to attend the Art Institute and Le Cordon Bleu because they had no experience and prima dona attitudes. The mentored apprenticeship approach is the only way to go. You don’t have to go to some extremely expensive culinary institute and you definitely don’t have to throw away thousands of dollars to learn to cook. You just have to have a burning passion for food. The best way to really improve your culinary abilities is through on-the-job experience that you can only find at Culinary Connection.

Food Network celebrity, Rahm Fama, host of “Meat and Potatoes, seconds Chef Gilligan’s conviction:

“For me on the job experience is everything… Stay dedicated to the craft. If food is truly your passion, life will bring good work with food! Don’t be crazy and throw your money away! I feel pretty strongly about this.”

Six month, affordable culinary arts training with Culinary Connection costs tens of thousands of dollars less than culinary arts programs at Le Cordon Bleu, Culinary Arts Institute or Art Institute Culinary Arts Program and provides driven, dedicated apprentices with the opportunity to make connections, showcase their talents and demonstrate their ability and dedication to the craft.