Getting a job in restaurant kitchen these days takes more than simply filling out an application.  Restaurant operators are taking advantage of this time in the economy to strengthen their teams, being more selective about every position and taking fewer applicants who lack experience or formal education.  The result is a dramatic increase in enrollment at culinary schools nationwide.

At The International Culinary Institute at the Art Institute of Colorado, some students are, "right out of high school, some are career changers while others are returning to get their degrees after being laid off because they were replaced by employees with degrees," says Lynn Haner, the Director of Communications for the school.  Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts  is experiencing a similar trend in more students with even more background diversity.  J & W's enrollment is up despite increasing admissions standards for selectivity.

The Cook Street School of Fine Cooking in Denver has less elbow room, too.  Sharon Talbert left an office managerial job for the professional kitchen.  As an alum, she's returned to spiff up her resume.  Talbert tells Fox News, "I think a lot of people maybe are getting laid off or forced out their jobs and maybe they're rethinking their priorities".  It's not cheap. Tuition here starts around 19-thousand-dollars for an 18 week program.  But industry spokespersons, like Pete Meersman, President and CEO of the Colorado Restaurant Association say folks gotta eat.  Meersmans tells Fox News, "Eating out is not a luxury, it's a necessity for families for working people and it's not, we're not selling yachts, you know, we're selling food".  According to the National Restaurant Association half of all adults get their meals outside the home daily.  And every million dollars spent in restaurant sales generates an additional 33 jobs.  In all, 13-million people are working in one of the nation's largest private sectors and projections point toward continued growth.

A bit of advice: if you're going to culinary school, do your research.  Terry Freeman, chief operating officer for Cook Street says, "We have Food Network out there. We have all these celebrity chefs.  They make it look easy."  Because of this, Freeman says a lot of prospective students need a reality check about what they'll be able to do, and what they'll get paid.  Starting wage for an entry level job in a professional kitchen averages around $10.00 and hour.