Many people who have a passion for food hesitate before enrolling in a culinary arts degree program. Unfortunately, many people assume that cooking school only leads towards a job as a restaurant chef. However, the prospect for culinary grads is much greater than that. Graduates with good skill levels and good portfolios can get a number of exciting jobs, including:

Catering jobs: If you have a flair for business, and you like the idea of working for yourself, catering is a very lucrative and exciting field. As a caterer, you will be able to participate in weddings and other special occasions. You will be able to prepare, set, and arrange menus yourself. You'll have plenty of control, since clients will be coming to you and asking for your advice about what to prepare. A degree in culinary arts can help you establish credibility and also help you develop the skills that you need to succeed as a caterer.

Research and development careers: You don't have to work in the service industry if you have attended cooking school. Food manufacturers, government agencies, market researchers, and other businesses require food testers, researchers, recipe developers, and much more. If you like the idea of working with food, but don't necessarily like preparing meals or working very late hours in hot kitchens, this may be an option for you.

Cruise ship work: If you have a taste for adventure and a love of the culinary arts, working aboard a cruise ship is ideal. You can travel the world and prepare meals while seeing exciting sights. Plus, cruise ship chefs often enjoy meeting people who are very excited about food and travel.

Hospitality and kitchen management jobs: If you have a degree in the culinary arts, you can manage kitchens or get hospitality jobs in resorts, restaurants, and other tourist attractions.

Media jobs: There are many options for those who love entertainment as well as cooking. You can easily become a food photographer, food author, television cooking show employee, restaurant reviewer, cooking magazine editor, and much more.

Instructor: There's always demand for culinary arts instructors. If you enjoy your schooling experience, you may be eager to share your knowledge with other students who are just getting started in the profession. As an added benefit, you will enjoy regular hours as well as a slightly less hectic environment than a chef when you work as an instructor.

The truth is, there's absolutely no worry for people who have culinary arts degrees. These programs of study are simply very flexible, and allow for many job options. Plus, there's always a need for people who understand food and can prepare it well.

Unlike other professions, cooking professions don't really see ups and downs. There's always a demand for people who are educated in this industry. If you have been attending cooking school, but you feel as though your career options are limited, all you really need to do is expand your view. Be sure to speak to the career counselor or career advisor at your cooking school. He or she may be able to advise you about career options you haven't considered yet.

Finally, make sure that you hone your cooking education to your future career. If the idea of working in the media, for example, is appealing to you, consider getting a media internship job while you pursue your cooking studies. By diversifying your skill set, you may just be able to land that amazing job that allows you to combine your love of cooking with your love of adventure.