Adventures in the Specialty Food Trade: A Unique Culinary Career


	Adventures in the Specialty Food Trade: A Unique Culinary Career by Sonja Albrecht CulinaryEd Columnist June 16, 2008 In an era of mass production, it's good to know there's still a place for Imperial Reserve caviar from the Caspian sturgeon Acipensur persicus. If you can distinguish Ile de R&eactue; salt from Morton's, you might have a taste for a specialty food career. Prospects for Adventurous Foodies According to the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, the demand for 'haute' grocery has soared since 2002. "Specialty foods are a vibrant and growing industry," says Ron Tanner of the NASFT. "People are interested in buying quality food with a certification and with a personality." This trend is set to expand in the next decade, as today's young people gain purchasing power. Specialty Food Magazine notes that this web-savvy generation "possesses a sense of adventure and interest in other cultures." They gravitate toward exotic cuisines and "innovative, high quality, healthful" products. Trader Joe's Travels Joe Coulombe, AKA Trader Joe, built his food career around the theme of culinary adventure. Hoping to "turn a mundane shopping trip into a treasure hunt," he stocked his store's shelves with obscure brands and exotic foods. On the principle that people are more apt to try new things while traveling, he outfitted his staff with Hawaiian shirts and his stores with nautical décor and cedar plank walls. Earn Your Culinary MBA Wondering what kind of culinary school training to get for a specialty food career? Many culinary schools offer a business culinary master's program, essentially an MBA for culinary professionals. Be sure to find a business culinary master's program that caters specifically to the food retail industry; many school programs slant toward hospitality careers. A good specialty food business program will offer specialized business training and opportunities to design a business plan and network with industry professionals. If you want to turn culinary school training and food wanderlust into a career, a business culinary master's program can help you get there. Sources Dean & Deluca Specialtyfood.com Gourmet Retailer Gourmet News National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) Trader Joe's About the Author Sonja Albrecht works as a writer and editor for an online media company. She has also taught college writing and completed a Ph.D. in English.	Culinary Schools California School of Culinary Arts Request Free Info Keiser University - Center for Culinary Arts Request Free Info L'Ecole Culinaire - St. Louis Request Free Info Kendall College - Chicago Request Free Info Center for Culinary Arts - CT Request Free Info Florida Culinary Institute Request Free Info Culinary Articles Culinary Salary Information Let them Eat Cake! Baking a Parisian Classic Adventures in the Specialty Food Trade: A Unique Culinary Career Pastry Chefs Master the Art of Marzipan Try a Vegetarian Catering Career and Compete with the Big Guys More Articles Chef Profiles For Nigella Lawson, Culinary Pleasure Comes from Play Chef Tyler Florence: Portrait of a Home-cooking TV Chef Padma Lakshmi's Recipe for Culinary Success: Go International More Articles Chef Jobs Culinary Job Search California Culinary Schools Pasadena Culinary Schools San Diego Culinary Schools San Francisco Culinary Schools Florida Culinary Schools Miami Culinary Schools Orlando Culinary Schools New York Culinary Schools New York City Culinary Schools Texas Culinary Schools Austin Culinary Schools Dallas Culinary Schools Houston Culinary Schools

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