Bobby Flay on How to Become a Professional Chef

Bobby Flay tells WSJ's Wendy Bounds how he became a celebrity chef and why he dropped out of high school. (Photo: AP)

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[KnifeinHand]

I don't ever "knock" ppl who go to culinary school, intact I think it's great. But Bobby's comments nailed it. I didn't graduate he either, but I have cooking since the age of 8 and have been employed in various kitchens since age 16. I'm 32 years old and the fact is experience will get you further than anything on paper. I have worked along side culinary students in kitchens and they all fall short behind actual experienced cooks. The jacket, school papers etc...doesn't make you a chef.period. It is all based upon a life commented to the craft and experience

[lunch]

Hard truth for really young cooks fascinated with Food Network and interested in cooking: culinary school doesn’t improve your restaurant skills. Sure it allows you to think more while you’re cooking for 2-4 people, but in no way does it prepare you for a busy shift at work. Bobby said it here, and just about anybody who went to school will say the same. Culinary school teaches you knowledge, work teaches you wisdom and experience. Not to say school was a complete waste of a year and $20k. I was able to shoot a little higher than someone else who never held a knife before, and the techniques my chefs demo don’t go over my head. School establishes the very basic foundation of a culinary career, not the career itself.

[MichaelF]

I know this might not have to do with being a chef, but I have recently started to cook. I used to think of it as such a hard difficult ordeal. Its really, great, fun, and really really REALLY rewarding. I made a loaf of banana bread. After I made that, I had to step back and say, Wow, I did that. Its moist, and its delicious. I didn't think I had it to do something like that at all. It was a confidence booster to learn more and to cook up all kinds of other recipes out there. Bon Appetit! 🍽

[tnylsca]

Go 2 culinary school just gonna have a diploma nothing else..be a real chef start from the ground and passion for food.any one can cook but very few have the talent .

[chefhomeslice]

I’ll tell your how?
As a very successful chef for 40 years

Give up everything!!!

Mornings afternoons evenings nights weekdays weekends holidays Friends family spouses going to concerts events museums

If your lucky you will be off on Mondays


To be a successful chef

Be ready to give up everything except work.

Don’t do it

I beg you


All you will do is work.

[dawngrzeszczak]

Class act Bobby Flay. Best chef ever !!☘️

[nSmatic]

Bobby Said exacly what i think about Culinary school. haha

[gabriellebrown]

I'm only 11 and I want to be Bobby flay

[christine]

I've been cooking for years, I don't have many skills YET, but I want to be a professional chief when I grow up, I'm only 14 about 15

[jbeachboy]

is this job tiring and involve memory and concentration?

[TheOtherChef]

To be fair, I don't want to be Bobby Flay... dude can't cook Gumbo...and the chef he lost to on Throwdown said he was whiny about it... no respect at all, also his utter disrespect on the Original Iron Chef show in Japan made me hate this guy even further. I pretty much stopped watching Food Network because of him. Plus, he cheated on his wife... yeah I don't want to be Bobby Flay.