How Studying Abroad Can Secretly Supercharge Your Culinary Career
Tobiloba OdejinmiBy Tobiloba Odejinmi
Education
Jun 1, 2026 • 9:02 AM
8m8 min read
Source: Pexels
The Core Insight
Caroline Schiff, an award-winning Executive Pastry Chef, shares how her decision to study French at the University of St Andrews in Scotland served as the foundational catalyst for her professional success. By stepping outside her comfort zone, she developed the independence, linguistic skills, and community-building habits that define her current approach to culinary arts and global travel.
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Education Specialist & Editor
Tobiloba Odejinmi
Tobiloba Odejinmi is an education specialist dedicated to helping students and lifelong learners discover the best scholarship opportunities, study techniques, and career pathways.
The Kodawire Editorial Team consists of experienced journalists and subject matter experts dedicated to delivering accurate, well-researched, and engaging content.
The Unexpected Link Between Language Studies and Culinary Success
When we think of the path to becoming an executive chef, we often imagine a rigid trajectory: culinary school, years of grueling line work, and a singular focus on technique. But for Caroline Schiff, the Executive Pastry Chef at Brooklyn’s Gage & Tollner, the foundation of her career wasn't built in a professional kitchen, it was built in a classroom in Scotland and a year of immersion in France.
The Short Version
Language as a Tool: Learning a second language is a professional asset for managing international kitchen teams and global suppliers.
Independence Breeds Resilience: Moving away from the "dining hall culture" of US universities to independent living in the UK forces you to master self-sufficiency.
Food as Community: Treat every new location as a classroom. Understanding local agriculture and produce seasons is the fastest way to ground yourself in a new environment.
Debunking Myths: Don't let outdated stereotypes about regional cuisines limit your palate; modern British food is a vibrant fusion of local tradition and global influence.
I’ve spent years observing how professionals from different backgrounds approach their craft. What strikes me about Schiff’s journey is how she treated her undergraduate degree in French Studies not as a detour, but as a "mise en place" for her life. Just as a chef prepares their station before the dinner rush, she used her time at the University of St Andrews to prepare her mindset for the unpredictability of the culinary world. Developing such ambition as a skill is often what separates top-tier leaders from the rest of the pack.
Mise en place: The art of preparation in both life and the kitchen. (Credit: Mikhail Nilov via Pexels)
The Practical Verdict: My Take on the "St Andrews Experience"
Choosing a university is a high-stakes decision. Schiff’s experience highlights the value of "rolling admissions" and the psychological shift of moving from a structured US dorm environment to the independent flat-sharing culture of the UK. It’s a trial by fire, but one that builds the exact kind of grit required to run a high-pressure kitchen in New York City. Much like those who launch their careers through global internships, the ability to adapt to a foreign culture is a massive professional multiplier.
3 Ways Global Exposure Shapes a Professional Chef
Linguistic Versatility: Kitchens are international hubs. Being able to communicate with French-speaking suppliers or staff members from diverse backgrounds is a strategic advantage that streamlines operations and builds team cohesion.
Community Engagement: For a chef, the local market is the first point of contact in a new city. By observing what locals are buying and how they are eating, you gain an immediate understanding of the local agricultural landscape and produce seasons.
Cultural Synthesis: The ability to marry traditional techniques with global influences defines modern menus. It’s about seeing the potential in a local ingredient and applying a technique learned in a completely different cultural context.
Local markets serve as the primary classroom for understanding regional agriculture. (Credit: Maria Orlova via Pexels)
The Value of the Academic Detour
Is it worth spending four years studying a language if you want to be a chef? From a cost-benefit perspective, the answer is yes. The investment is the time spent learning how to navigate unfamiliar systems. The ability to thrive in a foreign environment is a soft skill that pays dividends in any entrepreneurial career, especially one as volatile as the restaurant industry. If you are struggling to manage your professional growth, you might be chasing the wrong metrics instead of focusing on these foundational soft skills.
Debunking the Myth: The Reality of Modern British Cuisine
There is a persistent conception that British food is "bad." Having looked at the history of UK agriculture, dairy farming, and fishing, it’s clear this myth is outdated. Modern British cooking is a vibrant fusion. It takes the best of local, traditional ingredients and marries them with the diverse influences brought by immigrant communities. It is one of the most exciting food scenes in the world right now.
The Contrarian's Corner
Most people assume that to be a great chef, you must spend every waking hour in a kitchen from the age of 18. I disagree. The most well-rounded chefs I know are those who have lived outside of the industry. They bring a perspective on community, agriculture, and culture that someone who has only ever worked the line lacks. Your degree or your time abroad is not a distraction; it is your competitive edge.
The Decision Matrix
Are you trying to decide if you should pursue a non-culinary degree before entering the kitchen?
If you value long-term adaptability: Go for the degree. The soft skills of communication and independence are harder to teach than knife skills.
If you need immediate technical training: Look for culinary programs that offer international exchange components.
If you are already in the industry: Use your next vacation to "work" as a researcher. Visit local farms and markets rather than just tourist traps.
Documenting ingredients and techniques is essential for building a personal culinary library. (Credit: Roberto Hund via Pexels)
My Personal Toolkit
To stay organized and connected to the culinary world, I rely on these categories of tools:
Language Learning Apps: Essential for picking up the basics of a new region's dialect before you arrive.
Local Market Guides: I use digital maps to pin local farmers' markets and independent bakeries in every city I visit.
Journaling/Documentation: Whether it's a physical notebook or a digital app, documenting the ingredients you find is crucial for building your own "culinary library."
What Do You Think?
Caroline Schiff’s journey proves that the most unconventional paths often lead to the most rewarding careers. Do you believe that a formal education in a non-culinary field provides a better foundation for a chef than traditional culinary school? I will be replying to every comment in the next 24 hours.
Learning a language aids in managing international kitchen teams, communicating effectively with global suppliers, and understanding the cultural nuances of different food scenes.
A non-culinary degree provides soft skills like independence, adaptability, and a broader perspective on community and agriculture, which are often missing in those who only focus on technical kitchen training.
It refers to the psychological shift of moving from a structured US dorm environment to the independent flat-sharing culture of the UK, which builds resilience and self-sufficiency.
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Editorial Team • Question of the Day
"If you could spend one year living and cooking in any country to master its local ingredients, where would you go and why?"
