I was listening to NPR the other day, when I heard a story about how many white-collar professionals are swapping their power suits for aprons. The folks behind Sprinkles Cupcakes did it, and they're not the only ones. In fact, the California School of Culinary Arts just added their first evening and weekend patisserie program. Rebecca Mars of CSCA, said:
"They're now wanting to pursue maybe a passion they've always had... Now they've seen some success with other businesses like Sprinkles, and they've seen that they're successful and think they could probably be as well."
Why folks are doing this, no one's really sure. Maybe it's because everyone is currently "self-medicating" with sweets, and people want in on the trend before it's over. No matter what the cause, I think it's fantastic. Although it does make me wonder just how many cupcake shops one town needs...
How about you, would you quit your job and go to pastry school?
Aftershock
Rebecca
Jon Richard
I would love too. I think I would be great at it. Baking is so calming (and yummy).
1It's something I had previously considered. I love my job now, but I still love baking and sweets too.
2I am!!
3I always tell people my backup career is to be a baker, even though I'm still just a student now. Baking and sharing baked goods with everyone really makes me happy.
4My mom and I would love to. She'd be perfect!
5I wouldn't mind taking some classes but I wouldn't make a career out of it.
6If this is your passion, why not? I would if I can afford to.
7I absolutely would! I've been thinking about it more and more... In fact, I'm kind of thinking about trying to enroll for next fall.
8If it were my passion I would.
9I totally would, then I would move to Baltimore so I could work at Ace of Cakes...I heart Duff!
10I graduated 8 years ago with a computer science degree, and have had programming jobs ever since.
Oct. 1 was my first day at culinary school, and I couldn't be happier. I opted for culinary over pastry, but I'm especially looking forward to the pastry fundamentals class I get to take in my program.
11Sure, why not!
Do what you're passionate about!
12I always dream about quitting my desk job and buying a local restuarant that is for sale. They have the greatest food and that local "Cheers" comfortable atmosphere. The owner told me that he didn't know how to cook when he bought the place. He hired a cook and he used to watch him, then one day that cook never showed up so the owner had to jump in the kitchen and figure it out for himself. Now, he has some of the tastiest sauces I have ever had. I keep trying to duplicate his dishes at home, but it's never the same. Maybe one day I'll get up the courage to change my life.
13I always joke that it's my backup carreer. I'm going to grad school soon, but if that doesn't work out, it's baking for me!
14Seriously, I have had that thought...then I realized I just liked the movie stranger than fiction.
15YES I WOULD. I LOVE BAKING.
16I would love to. I would like something to back me up - like a little lottery winnings or something
17Not me! I know the guy who runs this amazing bakery in DC (Warren Love of Cake Love) used to be a lawyer.
18Absolutely!!
19I would quit my job for ANY school. Except if it meant getting an MBA... I just don't think I'm cut out for the business world
20I would love to, but I'm artistically retarded and anything I bake and ice ends up looking like a 4 year old made it.
It's just not my talent.
21If I could afford to... I would do it in a heartbeat!
22I love to eat cupcakes and other yummy treats but I would rather someone else make them for me!
23I've been toying with the idea for over a year now. Working for an electric company for 6 years I would love to quit and move out west and go to culinary school. I love to bake!
24No way!! Do you know what time bakers wake up in the morning?! I love to bake but I also LOVE my job.
25I'm afraid I don't have the natural talent and I must agree with partysugar...I won't get up at 3 in the morning for anything. I don't minding sitting nice and close to two great bakers though
26Oh I would quit my job in a second!!!!
27This is honestly something that I think about on a daily basis. I love you girls and all, but I wish I could get my butt off this computer, out of this office, and do something I really enjoy professionally, which is bake and decorate cakes. Sadly, I'm buried beneath a 30 year mortgage that has one year paid off of it so I feel I will never be able to quit my job!
Maybe when I win the lottery 
I would love if my local culinary schools would offer night and/or weekend classes. The closest one is 45 minutes away, but I would totally do that commute.
28If someone paid for it YEAH!~
29I had never considered it...until this moment! Maybe one of these days, it would be fun to have a cupcake bakery or something similar. Yum!
30If I don't get in to veterinary school... I just might!
31If I could be sure a career would come out of it, definitely!
32I think about doing this DAILY. I don't even have a job yet--I'm still in grad school. But, I've read a few articles on how lots of culinary school grads are having a really hard time paying back their loans. That was enough to scare me straight. I guess cooking will have to stay a hobby for now.
33I fear a) not being able to find a job and b) finding a job but being paid crap. So that's why I don't do it. I'd love to, though.
34i am seriously considering doing just that. i'm starting with a baking course that begins in a few weeks. just a non-credit short course. but it is a start for me. it is a way for me to start exploring this world and see if it is for me. i have always loved to bake. i really want to start doing something i love to do. not just sitting here behind this desk.
35I've always wanted to do it.
36I have seriously been considering this. I love baking and HATE HATE HATE my office job, and three of my boyfriend's sisters are professional bakers so they would be great support.
37After seeing Stranger than Fiction, I've wanted to take classes and open up my own bakery. I LOVE baking
38Maybe there is hope for me. Baking is all I want to do with my life!
39Some things you love too much to do them "professionally." It would take the joy away for me, I think, and equate it with stress instead.
40It's basically all that I think about.
41My boyfriend and I joke about this all the time! We're both in grad school, so we haven't even started our careers, but we'd give up practicing law and physical therapy in a heartbeat to become bakers or chefs
42my mom did it last year and is about to finish in a few months. she took a bunch of wilton classes and now she is doing her associates degree. she has always been really good at baking and now she is learning so much more from master pastry chefs in an intensive setting. plus, i get to reap the rewards when she smuggles some of the goodies home
43my sister and i really want to ..... i'm in pr and she's still a student so it's really a matter of saving up and being able to fund this adventure
44It's definitely a "dream" of mine. I have a career in the business world and although I love it, I can't see myself doing it forever.
BUT, the reality of being a baker is not what I day dream about (i.e. leisurely baking cute cupcakes and lovingly decorating them). More like ridiculously early starts and battling with industrial ovens!
45haha... this is my day job, and I love it. Could never sit behind a desk all day.
46My sisters and I want to open up a bakery and sweets shoppe some day!
47I actually have one foot in the office and the other in the kitchen. My very first job was as a breakfast cook in a cafe and I've had my eye on some kind of cooking gig ever since. As a cook, I've done catering, baking, food service and cooking for meals on wheels programs. In my office life, I've been an executive assistant, account manager and computer systems instructor. Right now I only do a few small cooking gigs a year and I volunteer cook.
If given the chance, I think I would prefer to work in the kitchen full time, but I've gotten spoiled by my benefits, time off, "normal" working hours and higher pay that being a corporate desk jockey has afforded me.
48I would LOVE to say yes!! And truth is I harbour a not-so-secret desire to open-up my own bakery/dessert/cafe place. I think I could do a fantabulous job! Nothing calms me like baking - and I'm really good at it too.
Unfortunately, my student loans (used to finance law school) have to be paid off first. That and I think I owe it to myself, and my parents, to make sure I get some mileage out of my ridonculously expensive and well-traveled education!!!
Having said that - once I've paid my dues I may just jump ship and open up a place. I dream of being like the Cake Love guy. People like him are my heroes.
Go figure..........other people dream about going to law school and becoming a lawyer, and I dream about baking cupcakes all day! lol :oP
Karen
http://tobethewholepackage.blogspot.com
49I wish I could make a living (and have a life, and hopefully not a tripled waistlineXD) out of pastries and baking. If it were an option, I'd take it in a hot minute. Cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, frozen YOGURT, whatever-- let me be creative and watch me go!
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