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When Tiffany Moore graduated from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts’ online program, she didn’t expect to become a go-to resource for aspiring culinary students. But that’s exactly what happened through the Alumni Association community.
“In the Alumni Association, people tag me all the time with questions like, ‘How was school?’ ‘How did you do this particular thing in class?'” Moore says. “So I’m able to give knowledge as an alumni to current students and those who may want to sign up as well.”
Stories like Tiffany’s show how enrolling at Escoffier can help you even after graduation. A thriving community of people actively support each other throughout their careers. This engaged community is exactly why Kay Larson, Escoffier Alumni Relations Manager, is passionate about what the Alumni Association offers. Keep reading to discover how this trusted network can become one of your most valuable career assets—during school and for years to come.
What Does the Escoffier Alumni Association Offer?
Escoffier’s Alumni Association is an online community for alumni as well as students preparing for a hands-on industry externship. Alumni can share resources with one another and celebrate their career wins with industry professionals who understand. Members in the community—of which there are nearly 11,000—can ask job-related questions, access educational resources, connect with mentors, and stay up-to-date on industry news.
Escoffier alumni and current students can access the Alumni Association.
“We want our graduates to see the continued value of their education,” Larson says. “And we want them to stay connected with the school. That’s the ultimate goal. We want you to see your value, and we want you to stay connected with us.”
Along with fostering deep-seated relationships, Larson mentions that the alumni network also offers several additional features for members.
Escoffier Alumni Association Tenets
- Connect: Find and reminisce with fellow graduates, see what they have been up to, and stay in touch.
- Give back: Introduce, employ, and offer to act as a mentor to our graduating students.
- Expand: Leverage your professional network to get introduced to people you should know.
Access to Exclusive Directories
Members have access to an online directory of alumni and culinary professionals. There is also a “business directory” so alumni can help support each other’s businesses and spotlight employer partners.
Through the Alumni Association, chefs can also access the EConnect job board, which includes nearly 17,000 active accounts, including students and alumni in diverse sectors nationwide; EConnect is filled with jobs with Escoffier employer partners and also has career exploration tools integrated into it. Alumni can also work with Gecko Hospitality when they are ready to take the next step and expand their careers. Gecko can help alumni get connected with employers in the culinary and hospitality industry.
Partner employers are committed to professional development. Some offer tuition assistance, mentorship opportunities, and placement for externships. The Work & Learn scholarship program is particularly valuable for long-term career planning. The program allows Escoffier alumni to earn additional degrees or diplomas while working for approved partners. This opportunity can help support educational advancement while allowing alumni to keep working.
Alumni can access exclusive networking opportunities and employer partnerships through digital platforms.
Leverage Library of Resources
Escoffier provides graduates with access to the Career Center, where they can receive ongoing resume and portfolio assistance in their chosen culinary specialization. Career Services can help customize these documents for each new culinary opportunity you face.
Support from the Career Center can also include interview preparation tools and practice sessions. The planning resources can also help chefs identify their career goals and explore different career options.
The Alumni Association has a library of resources that includes documents, links, and videos stored in category folders that can make it easy to find what you’re looking for.
Accelerate Your Job or Externship Search
The “job search group” allows students to explore different job segments, including:
- Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry
- Food Entrepreneurship
- Plant-Based
- Holistic Nutrition & Wellness
- Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management
This job search support is especially helpful because it can connect alumni to opportunities in the EConnect portal. And with access to the portal, you can return to these resources and job searches throughout your career.
Soon-to-be Escoffier grads can join an externship group within the Alumni Association in addition to the dedicated assistance provided by the Career Services team.
Match with Industry Mentors
Larson believes the mentorship programs are irreplaceable. Not only does this component of the association benefit more “green” culinarians who are just starting a career, but also seasoned industry professionals who are looking to give back.
Larson herself directly contributed to enhancing the association’s exclusive mentoring program through a key relationship she’s nurtured since joining Escoffier’s mission.
“My proudest accomplishment would probably be the relationship that we have with the GLEAM network, a non-profit organization,” Larson says. “We provide the mentees and they provide high-level career mentors.”
The platform can suggest mentor matches based on your profile information. That means you can be matched with a mentor based on your location, career goals, and areas of interest. You can also browse potential mentors by company, job type, and industry sector. These options can help ensure that you connect with someone who understands your career path and its unique challenges.
To be matched with a mentor, members sign into the Alumni Association platform and select “I am looking for a mentor” from the user profile. Then, the algorithm suggests matches based on the profile.
Members can also search potential mentors by the following:
- Location
- Job Function
- Company
- Industry
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
Elevate Your Personal Career Goals Through Collaboration
Larson says that she’s seen a number of success stories from the Alumni Association.
“We had a more senior student who would facilitate dinner once a week for (a) group of vets. He went to culinary school, but this initiative was a lot for him. He was tackling complex menus,” she says. “He just needed someone to help him plan. So we were able to partner him with another veteran, an Escoffier grad, who actually had experience cooking in an assisted living community.”
Collaboration is a valuable part of a mentor-mentee relationship!
That mentor knew a lot about nutritional portion sizes for that particular group, bringing prior experience that allowed the two to work together on a menu that the mentee could easily facilitate on his own. The collaboration was impactful for both the mentor and mentee. The mentor had such a good experience, Larson said, that he’s guided several other members in the group since then.
This network support can be especially helpful during career transitions. Roslyn Ballard was an experienced caterer who wanted to pursue a dream of opening a restaurant. Ballard found the guidance she needed through the Alumni Association.
“Escoffier was my delicious piece of cake. And then being part of the GLEAM mentorship program was like the cherry and the whipped cream on top. It just made it even better,” she says. Ballard’s mentor helped her develop a business plan and identify the key steps to make her restaurant a reality.
This kind of formal collaboration is just one way alumni help each other out. The community also creates more natural, everyday support that happens as people get to know each other and build relationships over time.
Alumni have hosted workshops for current students, sponsored externship opportunities, and hired recent graduates. It’s a system where you can both get help and give it back as your career grows. The business directory makes it straightforward to find alumni-owned businesses and connect with hiring managers for jobs you won’t see posted anywhere else.
Find a Sense of Belonging at Escoffier Alumni Association
Joining a new career industry can feel isolating. However, when you enroll at Escoffier, you can gain access to a community of members who understand your journey and are invested in helping you along the way. The network creates support through the Career Center, employer partnerships, mentorship programs, and peer connections. These benefits extend far beyond graduation, throughout your entire career.
“When you’re in school, you’re in the thick of it—you have your homework, you have your live sessions, your discussion boards, and it’s easy to keep your head down and keep going. And then when you look up, it can be kind of lonely. You might not have that tight-knit community outside of the classroom,” Larson says. “But by joining the Alumni Association, you never lose that. You get to continue those relationships in the culinary industry, which is huge.”
Ready to become part of this thriving professional network? Contact us to find out more about how Escoffier’s programs can help you build a career and connections. To join the Escoffier Alumni Association after graduation, simply head over to the platform, create an account, and start connecting with thousands of professionals who are excited to support your success.
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This article was originally published on July 26, 2023, and has since been updated.
