What about cooking schools/ apprenticeships? How long ago might those schools or apprenticeships have started? There seems to be no history of cook/chef training on the internet. A search for the "history of italian cooking schools" brought 0 results in under 1 second.
There is some interesting history: I found a note that Catherine De Medici arrived in France from Florence with a retinue of master chefs. “Catherine and her court crossed the Alps, bringing with them her cooks, products, and the recipes that she was used to in Italy. Their gastronomic culture would strongly influence French cuisine.” That was in 1533 and she is credited with the development of the French Cuisine. She is credited with revolutionizing the dining experience and practices of the French. Included in her court that she brought with her were waiters. Her greatest contribution to the table - the use of utensils and the fork.
And one star on the horizon appears: The French established the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris in 1896. Cooking schools of other countries don't seem to be covered. Lots of current day articles for where to take Italian cooking classes.
"Le Cordon Bleu means 'blue ribbon' and has been used in relation to culinary excellence since the 16th century. In 1578, King Henry III formed a special order of knights called l'Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint Esprit. The symbol of this prestigious order was a cross hung on a blue ribbon, or cordon bleu, and the order was associated with extravagant banquets and feasts."
And then documenting things really gets underway in the 20th century: the history of American cooking schools starts with the American Culinary Federation being founded in 1929, and Culinary Institutes following thereafter. Of course, it is Julia Child with her French Chef television show starting in 1963 that captivated America's attention and launched a thousand cooking school ships.
Our picture was taken at the Pearl Morissette restaurant in Jordan. It got me thinking about chef training.
