My Experience With Rouxbe Online Culinary School

Since graduating from Rouxbe in 2017, I have received multiple messages on Instagram asking me for my thoughts on the course. I've sent many email replies and figured I would just put it all here for anyone else who may be considering this online culinary course and wanting more info! With that being said, here is my honest review!

I decided to sign-up for Rouxbe after researching my options of how I could focus on my passion for cooking and expand my culinary knowledge, while remaining at my full-time job. I determined that Rouxbe would be the best option for me at that point in my life and I began in October 2016.

Rouxbe was a new type of learning experience for me. I always like to ask lots of questions and have someone show me something if I don't understand it, which wasn't always readily available with Rouxbe. There were a couple times, like when learning knife cuts, where I wish I had more hands-on guidance. I had to do some outside searches and watch some videos to fully grasp the concept of some cuts. But for the most part, the video lessons are pretty comprehensive. And the instructors offer constructive feedback on the photo assignments you submit.

I loved food and cooking before Rouxbe, but there were still so many things that I learned from the course. You learn how to make pasta from scratch which is so rewarding! And some of the recipes you make for assignments are really delicious and I still make them regularly; like chimichurri cauliflower steaks and coconut braised chickpeas. The nutrition lesson was one of my favorites. Followed by the raw lesson - it tested me to get outside of my comfort zone and I made some bomb raw lasagna! They also provide live events (videos you watch) which cover a variety of topics and are loaded with valuable content. And the best part is that they're always available to watch!

I also found that there is so much more value in this course than just learning how to cook and getting the certificate. In one of the links they suggest reading about gluten, I found an oriental medicine doctor in my area who was a certified gluten practitioner. I began seeing her for eczema and gut issues and she discovered I had leaky gut and helped me heal so much!  There is also a Facebook group that accompanies the course which is incredibly supportive and knowledgeable for coursework as well as career topics and beyond. I met other chefs through the group and have attended local meet-ups with them to discuss all things business, which has been a valuable bonus I didn't expect. 

The only downside for me was that my sister passed away 2 weeks after the course started. And then the holidays rolled around. Things were tough for me and it took a while to get my head above water, so I got a late start.  I also worked full time, which is very doable, but has to be managed well. Due to the late start and my job, I had to skip a lot of the extra assignments I would have normally loved to do. I also discovered I wouldn't be able to complete the course by the deadline, so I had to get a one-month extension, which was free and easy to do - they’re very understanding and accommodating! 

Lastly, I am happy with the ease of the online system and everything I learned. The system has since changed since I graduated and I find it much more intuitive now. I pay $4.99/month to keep access to all of the lessons, live events, and recipes so that I can reference them when needed.

Overall, I really enjoyed the course (here’s the one I took) and thought it was a good investment. They sometimes run specials and the price increases as it gets closer to the start date. Definitely keep an eye out for the deals to get the best price like I did! When I began the program in 2016 I paid $1,100.

Upon completion, I didn't feel I was ready to become a professional chef or make a career out of it, but that's totally personal to me. It’s now been 2 years since I graduated and I have slowly been working on making a career out of cooking. I do some weekly meal prep, I’ve catered small dinner parties, I’ve cooked for video shoots, I’ve assisted at food events, I've hosted my own events and workshops/demos, I've launched meal plans, and I teach virtual as well as in-person cooking classes! I’ve been dabbling in a little bit of everything to grow my confidence and see what I enjoy best and I definitely think Rouxbe was a good decision to get me started down this path, although there’s always more to learn! 

Hopefully, my honest review helps you decide your next step. Whether or not you decide to go with Rouxbe I wish you the most success on your journey! Feel free to comment below with any questions you have, I'm here for you =)

xo,

Melissa

p.s. They also offer a vegan dessert course if you're just looking to learn some sweets!

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