Culinary shows like “Top Chef” and “Hell’s Kitchen” are all the rage. Tainted peanuts have us worried about what we eat and how to make it better. Books such as “The Omnivore's Dilemma” and “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics” are bestsellers. And even first lady Michelle Obama is getting in on the act, planting a vegetable garden at the White House.
Not surprisingly, more and more laid-off workers, those switching careers and young people just starting out are contemplating jobs in the food industry.
“Food is the second-largest employer after the federal government,” says Irena Chalmers, author of “Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers.” Restaurants alone are expected to add 1.8 million jobs in the next 10 years [in the US].
