I brought in a graduated student from SCI. I knew he'd be green but he didn't know anything at all, not even the proper way to clean a grill. I was talking with fellow restaurant owners and they all have similar tales. One said his employee didn't know the diffeernce between a cucumber and a zuchinni.

I had to put my "star student" washing dishes which were coming out of the sink greasy.

As a restaurant owner save yourself money. If you are going to spend $45k on school, do this instead and you will be a better cook and money ahead: Go to any restaurant, bistro whatever. Offer to work for free in the kitchen. There isn't a owner out there that wouldn't take free labor. You will learn how a kitchen really operates. You will start by washing dishes. You can't get around it. My new employee spent $45k to wash dishes. You don't have to.

Take a few business courses at your local community college to help run the other side of it which why many restaurants fail -no business sense. I know that the community college here just starting offering cooking classes, too. Take one or two to learn different techniques and regional cooking styles. Some restaurants do cooking classes too which are a blast. You can learn to make homemade pasta, sushi, whatever. Its a different environment when you are learning from an actual cook who feeds people not teaches.

Cook at home. experiment. Treat cooking like a science experiment and try multiple techniques at one time to see which you like better. Host dinners at your house to practice cooking for more than one person, and more than one item.

Track your costs so you know what you spend per meal. IF you want to know where your money is going, look in the trash.

Whatever you do, DO NOT SPEND MONEY ON COOKING SCHOOL. Especially Scottsdale Culinary Institute.