Culinary arts education: Unpacking and disrupting its master-apprentice pedagogy

This article examines pedagogical practices in Western orientated culinary arts education, specifically focusing on the traditional master-apprentice model. Leveraging the author’s experiences with resistance to pedagogic change, the study employs Bourdieu’s Field Theory to unravel entrenched pedagogic beliefs, norms, and practices in the culinary arts. The discussion centers on exploring historical social agents and their impact on culinary education, elucidating how they shape pedagogic beliefs, norms, and the logic of the field. Through Bourdieu’s lens, the article emphasises the interconnectedness of culinary education within broader socio-cultural forces, revealing the intricate weaving of social positioning and knowledge acquisition within the field. This provides insights into the emergence of resistance to pedagogic change. The findings contribute to ongoing critical discussions pertaining to contemporary culinary education. The discussion underscores the importance of understanding socio-cultural dynamics shaping culinary education and advocates for strategies to support culinary educators amid pedagogic change. In a post-pandemic world, this discussion becomes a vital resource for comprehending and addressing opportunities and challenges in vocational education. It strives to ensure a responsive and adaptive pedagogic approach for future culinary arts learners.