I got my culinary arts degree when I was 17 years old and there are things that I learned in that course that I would have never learned by staying home.

I was going to pursue my computer programming degree at that time - but a friend of mine was taking the course and told me they were only studying theory and programming using punch cards. He told me to wait ten years so I did and in the meantime I pursed my other passion - culinary arts.

I did learn a lot from the cooks when I was working as a waitress at 15 - 17 years old, but I exceeded their abilities after taking the culinary arts course and got better jobs.

You must have been lucky to have had a person take you under his/her wings and take the time to teach you what most of us have to pay others to teach us.

I love going to school and it's not because I have lots of cash but because I am curious and just happened to have the time and support from my family.
 

I went to school, but I am an idiot. I learned basic cuts and terms, but like the NZA refers, you will learn from a chef or kitchen.

When your learning slows or stops, then move on.

I still learn everyday, that's one of the beauty's of this profession, the exchange of skills, information, philosophy, techniques and flavors; from new blood in the kitchen.

I had been working and hanging out in many of the finer kitchens in the city where I work, when my learning slowed and I found out that I was nurturing my coworkers more often, then I started pursuing chef/sous chef roles, but I still apprentice in many kitchens, sometimes I work a station, sometimes I peel nothing but peas.
 

I managed our family restaurant - Liliget Feast House - for 12 years and there were chefs with formal training and chefs without formal training. They are all talented.

Every kitchen that I worked in I found that they had different ways of preparing dishes or they have totally different menus. So the training doesn't stop after culinary school, everytime you get a new cook/chef/sou chef job you are advancing in your knowledge. I learned a lot from the great chefs that I worked with.

Thank you all for your great comments.