u/booklovejew

Hi everyone!

I have some exciting news: I was recently accepted into the Baking and Decorative Arts program at my local community college!

While I’m thrilled to start professional training, there’s a catch—it’s a traditional program, not a vegan one. There aren't any vegan-specific programs in my area, and moving isn't an option for me right now. I’m committed to my vegan lifestyle, but I want to gain the technical mastery that a formal program provides.

I’d love to get some input from this community:

• Skill Transfer: For those who have gone through traditional culinary/pastry training, how much of the "decorative arts" (sugar work, chocolate tempering, piping) and "science" (gluten development, hydration) translates directly to vegan baking?
• The "Tasting" Dilemma: How did you handle the tasting requirements in a non-vegan setting? Did your instructors allow you to create vegan versions of assignments?
• Replacements: Are there specific techniques (like laminating dough or making choux) where you found the traditional training was actually helpful for understanding how to troubleshoot vegan alternatives?

I’m looking forward to learning the "rules" so I can eventually break them (the vegan way!). Any thoughts, encouragement, or warnings are welcome.

Thanks!