Culinary vs. Baking --- the icky blue line.

I asked a fellow baking student about the separation - the unspoken divide, that exists between baking students and culinary students.

Thin Blue Line by Derbeth

This was his response :

"It has always been there. No one has even tried to end the separation. When I first started, I started sitting over at the culinary table -- to visit with the former chef, he sat alone and I'd offer to sit with him. Everyone WOULD FREAK OUT if I mentioned going there...they told me: See that blue line the tile on the floor creates --- this is a line no-one will cross. IT is looked down upon."

I told him: "I had already committed that "taboo", no wonder I get looks". He laughed uneasily.

Another student , this time from culinary - had this to say:

"Bakers bake, cooks cook. Nothing more to that. We leave each other well enough alone, the only exception - lunch, or when we are hungry for some pastry."

Another culinary student - More brazen, actually came up to us (on our baking "turf"), though it was only the 3 of us, due to an earlier lunch because of the station we were in, he still came up to us and said this :

"I am trying to bridge the gap between baking and culinary. I am trying to make conversation with everyone."

Unfortunately he never attempted this ballsy move with the larger baking crew. He hasn't attempted this since.

It really is quite bizarre. And the main thing is everyone carries on this behavior as if we are rival fraternities. The right of passage for either is one's ability to ignore the other or avert your eyes . Doing this allows you full privileges inside the esteemed circle.

This is truly not what I was hoping to find. We are not part of some large & evil plot in a movie, we are just students learning.

And the funny thing is I have been on both sides. So far my previous culinary classes were so great. I loved the friends I made and all the memories. We had a blast.

So I imagined I would share this again. But it is awkward to try joining in on this bizarre discrimination. The problem is I have already made my stand. And people fear change.