本研究旨在藉由梳理臺灣餐飲正規教育和證照制度，以歸納出現今臺灣餐飲教育的現況。同時，藉著訪談2012至2015年間由高雄餐旅大學西餐廚藝系的畢業生，以及自行前往法國廚藝學校學習的學生，了解其學習經驗和職涯發展，進而分析臺灣西式料理人才訓練的發展趨勢，尤其是在海外學習和進修的狀況。其中，在臺灣已接受過餐飲教育的出國進修者，與未接受相關教育而直接前往國外廚藝學校的學習者，有著不同的因素驅使他們到海外學習。研究結果顯示，從事西式精緻餐飲（fine dining）的廚師，為了要提升自身的市場競爭力和深入探究料理的來源，故較其他廚師更具有前往國外進修的動力。另一方面，過去並無餐飲相關經驗的國外廚藝學校就讀者，多半將就讀廚藝學校作為踏入餐飲業職涯的契機。隨著前往國外學習和進修廚師人數的增加，也意味著臺灣西式料理廚師在自我職涯發展上的轉變。

This study analyses the history of culinary arts education and the system for acquiring occupational certification in Taiwan, with the aim of better understanding the current situation. From 2012 to 2015, the author interviewed the graduates of the Department of Western Culinary Arts of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, and the students who studied in French culinary schools in order to collect information about their study experiences and career development. Based on the information collected, the author found that the interviews pointed out a clearer trend of human resource development in Western cuisine, especially the training process of students who studied overseas. In this study, the author found that the cooks or chefs who had finished basic training in Taiwan and those who did not finish basic training but went directly to foreign culinary schools had different motivations for studying overseas. The cooks or chefs working in Western fine dining had stronger motivations to study or work in other countries because they wanted to improve their skills, and knew more about the origins of cuisine. Most students of foreign culinary schools didn't have any experience in catering, but studying there would give them an opportunity to enter the industry. As the number of people who study abroad increases, the study found the change of career development of chefs and cooks in the field of Western cuisine in Taiwan via the analysis of the collected interviews.