Formal chef education has the student in the kitchen with the instructors - and I suspect often the book is ignored until the basic principles and methods are known (at which point the book doesn’t need to detail them).
The most basic formal chef education in Norway is two years mostly of theory (yes, books) and then two years working in a kitchen. If you have ambitions you are now barely above the busboy on the pecking order.
You can get the same accreditation if you are able to document 5 years of relevant experience and are able to pass the written exams.
