Most states regulate massage therapists and require proper certification, which is most easily obtained by completing a massage therapy instructional course or program. I knew someone who went to the Massage Institute of Maryland, and she's doing quite well for herself financially. While it is possible to become a talented/well-known chef without any formal training or schooling, it certainly eases the process, and for massage therapy some sort of education or training is almost certainly a necessity. Granted, these aren't good education programs if one wants to be a stem cell researcher, but they're a pretty good option if one wants to be, say, a massage therapist.