A culinary school is a great place to learn the ins and outs of food, but not all schools are created equal. Some focus on teaching students how to be exceptional chefs while others teach more general skills that aren’t as useful in professional kitchens. Here are some of my favorite culinary schools, ranked from best to worst!
The Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is a private, not-for-profit college that offers associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees in culinary arts. The school was founded in 1946 by James Beard and Albert Kumin. It’s located in Hyde Park, New York; the campus covers over 100 acres of land with several buildings that house classrooms, dormitories and apartments.
The CIA offers a variety of programs related to cooking:
- Bachelor’s degree programs include Culinary Arts (including Baking & Pastry), Food Service Management and Restaurant Management; these can be completed on campus or online via distance learning.
- Associate degree programs include Culinary Arts; this can also be completed online through distance learning options such as On Campus Online or Online Evening Program (OEP).
- Teacher training programs are available at both the bachelor level (BA) or associate level (AA); these require that students already have some experience working within the industry before applying so they know what they’re getting into when starting out with their education requirements here!
Johnson and Wales University-Charlotte Campus
Johnson and Wales University-Charlotte Campus is a private university located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school offers a variety of programs including culinary arts, restaurant management and hospitality management.
The culinary arts program at JWUCC prepares students for careers as chefs or pastry chefs by providing them with hands-on experience through internships as well as courses like “Culinary Arts Lab” which includes topics such as knife skills and food preparation techniques. Students also take classes like “Professional Development” where they learn how to manage their time efficiently while still maintaining high standards for quality workmanship when it comes down to preparing food items like soups or sauces that require long periods of simmering over low heat sources before being served up hot off the stovetop so that everyone else can enjoy them too!
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-San Francisco School
If you’re looking for a culinary school that gives you the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and work with top-notch tools, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-San Francisco School should be your first choice. Located in San Francisco, California and founded in 1973 by Chef Paul Haeberlin, this institution has earned a reputation as one of America’s best culinary schools thanks to its cutting-edge curriculum and dedicated faculty members who are passionate about teaching students how to cook like professionals.
Le Cordon Bleu offers three programs: Baking & Pastry Arts; Culinary Arts; Wine Business & Management (WBM). Each program focuses on different aspects of food preparation but all share some core principles that make them stand out from other institutions:
- Students learn through hands-on experience rather than lectures alone–which means more time spent cooking instead of listening! * All courses are taught by instructors with extensive industry experience–many have worked at Michelin star restaurants around the world! This ensures that every student receives expert instruction based on real world experiences rather than theory alone.”
L’Academie de Cuisine
- L’Academie de Cuisine
- Location: San Francisco
- Price: $15,000+ per year (tuition only)
- Reputation: Good
- Pros: Well-known and respected culinary school located in one of the most beautiful cities in America. The faculty is comprised of some of the best chefs in the country, who have worked at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. Students have access to top-notch facilities including professional kitchens, classrooms, an extensive library and more than 100 acres of organic gardens where they can learn about growing produce for their menus.
The French Pastry School at International Culinary Center
The French Pastry School at International Culinary Center is located in New York City, and offers both a full-time program and a part-time program. The school’s certificate in pastry arts is designed to provide students with the skills needed to become professional pastry chefs. Students who complete this twelve-month course will receive training in all aspects of baking, including cake decorating, bread making, chocolate production and more. The school also offers a certificate in patisserie and chocolatiering which emphasizes advanced skills such as sugar sculpture for wedding cakes or sculpting chocolate figures for specialty desserts.
New England Culinary Institute
New England Culinary Institute (NECI) is a private, for-profit school located in Vermont. It offers programs in culinary arts and baking & pastry as well as an associate degree in culinary arts.
NECI has been around since 1979, so it has a long history of helping people succeed in their careers. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which means that its curriculum has been reviewed by an independent agency to ensure that it meets high standards–and that’s great news for any aspiring chef!
Institute of Culinary Education, New York City and Dallas
The Institute of Culinary Education is one of the best culinary schools in the world. It offers a variety of programs, including bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees, as well as specialties like baking and pastry arts, culinary arts and management, or hotel management.
The school has campuses in New York City and Dallas that allow students access to kitchens with state-of-the-art equipment–a huge plus when you’re learning how to cook! The school also offers hands-on training through its internship program so you can gain real experience while still in school (and get paid!).
Cooks & Soldiers, Boston, Massachusetts.
Cooks & Soldiers is a culinary school located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school offers programs that range from a six-month certificate to an associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree.
Students at Cooks & Soldiers are taught by experienced chefs who have worked at some of the best restaurants in New England, including Al Forno and Clio. They also have access to state-of-the-art equipment like commercial kitchens with refrigeration systems and freezers, as well as equipment such as mixers, food processors and convection ovens for baking breads or pastries.
The curriculum includes classes like Knife Skills 101; Fundamentals Of Cooking; Introduction To Pastry Arts; Culinary Fundamentals (which focuses on knife skills); Bread Baking & Pastry Making (this class teaches students how different types of flours behave when cooked); Chocolate Making 101 (this course teaches students how to make chocolate bars from scratch); Cake Decorating Basics (for those who want more than just frosting). Students can choose between two tracks: Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management or Culinary Arts & Restaurant Management.The cost per semester at Cooks & Soldiers depends on whether you’re enrolled full-time or part-time.Scholarships are available through both the school itself as well as external organizations such as Susan G Komen Foundation Scholarship Program which provides funding specifically targeted toward women entering careers related healthcare fields.”
The best culinary schools are ones that focus on teaching professional skills to students.
The best culinary schools are ones that focus on teaching professional skills to students. The quality of the school’s faculty, facilities and alumni network can help you decide if it’s the right fit for you.
The best culinary schools will have a well-rounded curriculum with courses in accounting and business management, as well as techniques such as knife skills, baking and pastry making. If a school doesn’t offer these courses then it may not be able to prepare its graduates for careers in professional kitchens or restaurants.
The best culinary schools are ones that focus on teaching professional skills to students, and they may have different focuses. Some schools focus on French cooking while others teach global cuisine. The Culinary Institute of America, for example, teaches students how to prepare traditional European dishes while L’Academie de Cuisine teaches modern French cooking techniques like molecular gastronomy and molecular mixology (or cocktail making).
