bet 10 culinary schools

Top Ten Culinary Schools

As all people know a culinary school is a place that you can go to learn how to be a professional pastry chef as well as develop the skills that will allow you to start your own business within the culinary industry. One oif the greatest things about being in the field of the culinary arts is the fact that it will never really decline. Everyone has to eat, and going out to eat and experiencing the foods that other people create is a luxury that millions of people around the world love to participate in. Even if the economy is a little sour there are still people who will want to splurge and go out to a nice dinner. You will never lack for opportunities within this field.

The actual act of cooking really great food that people will love and keep coming back for more requires a good deal of innovation, natural talent, and for many things some quality education and training. It is for those specialty areas that you might need to take advantage of the programs that are provided in a culinary school.

Some of the advantages that can be had from going to some of the best culinary schools include access to the very best instructors, top notch facilities, help with job placement, credentials upon completion of the program, and a lot of practical kitchen experience. If you want your career in the culinary arts to get started on the right foot and you wish to be recognized by the major high class establishments, then going to one of the best culinary schools is sure to be the best decision you can make. Below is a list of the 10 best culinary schools in America as voted by a panel of 150 restaurant owners, food critics, and journalists.

1. The Culinary Institute of America

# The Culinary Institute of America is one of the world’s largest institutions. The CIA offers degrees in Culinary Arts Management, Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts Management, and Baking and Pastry Arts. Branches of the institute are located in New York City, Napa Valley and San Antonio.

“It’s the best culinary school in the world.”
Paul Bocuse, world-renowned French chef

“That’s The Culinary Institute of America
At our campus in Hyde Park, New York, we don’t just have master chefs; we have the most Certified Master Chefs of any culinary college on our outstanding faculty. We don’t just have alumni; we have a network of more than 40,000 graduates, many of them leaders in the food industry. We don’t just offer hands-on experience; students spend over 1,300 hours in the kitchen or bakeshop, more than at almost any other culinary school.” (As taken from the http://www.ciachef.edu)

The Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(845) 452-9600
www.ciachef.edu

2. The French Culinary Institute of New York City

# The French Culinary Institute of New York City features an intense, hands-on curriculum called “Total Immersion,” which allows students to graduate fully trained in six to nine months. World-famous chefs, such as Jacques Pepin, serve as deans.

“The FCI is a culinary school dedicated to higher learning in the culinary arts with a world-class faculty, a devotion to the highest standards of excellence, and an unwavering commitment to our students.” http://www.frenchculinary.com

The French Culinary Institute
462 Broadway
New York, NY 10013-2618
(888) FCI-CHEF
www.frenchculinary.com

3. Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute

# A branch of the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu, Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute offers programs for those seeking a career as a chef as well as those who enjoy cooking as a hobby. OCAI specializes in international cuisine.
“Founded in a long tradition of excellence, Le Cordon Bleu’s reputation has endured by actively keeping our courses up to date and industry relevant by constantly adapting to the current and future needs of culinary, tourism and hospitality services.” http://www.cordonbleu.edu

Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa
453 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6R4, Canada
+1 (613) 236-CHEF(2433)
www.cordonbleu.edu

4. Johnson & Wales University

# Johnson & Wales University offers associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in several different areas of the culinary arts as well as hospitality management. JWU has campuses in Providence, North Miami, Denver and Charlotte.

This is pretty cool and something that I have not had much luck in finding and that is a new offering for an online program.

“New Students

Be a part of JWU’s first ever fully online bachelor’s degree programs. If you’ve earned an associate degree in Culinary Arts or Baking & Pastry Arts, and wish to obtain your bachelor’s degree, these online programs can help you jump start your career.” http://www.jwu.edu/content.aspx?id=48477

Johnson & Wales University
8 Abbott Park Place
Providence, RI 02903
(800) DIAL-JWU
www.jwu.edu

5.New England Culinary Institute

# New England Culinary Institute prides itself on its small classes and personal attention, with a student-teacher ratio of 10:1. Located in Montpelier, Vt., NECI started more than 30 years ago with just just students; it now is one of the top-ranked schools in the nation.

“NECI is one of the most highly regarded culinary arts schools in America. For over 29 years, New England Culinary Institute has created a niche all its own – small classes, personal attention and our celebrated restaurants. Because of our student to teacher ratio of 10:1, employers know that NECI graduates can “hit the ground running.” Our programs provide the training and real life experience necessary to thrive in the fast-paced food and beverage industry. http://www.neci.edu

New England Culinary Institute
56 College St.
Montpelier, VT 05602
(877) 223-NECI
www.neci.edu

6. California Culinary Academy

# Also affiliated with Le Cordon Bleu, the California Culinary Academy was established in 1977 in San Francisco. CCA was one of the first culinary arts schools to be established in the western part of the United States.

“At California Culinary Academy, you’ll train with professional chef instructors, managers, and other culinary professionals. You’ll use industry-current equipment and techniques, and get an industry-relevant, hands-on education designed to help you prepare for a professional career.” http://www.chefs.edu/san-francisco

California Culinary Institute
350 Rhode Island St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(888) 858-5222
www.chefs.edu/san-francisco

7. L’Academie de Cuisine

# L’Academie de Cuisine features two schools–one for students pursuing a professional culinary degree and one for recreational students who simply enjoy cooking and want to improve their skills. Located in Maryland, L’Academie prides itself on its experienced staff of chefs and pastry cooks.

“The Pros

The professional school consists of two professional training programs: culinary and pastry. Both the Culinary Arts Program and the Pastry Arts Program are one year programs that provide students with a comprehensive educational background in the theory, skills, and techniques of cooking. Intense, small-size classroom training coupled with an invaluable externship experience at a fine-dining restaurant allow our students to graduate with the knowledge and skills to confidently enter the professional culinary field.” http://www.lacademie.com/About%20Us/AboutUsHome.aspx?Destination=welcome

L’Academie de Cuisine
6006 Industrial Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(301) 670-8670
www.lacademie.com

8. Tante Marie’s Cooking School

# Also located in San Francisco, Tante Marie’s is a small, private culinary school that features only two kitchens. Tante Marie’s focuses on teaching students to master cooking techniques with basic equipment and local ingredients.

“Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco has been teaching people of all backgrounds and ages the fundamentals of fine cooking since 1979. Whether your goal is to become a culinary professional or baker; to learn basic kitchen skills; to enhance your knowledge and ability to entertain with ease; or to simply have a good time cooking and eating with others; Tante Marie’s is the School for you! In addition to the Professional Programs we offer Participation Courses where students do the cooking under the guidance of the chef.http://www.tantemarie.com

Tante Marie’s Cooking School
271 Francisco St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 788-6699
www.tantemarie.com

9. Kendall College

# Kendall College prides itself on its commitment to sustainable cooking; both campus restaurants have been named Certified Green Restaurants. Located in Chicago, Kendall College focuses on preparing students for culinary careers and leadership roles in the food-service industry.

“Top-level professional training in superior facilities!

Our culinary instructors all have strong managerial experience, formal culinary training and at least ten years of hands-on experience in the field.” http://www.culinary.kendall.edu

Kendall College
900 N. Branch St.
Chicago, IL 60642
(866) 667-3344
www.culinary.kendall.edu

10. George Brown Chef School

“George Brown College’s Chef School has been thriving for over 25 years; it’s no wonder the centre has earned an international reputation for developing graduates who are capable, creative, and leading edge.” http://www.georgebrown.ca/chefschool

George Brown College
P.O. Box 1015, Station B
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2T9
(800) 265-2002
www.georgebrown.ca/chefschool

As with any type of education that you pursue, these colleges are not cheap. The benefits of attending any of these top 10 culinary schools goes beyond any kind of price that you have to pony up in order to attend. These schools will provide you with the skills and the credibility that you need to have in order to even be considered for those high paying chef positions that are so coveted within the field. Get the training that you need to be successful to start with and you will be well on your way to getting the career that you have always dreamed of. In fact these schools will provide you with the tools and the knowledge to create your own culinary business that is in the same league as those that have the best chefs.