Purchasing Resources for Culinary Schools

2012 Grants Becoming Available

Find Out If You Qualify For Education Grants Talk With Top Schools In You Area. Ask How!

Thunderbird

Gain a world-class international business education from anywhere. Thunderbird School of Global Management is consistently ranked in Financial Times and US News & World Report. Request a program brochure today.

Download Culinary Schools White Papers

Culinary Schools

An education from a culinary arts school is equivalent to getting a college degree. Culinary schools offer associate and bachelor degree programs. Many schools offer certificate programs in one area such as pastry. Potential students need to have a high-school education or GED before they apply.

If your interest in culinary classes is for personal use you have only to worry which one to choose. If you want a career in culinary arts, a culinary degree will be very helpful to you. Do you want a career as a baker or chef or caterer? Or is your interest hospitality management or to be a sommelier? If you want to attend a school of the culinary arts keep in mind these factors.

1. Accredited schools and programs count for a lot in a culinary career. Make sure the school or program you attend is accredited. Also, schools should offer career services for their grads.

2. A prestigious chef school is expensive but usually has financial aid options. The top-rated schools gained their reputations because of high levels of excellence in teachers, range of courses, number of its kitchens, and success of their alumni.

3. Making the choice of what area you wish to work in--food preparation, baking, management, wine and beverages--will aid you in choosing a school.

Choose the right culinary arts school for you

There are approximately 100 accredited cooking schools in the U.S. that offer associate, bachelor and certificate programs. You want to choose the best culinary school for you; but where do you begin? Is location a factor? Do you want to be a chef or caterer? How do you judge the quality of a culinary school or program?
Try: All Culinary Schools lists accredited culinary schools in the U.S. by location. CulinarySchools.com helps you get started in your search with a where-do-I-start list. The Institute of Culinary Education lists the qualities of a good culinary school.

Decide which culinary classes you want to study

Do you want to study French cuisine or Italian cuisine? Or some of both? Or are you interested in studying hospitality management?
Try: Le Cordon Bleu College of the Culinary Arts (Miami) teaches French and American cuisine. There are many Cordon Bleu colleges and Cordon Bleu programs throughout the U.S. The Connecticut Culinary Institute offers an advanced program in Italian cooking. Kendall College offers a school of culinary arts and a school of hospitality management.

Try the food at the culinary schools' student-run restaurants

Not all schools have student-run restaurants but many do. Take the opportunity to dine at a student-run restaurant. Some restaurants are formal others casual; most require reservations.
Try: The Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia has four student-restaurants on a beautiful campus. The Scottsdale Culinary Institute is home to the award-winning L'Ecole Restaurant. The Art Institute of California-Orange County - is home to 50 Forks restaurant.

It is a good idea to work in a restaurant before you apply to a culinary school. It will look good on your application. More importantly, restaurant work is hard work with an average 10-hour day. This is your opportunity to find out if this is the right career for you.

More Culinary Schools Vendors

Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Culinary Schools

Many businesses within the food industry rely on the services of culinary schools. This may be especially so for those in the restaurant and hotel businesses. Training kitchen staff to the specific needs of the company will often require some form of classes, even if it is not for a full program. However, the school chosen is almost as important as the type of training received. Businesses that want the best of the best and all the right skills know that the first step is in choosing a high quality culinary school that can meet the unique needs of the business. This is why these same businesses turn to Business.com.

Business.com is among the leading resources for businesses within ... more