So you want to be a master at the art of food? Whether you want to become a sous-chef, head chef or a pastry chef, you will have to attend a culinary school of some sort. So we are going to look over the
Top 10 Culinary Schools in the United States and Canada. You don't want to attend just any old school because you are setting out for success at being the best chef possible and you cannot do that without the proper training. Going to a top culinary schools will surely set you in the right direction. Becoming a chef is a career that will always have work available to you. Like being a doctor, nurse,or lawyer someone will always need a doctor, a doctor will always need a nurse, and in a lot of cases a patient will need a lawyer. Do you know what all these have in common? All of them need to eat at some point every single day. Why shouldn't it be you to provide them with your delightful dishes? If you don't get proper training from a good culinary school then your dishes may not be delightful and you more than likely won't have people coming back for more.
So, let us now take a look at the top 10 culinary schools out there.
1. Culinary Institute of America - Hyde Park, New York
Landing in the number one spot for our Top 10 Culinary Schools in the Culinary Institute of America.
Here you'll develop a broad base of knowledge, a confidence in your skills, and the fluency to move successfully into the career that's absolutely right for you.
2. The French Culinary Institute of New York City - New York City, New York
Train with the best, you can start classes almost anytime you would like, you train at in one of the best cities in the world for cuisine, the classes are small in size which allows for more hands on and intense training, you can expect to graduate within 6-9 months, you will cook in a real restaurant, you will acquire some powerful connections, accredited.
3. Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute - Ottawa, Ontario
Specializing in the French cuisine and offering short classes and evening demos you are sure to learn great things here. It was the first school to have opened outside of Paris, France in 1988. You will certainly get great recognition going to such a prestigious school.
4. Johnson & Wales University - Four Campuses to Choose From
Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales University is a non-profit school offering four campuses around the United States. Class sizes are kept small, so you’ll learn one-on-one from accomplished chef-instructors in modern production kitchens.You will also learn integrated front-of-house curriculum, you’ll learn the practical and managerial skills to run your own food-related business.You will also have hands on training working in local hot spot restaurants.
5. New England Culinary Institute - Montpelier, Vermont
At this school, restaurants are the class room. Students are expected to perform under real life working conditions. New England Culinary Institute will give you the hands-on experience you need and a professional degree to kick your career in the right direction toward success.
6. Le Cordon Bleu California Culinary Academy - Many locations to choose from
Train with professional chef instructors, managers, and other culinary professionals. You will use modern current equipment and techniques, and get a hands-on education from an accredited school designed to help you prepare for a professional career in the culinary field.
7. L'Academie de Cuisine - Gaithersburg, Maryland
Learn how to apply classic French techniques to world-wide cuisine from renowned professional chefs. Founded in 1976 by Francois Dionot. As a result of his culinary experience, Dionot became firmly convinced that simple technique and dedicated practice are the true keys to the success of kitchen professionals. L’Academie is divided into two schools: one for students pursuing a professional culinary or pastry arts career and one for recreational students who simply enjoy cooking and want to improve their culinary skills.
8. Tante Marie's Cooking School - San Francisco, California
Most of the classes offered are Participation Courses where you cook with the other students; and, a few are Guest Chef Demonstrations where you watch the instructor do the cooking. In addition to offering Professional Courses for people wanting to begin a career in Culinary or Pastry, Tante Marie's welcomes interested avocational students in the Evening Series, Weekend Workshops, One-Day Workshops and Cooking Vacations. At Tante Marie's the students cook every day under the guidance of the Chef and taste the food they have prepared. The emphasis is on mastering the important techniques, understanding the theory, and learning how good food should taste. If you are looking for a school that has small classes so there is more one on one training involved then Tante Marie's is a great choice.
9. Kendall College - Chicago, Illinois
Attain the real-world skills it takes to succeed in an exciting career in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry, Hospitality Management at Kendall College. At Kendall College you could be on your way to earning an Associate or Bachelor degree or a certificate in Baking and Pastry, Professional Catering, Professional Personal Chef and Professional Cookery. You will also receive customized career counseling for your needs and learn the interviewing skills, job negotiation tactics, resume writing, and other skills to help after you have graduated.
10. George Brown Chef School - Toronto, Ontario
Our Top 10 Culinary Schools list ends with George Brown Chef School. You can work toward qualification at the apprentice, certificate, diploma, and post-diploma level. Special Culinary Connect certificates and workshops offer convenient opportunities for lifelong professional development. The Chef School also offers specialized industry certificate programs for those currently in the workforce seeking upgrading or further training. 85% of the graduates of George Brown Chef School were employed within 6 months of graduating the course. The Chef School focuses on creating the best cooks, chefs, bakers, and pastry chefs.
With all of these prestigious schools in mind there is something here for almost anyone's budget, location, desired class size, and these Top 10 Culinary Schools provide some of the best training to be found.
I hope you found the information in this blog useful in your search towards a culinary education.