Top 10 Best Culinary Schools
A career in the food and beverage industry requires rigorous training, hands-on experience, and masterful instruction. Most organizations that rank higher education institutions do not rank culinary schools, so there is no hard data on the cream of the culinary crop. Most culinary schools are unofficially ranked by their reputation. North America is home to some of the most highly-regarded culinary institutions in the world. These schools are continuously lauded and respected by students and successful chefs alike.
The Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is the one of most reputable and well-known culinary schools in the U.S. By providing an intensive, rigorous curriculum, the school prepares students for successful careers in the food service industry. Programs offered are culinary arts management, culinary arts, baking and pastry arts management, and baking and pastry arts.
The Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(800) CULINARY; (845) 452-9430
ciachef.edu
The French Culinary Institute of New York City
The French Culinary Institute (FCI) was founded 25 years ago by Dorothy Cann Hamilton, with the goal of creating a world-renowned institution that blends classic French techniques and cuisine with American influences. FCI offers an exclusive curriculum called "Total Immersion," in which students are prepared for successful culinary careers after six months of study, or, if taking night classes, nine months.
The French Culinary Institute of New York
462 Broadway
New York, NY 10013
(888) FCI-CHEF
(212) 219-8890
frenchculinary.com
Tante Marie's Cooking School
Located in the heart of San Francisco, Tante Marie's Cooking School has been educating students in fine cuisine since 1979. Students participate in a well-rounded curriculum that covers everything from cooking basics and techniques to entertaining and baking. The school offers professional programs, chef demonstrations, and classes for the recreational cook.
Tante Marie's Cooking School
271 Francisco Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 788-6699
tantemarie.com
L'Academie de Cuisine
Francois Dionot founded L'Academie de Cuisine in 1976. Since then, the wildly successful institute has featured instructors with a passion for gastronomy. In 1997, L'Academie de Cuisine was named Cooking School of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. In 2005 L'Academie was named among the Top 10 Culinary Schools in North America by CookingSchoolsCompared.com. L'Academie is divided into two schools: one for students pursuing a professional culinary or pastry arts career and one for the casual cook who wants to hone his or her technique for recreational purposes.
L'Academie
16006 Industrial Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(301) 670-8670; (800) 664-CHEF
lacademie.com
L'Academie's Recreational Cooking Campus
5021 Wilson Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 986-9490
lacademie.com
New England Culinary Institute
For nearly 30 years, New England Culinary Institute (NECI) has offered a world-class culinary education in small classes, with individualized attention from dedicated faculty. The school boasts a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. NECI's programs provide hands-on training and real kitchen and front-of-house experience that helps students thrive in the food and beverage industry.
New England Culinary Institute
56 College Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
(877) 223-NECI
neci.edu
California Culinary Academy
Affiliated with the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu School in Paris, France, the California Culinary Academy is a small school with locations in San Francisco and Pasadena (Los Angeles). Unlike the Paris location, the California campuses teach American culinary techniques as well as classic French cuisine. Programs are offered in baking and pastry arts, culinary arts, baking and pastry arts management, and culinary arts management.
California Culinary Academy
350 Rhode Island Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 771-3500
chefs.edu/san-francisco
Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts Los Angeles
521 E. Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91101
(866) 230-9450
chefs.edu/los-angeles/
Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute
Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute is Canada's sole campus of the world-renowned culinary institution Le Cordon Bleu. At the institute, a team of master chefs with extensive international experience guide students on the path to successful careers in the food service industry. The school offers an exclusive program, Le Grand Diplôme Professionnel, which takes students on a 10-month journey of studying cuisine and patisserie techniques. The program includes a 12-week internship in a professional kitchen and restaurant.
Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute
453 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 6R4
Canada
(613) 236-2433; (888) 289-6302
lcbottawa.com
Kendall College
One of only two colleges on the list whose sole focus is not culinary instruction, Kendall College has managed to secure consistent high rankings for its Culinary Arts program. Kendall's School of Culinary Arts offers programs in culinary arts and baking and pastry. Kendall is known for teaching students strong professional skills. According to the college, 97 percent of 2008 culinary graduates who were seeking employment found jobs in their fields within six months of graduation.
Kendall College School of Culinary Arts
900 N. North Branch Street
Chicago, IL 60642
(866) 667-3344
culinary.kendall.edu
Johnson & Wales University
The other school in the top 10 whose sole focus is not culinary instruction is Johnson & Wales. The College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University combines hands-on culinary training with a foundation in the liberal arts. The college also offers an integrated front-of-the-house curriculum that aims to develop business skills relevant to running a restaurant that prepares students to begin careers in hospitality management. In addition to the main campus in Providence, Rhode Island, courses are taught at campuses in North Miami, Denver, and Charlotte.
Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts
8 Abbott Park Place
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
(800) DIAL-JWU
jwu.edu
George Brown College Chef School
George Brown College's Chef School has been a Canadian mainstay for more than 25 years. Located in downtown Toronto, the college has earned an international reputation for educating students in the field of culinary arts. The college has consistently received accolades from fine dining establishments for both its delicious cuisine created and practiced by talented students and its commitment to preparing students to enter the food service industry. The college is known for its vibrant externships that place students in the finest establishments (restaurants and hotels) in Toronto.
George Brown College Chef School
P.O. Box 1015
Station B
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 2T9
Canada
(800) 265-2002
georgebrown.ca/chefschool/
Tags: Culinary Institute, baking pastry, Cordon Bleu, pastry arts, arts management