Find the Culinary School That’s Right for You

Once someone has decided to pursue a career in culinary arts, he or she may be looking to pursue a degree. There are so many different factors to consider when assessing culinary schools.

For many, cost will be a factor. Eater.com gives us a glimpse into the cost of basic culinary arts programs across the nation. For example, Rhode Island-based Johnson & Wales University offers an undergraduate option with a tuition of $27,156 per school year. Kendall College, based in Chicago, has a 4-year culinary program that costs $89,667. The Culinary Institute of America of Hyde Park, New York, costs $13,230 per semester for their associate’s program.*

Consider the location of where you want to study. If you can narrow it down, it will be easier to research the types of programs in that location and subsequently, the cost of each program. I’d also recommend looking into the reputation of the school and research what kinds of chefs have graduated from there.

Depending on what type of degree you’d like to pursue and what type of chef you’d like to become, it will also be important to assess the type of programs an institution offers. Some universities offer accelerated courses, bachelor’s degrees, associate’s degrees in program lengths that can vary from a couple months to 4 years. If you’re looking to become a pastry chef, look for a program that excels in baking and pastry arts. Do some research into the facilities and instructors that come with the program. Some schools have restaurants that students operate so that they can obtain practical, real-life experience.

Last but not least, it’s important to verify that the school is accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The ACF is equivalent to the cooking authority. Since schools that are accredited by the ACF must go through a rigorous examination of facilities, curriculum, instructor certification and the like, it’s more likely that an accredited culinary school has better standards, credibility and practices.**

For additional information about culinary schools, please visit Culinary Degree Link.

*For more information, please visit: http://eater.com/archives/2013/04/25/culinary-schools-price-tags.php
**Fore more information, please visit: http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/Education/Accreditation/ACF/Education/Accreditation/