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Whether you are an established professional chef or just starting out in the food service industry, acquiring the very best education at one of the world’s top culinary arts schools can only help your career. Culinary schools should teach you everything you need to know to succeed in this industry, including proper use of restaurant equipment, innovative cooking techniques, and financial planning. Discover which culinary school fits your professional goals and interests by exploring this list.

Culinary Schools for the Established Professional

1. Le Cordon Bleu International

Established in 1895, this famous institution consists of nine campuses in locations all over the world, plus an online program. If you already have a career in the industry, consider travelling to Paris for the Continuing Education program. This course of studies, entitled “Hautes Etudes du Goût” (loosely translated as “High Studies of Taste”) offers a truly diverse range of courses. Students study such eclectic topics the way in which food preferences form in childhood, molecular gastronomy, and economics of gastronomy. Besides this program, the many campuses present many different courses and programs of study suitable for novices and veterans alike.

2. Culinary Institute of America

Centered in Hyde Park, New York, CIA campuses also exist in San Antonio, Texas, St. Helena California, and even in Singapore. One of the world’s best-known culinary arts schools, the Culinary Institute of America provides both Associate in Occupational Studies and Bachelor’s degrees. Students pursuing the Associate’s degree can choose a major in Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts. Bachelor’s candidates may decide on Culinary Arts Management or Baking and Pastry Arts Management. The CIA prides itself on being a very serious institution and therefore requires the same seriousness from its students. In order to attend, prospective students must have at least six months of experience in the food industry, not including fast food.

3. Johnson & Wales University

The physical campuses in Providence, Denver, Charlotte, and North Miami offer great opportunities such as study abroad programs and internships. If you already hold an Associate’s degree in Baking and Pastry Arts or Culinary Arts, consider the school’s online Bachelor’s program. Through the use of this option, you can earn a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts and Food Service Management or Culinary Arts and Food Service Management.

Culinary Arts Schools with Restaurant Classrooms

4. The French Culinary Institute

Don’t be fooled by the name – this fine culinary school with campuses in New York and California does not specialize in French cuisine. The name is in homage to the place that French cooking holds as a foundation for chefs of all persuasions. The Classic Culinary Arts program provides students with the opportunity to learn in the Zagat notable restaurant L’Ecole (French for “the school”). This institution also emphasizes job placement assistance and offers nine-month programs for those hoping to work while changing careers.

5. New England Culinary Institute

Vermont’s outstanding contribution to the world’s finest culinary educational establishments, the New England Culinary Institute’s classrooms are restaurants. Students start real restaurant work at 4 a.m. and get a true taste of the business. Programs include three certificate programs, three Associate degree offerings, and two Bachelor degree courses of study, as well as two online Bachelor’s degrees. NECI expresses a fervent commitment to using seasonal, sustainable, organic ingredients and teaching its students how to do the same in a practical way.

Ideally, the culinary arts school that you choose should offer a program that suits your current level of knowledge and experience and also has the ability to grow with you. You should learn skills enabling you to use restaurant supplies and equipment to achieve optimal results. The program in which you enroll should also leave you feeling confident not only in established cooking techniques, but in your skill in making those techniques your own and even inventing your own dishes. Finally, remember that the food service industry involves a great deal of business savvy, and any good culinary school needs to prepare its students for this aspect of a career in the culinary arts.

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