Best Culinary Schools in California 2019 (Updates and Reviews)
Institute of Culinary Education (Los Angeles) -- After 42 years of award-winning culinary education in New York City, in January 2018 the Institute of Culinary Education opened a second campus in Los Angeles — an oasis for food and restaurant lovers and without a doubt one of the most exciting food cities in America. Having taken over the facility previously occupied by Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, ICE reimagined the space as a center for learning, innovation and creativity, staying true to the vision embodied by its New York flagship. Both the ICE and the food community couldn’t be more thrilled --Said prolific chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck, “I was thrilled to learn that the Institute of Culinary Education is expanding and opening its second location in Los Angeles. LA is a hub of culinary innovation, and having a culinary school of ICE’s caliber in this market will only enhance the city’s standing as a major culinary center in the United States.” Click here to schedule a personal tour. Initially, ICE’s Los Angeles campus will feature its career training programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts and Restaurant & Culinary Management. The Hospitality Management program will be added later in 2018. The school will aim to create the same sense of community, creativity and campus life offered in NYC, adapted to the thriving LA food scene. Once career program classes are up and running, ICE will build on its platform for inspiration and is considering options to offer specialized amenities and features similar to the NYC campus, such as a chocolate lab, culinary technology lab and an extension of its “farm to classroom”program, and later on, recreational classes and special culinary events. Click here to schedule a personal tour
Art Institute of California Culinary Schools With programs in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry and Art of Cooking .In the Culinary Arts program, you'll gain practical experience in the kitchen while studying the business of cost control, sanitation and safety, menu and beverage management, nutrition, and kitchen management. You'll learn to produce food quickly and in quantity while working with others. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as line cook and pantry cook .
Programs:
Associate of Science in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry, 90 hours - 6 quarters or Diploma of Arts 48 Credit hours and 4 quarters
Bachelors of Science in Culinary Management 180 Credit hours - 12 quarters
Bachelors of Science in Hospitality Food and Beverage Management -180 Credit hours - 12 quarters)
Campuses:
The Art Institute of California — Hollywood, 5250 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA ,
The Art Institute of California — San Francisco, 10 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, CA.
The Art Institute of California — San Diego, 7650 Mission Valley Road, San Diego, CA
The Art Institute of California --Sacramento , 2850 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite #100, Sacramento, CA
The Art Institute of California — Inland Empire, 674 East Brier Drive, San Bernardino, CA,
San Diego Culinary Institute - San Diego Culinary Institute is San Diego's culinary school of choice. In as little as 8 months you will be on your way to a career in the kitchens of some of the most highly acclaimed fine dining restaurants in San Diego and all over the world. San Diego Culinary Institute has both a Culinary and Baking and Pastry program. Chef Instructors have all been the Executive Chef of a fine dining restaurant for a minimum of 5 years and they have all been in the culinary field for a minimum of 25 years.
San Francisco Cooking School, San Francisco, CA
SFCS delivers an intimate private-school experience with small classes limited to 14 students that are taught in a brand new, state-of-the-art teaching kitchen. The program runs six months (or you can do it twelve part-time) The school offers a Culinary Arts Certificate Program and a Pastry Arts Certificate Program, In addition to career training in culinary arts, SFCS offers the largest program of hands-on recreational cooking classes in the Bay Area. Their 5,200 sq ft. facility functions as a vibrant culinary center for book signings, chef dinners, celebrity demonstrations, and private cooking parties.Externships are an integral part of your learning at SFCS. No matter what your plans are post-graduation, SFCS believes that the practical learning experience of working in the kitchen of a restaurant is invaluable. SFCS has secured prized externships working under award-winning chefs in San Francisco’s top kitchens. Externships in San Francisco Restaurants include: Coi, Absinthe, Twenty Five Lusk and more.