At EDinformatics.com we have been carefully monitoring the culinary scene for more than ten years. During those years we have seen significant innovative culinary technologies and techniques find their way into restaurants and the home along with a greater awareness of the role of Nutrition and Health in cooking.
Yet the very basics in cooking required to be a great chef remain the same.
EDinformatics chose to rank the best culinary schools in 2016 using the following criteria.
-Physical facilities e.g., number of kitchens, classroom technology, the latest equipment, and expansion of school facilities#1 INSTITUTE OF CULINARY EDUCATION (ICE) NYC and now LOS ANGELES
History and Current Facility: ICE was founded in 1975 by Peter Kump but has transformed dramatically over the years. The school had expansions in 1999 and then in 2004 moving to a 45,000 square foot space in the Flat Iron district. In 2015 ICE moved to it's current downtown NYC location in Brookfield Place (Battery Park City) with a 74,000 square foot facility that has stunning views of the Hudson River. The school has 12 state-of-the-art teaching kitchens and is fitted with the highest level of professional culinary technology including : the nation’s first education-focused bean-to-bar Chocolate Lab, a Culinary Technology Lab, a tandoor, hearth oven, a vertical rotisserie and state of the art modernist cuisine equipment. The school has dedicated spaces for mixology and wine studies as well as an indoor hydroponic herb garden and vegetable farm.
Programs: : ICE offers six- to 13-month diploma programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking, Culinary Management and Hospitality Management, with dual-diploma options. For students desiring a more advanced degree, depending on the accepting institution and the ICE program of study, ICE programs may be eligible for between 14 and 33 college transfer credits. The school offers Continuing Education Programs, and runs a Recreational Cooking program for the general public that offers more than 1,500 courses — serving more than 26,000 students each year. The Daily Meal has named ICE’s recreational school as the best in the nation. Click here to schedule a personal tour
Staff and Alumni:The ICE staff is comprised of experienced, industry-leading professionals, including: James Briscione, Director of Culinary Development, two-time “Chopped” champion and nationally recognized expert in modernist cooking techniques; Sim Cass, Dean of Bread Baking program and founding baker of Balthazar Bakery; Michael Laiskonis, Creative Director, former Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin and twice named one of the "10 Best Pastry Chefs in America"; and David Waltuck, Director of Culinary Affairs, former chef and owner of the acclaimed restaurant Chanterelle. Notable alumni include: Gael Simmons, a Food & Wine director and a Judge/Host for “Top Chef”; Elisa Strauss, named one of “America’s Top Ten Pastry Chefs” in 2008 by Dessert Professional Magazine; Georgianna Hiliadaki and Nikos Roussos who received two Michelin stars in 2014 for their restaurant, The Funky Gourmet, in Athens, Greece
Awards and Industry Reputation: ICE was named "Culinary School of the Year" by the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the school was previously recognized by the IACP for its professional and recreational programs in 2003, 2008 and 2011. In 2015, ICE was proud to take home the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award for Culinary School Award of Excellence. Recent chef awards from ICE went to: Chef Instructor Chris Gesualdi in 2015 as the IACP "Culinary Educator of the Year" and to Creative Director Michael Laiskonis in 2014 as the IACP "Culinary Professional of the Year." ICE alumni continue to receive recognition for their culinary achievements. Two ICE alumni were named among StarChefs elite list of 2015 NYC "Rising Stars": Mina Pizarro, Pastry Chef at Juni, and Ann Redding, Chef/Co-Owner of Uncle Boons. ICE Pastry & Baking Arts alumnus Claudia Fleming was named the "Goddess of New American Pastry" in Elle's roundup of influential women in food. Moreover, ICE has forged partnerships with brands across industries, including: IBM, the New York Jets, and American Express. In the past 18 months, IBM, American Express, the NY Jets, KitchenAid, Food & Wine, People Magazine, Wusthof, and OXO, to name a few, have turned to ICE for their expertise in the culinary arts.
Externships: Through its externship program—the school placed 499 externs in 292 establishments across the country last year—ICE is also able to maintain a “constant feedback loop” connecting the chef-mentors and the school staff. Every week there are several opportunities for students to volunteer with chefs at external events or venues like the James Beard Foundation townhouse.
Graduation and Placement: ICE has a very high employment placement considering it's proximity to NYC's finest restaurants. The ICE Career Services department sends weekly emails to the ICE alumni network with an average of 175 job openings for ICE graduates. 2015 ICE's official ACCSC graduation rate was 89%. 2015 ACCSC (accrediting) annual report employment rate is 86% of 511 students available for employment. The remaining 14% includes students who were employed in an unrelated occupation, unemployed and whose outcomes were unknown to ICE at the time of filing.
Location: ICE is located in Brookfield Place in Battery Park, NYC NYC — just minutes away from the World Trade Center and the famed Oculus Transportation Hub. Nearby transportation provides students easy access to all of NYC's finest restaurants. Click here to schedule a personal tour
#2 CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA (CIA) Hyde Park, NY
History and Current Facility: The school was founded in 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut, as a vocational institute for returning veterans of World War II. With a growing student body, the school purchased a former Jesuit novitiate in Hyde Park in 1970. The current campus in Hyde Park is a 140 acre facility. The school has more than 41 kitchens and bakeshops and runs 5 student restaurants. The schools library (Conrad Hilton Library) has the nations largest culinary library - a vast collection of culinary and arts books second only to the US Library of Congress. On campus is a 52,000 square-foot recreation facility that offers students a gymnasium, racquetball courts, a six-lane natatorium, fitness center, and dozens of other intramural activities. Since its launch in June of 2015, The Egg at The CIA, a 28,000-square-foot project representing a joint partnership between the CIA and Restaurant Associates (RA), has provided students with a collegiate dining experience comparable to that at other top-rated U.S. colleges and universities.
Programs: The school began awarding associate degrees in 1971 and bachelor's degrees in 1993. The CIA currently offers two degree programs: a 4-year bachelor’s degree (B.P.S.) and a 2-year associate degree in (A.O.S.). The associate degrees. can be obtained in culinary arts or baking and pastry arts. The bachelor’s degrees is offered in management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The CIA's Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) in Culinary Science degree program will teach you the scientific foundations of food production and prepare you for these exciting research and development careers. In the B.P.S., program you'll progress through eight semesters of hands-on and classroom work plus an additional off-campus externship semester. It is possible to complete the degree in 3 years.
Staff and Alumni: CIA faculty is a group of talented educators drawn from more than 170+ expert CIA instructors and professors. CIA boasts a 49,000-strong network of the most impressive alumni including Anthony Bourdain, Grant Achatz , Steve Ells founder of Chipotle, Alfred Portale, Charlie Palmer, David Burke, Larry Forgione, Sara Moulton, Cat Cora, Rick Moonen, Gary Danko, Roy Yamaguchi, Jonathon Benno, Todd English, Shea Gallante, Scott Conant, Sam Hazen, and Michael Mina.
Externships and or Restaurant Training: The CIA at Hyde Park runs four campus restaurants. The American Bounty Restaurant where the focus is on the seasons and products of the lush Hudson Valley, Apple Pie Bakery Café which presents baked goods such as breakfast pastries, artisan breads, and various desserts, The Bocuse Restaurant which creates and serves new interpretations of classic French cuisine and Ristorante Caterina de' Medici Caterina which demonstrates authentic regional Italian cuisine.
Awards and Industry Reputation: The CIA's influential 49,000+ graduates work in—and hire for—every segment of the industry. That's important when you're looking for your first job, seeking to move up, or just need some advice. The CIA received the Innovation Award for "Best Academic Institution or Organization" at the first Taste Talks Food & Drink Awards, held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, NY on September 26, 2016. Numerous alumni have received awards such as: John Besh, Best New Restaurant in America by Esquire magazine and the Daily Meal, Alon Shaya, the 2015 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South and, in May 2016, Shaya won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant.
Graduation and Placement: ` The CIA's overall graduation rate is 78%, and of those associate-degree graduates who choose to continue on to the BPS program in their junior year, 90% received their degree. With 300 companies recruiting on campus each year, this continues to remain one of the best culinary schools in America.
Location: The CIA is located in Hyde Park, NY, 90 miles north of Manhattan and 6 miles north of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
#3 INTERNATIONAL CULINARY CENTER (ICC) NYC
History and Current Facility: Founded in 1984 as The French Culinary Institute, the International Culinary Center today is a leading globally recognized school specializing in culinary and wine education, with programs in New York, California and Italy. The ICC California campus is situated between the vineyards of Napa Valley and the seafood haven of Monterey Bay, less than an hour's drive from San Francisco, ICC gives students access to some of the best restaurants, vineyards and chefs in the world. Programs include: Culinary Arts· Farm-To-Table ·Pastry Arts· Italian Culinary and Sommelier Training. The 20,000-square-foot campus features four Culinary Kitchen classrooms, and two Baking and Pastry Kitchen classrooms
Programs: The intensive program is short in duration, 6 months for the day program and 9 months for night classes, and is a hands-on Total ImmersionSM program. ICC has an extensive Italian Culinary experience (part of ICC's Total ImmersionSM program) starting with 10 weeks of cooking Italian fundamentals in NYC or California. The education continues for 18 weeks more at ICC's sister school ALBA (a former palace) outside of Parma, Italy, including a stage (apprenticeship) at a regional restaurant through a special arrangement with the Italian government. ICC's is the first and only wine program in the world approved by the renowned Court of Master Sommeliers Americas®, and the only with 11 Master Sommeliers on faculty. Schedule a private tour today! --
Staff and Alumni: ICC has several renowned chefs as its deans including Jacques Pépin, Jacques Torres, André Soltner, Alain Sailhac, David Kinch, Emily Luchetti, Cesare Casella and José Andrés. ICC’s six-month Total Immersion program has graduated more than 15,000 students over its three decades in business. That includes an impressive roster of star alumni such as Bobby Flay, David Chang, Dan Barber, Wylie Dufresne, Hooni Kim, Josh Skenes, and Christina Tosi.
Externships: ICC's award-winning Culinary Arts program instills the building blocks of fine cooking in an intensive 6-14 months. The 600-hour course is divided in 400-hours onsite, plus a 200-hour externship.
Awards and Industry Reputation: In addition to its culinary education, the International Culinary Center has published several cookbooks The Fundamental Techniques of Italian Cuisine, which won a James Beard Award in 2013, The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking, The Fundamental Techniques of Pastry Arts The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine, the latter two also winning James Beard Awards in 2010 and 2009.
Named "Best Vocational Cooking School of the Year" by IACP multiple times, and the the highest honor, School of Excellence, by the accrediting commission ACCSC. ICC has a graduation rate of 91.5% ( Graduation rate is based on 1,926 students graduating out of the 2,106 students available for graduation included in the annual reports submitted by ICC to ACCSC in 2013-2015). José Andrés was awarded Outstanding Chef by James Beard Foundation in 2011.
Graduation and Placement: ICC boasts a 91.5% graduation rate and over 15,000 students have graduated. Students are highly desired from ICC that chef/restaurateur David Bouley says, "I hire ICC students the day they graduate."
Location: ICC now has one campus,the SOHO neighborhood of Manhattan, NY, . Schedule a private tour today! --
#4 CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERIA (CIA) GREYSTONE St. Helena, CA
History and Current Facility: : Built in the late 19th century and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Greystone facility in St. Helena was once home to the Christian Brothers Winery. After initially offering certificate courses, in autumn 2006, the campus began offering associate degrees. The Culinary Institute of America at Copia, houses the CIA's new Food Business School. The primary school building is the Greystone Cellars building, which houses teaching kitchens, the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, the Bakery Café by illy, the Spice Islands Marketplace (the campus store), the De Baun and Ecolab Theatres (auditoriums and cooking demonstration facilities, also used as lecture halls), and administrative offices. Adjacent to the teaching kitchens is the Margie Schubert Library. The 15,000-square-foot teaching kitchens at Greystone are on the third floor of the primary building. The kitchens use Bonnet stoves and have a variety of cooking appliances, including rotisseries, appliances for induction cooking, a stone hearth oven, convection ovens, and combi steamers. On the first floor, the 5,000-square-foot Viking Teaching Kitchen is designed for 36 to 40 students at a time. Its appliances and equipment were donated by Viking Range Corporation's founders and installed as part of a comprehensive redesign of the building's first floor in 2010. The redesign also involved the completion of a chocolate-making facility and the campus store and Flavor Bar.
Programs: Associate Degree in Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry Arts, Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program (ACAP), Wine and Beverage Graduate Certificate (WBGC). Recreational Programs: CIA Bootcamp -Fun Cooking, Baking, and Wine Tasting Classes.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: The school restaurant is the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant which uses ingredients from the CIA's own farm and gardens.
Staff and Alumni: CIA faculty is comprised of talented educators drawn from more than 170+ expert CIA instructors and professors. CIA boasts a 49,000-strong network of the most impressive alumni including Anthony Bourdain, Grant Achatz , Steve Ells founder of Chipotle, Alfred Portale, Charlie Palmer, David Burke, Larry Forgione, Anthony Bourdain, Sara Moulton, Cat Cora, Rick Moonen, Gary Danko, Roy Yamaguchi, Jonathon Benno, Todd English, Shea Gallante, Scott Conant, Sam Hazen, Grant Aschatz, Michael Mina.
Awards and Industry Reputation: The CIA's influential 49,000+ graduates work in—and hire for—every segment of the industry. That's important when you're looking for your first job, seeking to move up, or just need some advice. The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America has been recognized with the 2012 Great Wine Capitals Best Of Tourism Award for Wine Tourism Restaurants
Graduation and Placement: The CIA's overall graduation rate is 78%, and of those associate-degree graduates who choose to continue on to the BPS program in their junior year, 90% received their degree.
Location: Spanning two locations in the heart of Wine Country—the CIA at Greystone in St. Helena and the CIA at Copia in Napa
#5 JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF CULINARY ARTS Providence, RI
History and Current Facility: In 1973 JWU College of Culinary Arts introduced an Associate Degree program. The school since has modernized and now has: nine professional-grade hot kitchens, two pastry labs, two teaching dining rooms, bakery + bread lab, beverage lab, food science lab, meat-cutting lab, microbiology lab and a culinary nutrition R+D lab. The University operates three hotels used for the training of University students in Food Service Management programs, Culinary Arts Degree programs and Hotel and Lodging Management programs.
Programs: Johnson & Wales has one of the largest selection of culinary related programs available: Associate in Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry Arts , Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, Baking & Pastry Arts, Culinary Nutrition, Food Service Entrepreneurship, Food Marketing, Hotel and Lodging Management, International Hotel and Tourism Management, Restaurant, Food, and Beverage Management, Sports, Entertainment and Event Management, Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management. In addition there is a Culinary Arts Diploma Weekend Course and a wide variety of Recreational Cooking Classes for the public. JWU also has a first-of-its-kind degree program in Culinary Nutrition which brings together culinary arts, nutrition and food science to help position you for an expanding range of career opportunities.
Johnson & Wales University has joined forces with the "Modernist Cuisine" co-author Chris Young to create a new culinary science-intensive curriculum. In addition JWU plans to design a nutrition-based Culinary Medicine joint curriculum collaboration project with Tulane University.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: Associate degree students will participate in one term of experiential education which allows students to participate in food service operations in preparation for future careers. Possible sites include university-owned or -operated practicum educational facilities, hotels, restaurants, country clubs, resorts, casinos, spas and contract food service providers. Additionally each year, a select group of second-year students is chosen to participate in a student Culinary International Exchange program with culinary arts schools in Ireland and the Azores.
Staff and Alumni: expert chef-instructors in classes with an 18:1 student/teacher ratio. Alumni include: Tyler Florence, Emeril Lagasse, Michelle Bernstein, Lena Kwak
Awards and Industry Reputation: Johnson & Whales Culinary School has a strong industry reputation for excellence. In 2010 JWU was ranked as one of the top three hospitality colleges, according to the American Universities Admissions Program, which ranks American universities according to their international reputation. In additio nJ&W operates three hotels for training students.
Graduation and Placement: Johnson & Wales reported an overall graduation rate of 58% IN 2014, and boasts a 98% employment record within 60 days of graduation.
Location: Providence, R.I., offers big-city sophistication on a welcoming scale, and is often voted one of the country's best places to live. A historic yet fast-paced city, Providence is located within the highest per capita concentration of colleges and universities in the United States, so it's alive with things to do.
#6 KENDALL CULINARY Chicago, IL
History and Current Facility: Kendall's campus features 12 teaching kitchens, as well as an on-site restaurant. The college's two campus restaurants are certified "green" restaurants, and the school maintains a sustainability garden where students grow their own produce for use in their cooking, teaching them the basics of sustainability and the food-to-table ethos. Kendall has many James Beard award winners among its alumni.
Programs: Students have the option of pursuing an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, which includes general education and can be obtained over six academic quarters, or a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts, which follows a traditional, four-year academic plan. Kendall also offers a Continuing Education Culinary Certificate Program. Kendell has an expanding recreational cooking program. Classes are offered at three different skill levels. Unique class options include girls night out, food blogging, ultimate grilling, mixology, catering, pie baking techniques, date nights and intense boot camp series.
Externships and or Restaurant Training: Culinary Arts student are required to refine their skills during a three-month internship. Students have the opportunity to acquire internships at restaurants, bakeries, catering companies, hotels, country clubs and pastry shops. The Dining Room at Kendall College in Chicago is both Zagat- and Michelin-recommended.
Staff and Alumni: Noteworthy alumni include Michael White (executive chef and co-owner of the Altamarea Group), Mindy Segal (winner of the 2012 James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry), and Jose Garces (owner of multiple Garces Group restaurants).
Awards and Industry Reputation: Chicago Michelin Guide Restaurants rank Kendall College the #1 Chicago program for preparing students for culinary arts careers. Kendall College Culinary Arts alumni are James Beard Foundation Award winners. Chicago's leading hotels rank Kendall College the No. 1 Chicago program for preparing students for hospitality management careers.
Graduation and Placement: 95% of Kendall December 2014 graduates reported being employed in their field within six months of graduation.
Location: Chicago, IL. With one three-star, two two-star and eighteen one-star restaurants as rated by Michelin and nearly 4,700 restaurants, Chicago is a great place to study culinary arts.
#7 NEW ENGLAND CULINARY INSTITUTE Montpellier, VT
History and Current Facility: The New England Culinary Institute (NECI) is a career-oriented culinary college located in Montpelier, Vermont, founded on June 15, 1980, by Fran Voigt and John Dranow. Since 1980 NECI has grown from seven students to an accomplished group of over 5,000 alumni. Over 80% of NECI students receive Financial Aid. assistance. NECI enrolls less than 300 students a year, with a faculty of nearly 50. It's smaller size is by design and each student also participates in an internship in an industry during their time at the school. At NECI on Main, La Brioche, The Chef's Table, National Life Cafeteria, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts Cafeteria, students create classic and modern cuisine under the guidance of our award-winning chef instructors, using the finest Vermont ingredients.
Programs: Culinary Arts Program offers a Certificate in Professional Cooking, and Associate of Occupational Studies degree (AOS), and a Bachelor of Arts (BA). The Food and Beverage Business Management Program offers a AOS and BA degrees. The Baking and Pastry Program offers a Certificate in Professional Baking & Pastry Arts, and AOS and BA degrees. NECI also offers an Online Program with a Bachelor's degrees in Culinary Arts, Food and Beverage Business Management and Baking & Pastry. The student to teacher ratio at NECI is 10:1. New dual enrollment classes start three times a year, in January, June and October.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: Each students at NECI participates in an internship in an industry during their time at the school. There are also school run food establishments: NECI on Main, La Brioche, The Chef's Table, National Life Cafeteria, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts Cafeteria. Students create classic and modern cuisine under the guidance of NECI award-winning chef instructors, using the finest Vermont ingredients.
Staff and Alumni: In 2012, NECI hired native French Chef, Jean-Louis Gerin, to serve as the Institute's Vice President of Culinary Operations and Executive Chef. Jean-Louis Gerin, former restaurateur was behind the celebrated Restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich, Connecticut. Gerin's accolades range from a silver toque from the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France to a win on the Food Network competition "Chopped." NECI alumni include: Food Channel's Alton Brown, St. Regis Hotel and Starwood Luxury Collection Manager, Matthew Gabree, London Whole Foods Team Leader, Gerry Beck, Head Chef, The Chopping Block, Chicago, Hugh Amanao, Allechante Pastry Chef, and Gavin Kaysen the owner of Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis, MN and the coach for Team USA in the Bocuse d'Or.
Awards and Industry Reputation: In 2014 nine alumni of New England Culinary Institute were nominated as semi-finalists for several categories including Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurateur. Only one earned the prestigious award: Daniel Ahern for the book "Gluten-Free Girl Everyday" which he co-authored with his wife, Shauna James Ahern. In 2009 NECI Graduate Gavin Kaysen Won ''Rising Star Chef of the Year Award".
Graduation and Placement: Graduation rates vary from year to year and depending upon the degree pursued. Those students who completed the program in 150% of the time span ranged from 77% to 100% depending on degree program. NECU has a strong Alumni Association and runs an online Employer Job Portal to assist alumni.
Location: The campus is located in Montpelier, Vermont. Vermont is not only stunningly beautiful, its also the epicenter of the local and sustainable food movement. This is where you learn the true value of the best ingredients. Montpelier is a small town with a lot to offer: restaurants, bookstores, boutiques, theatres— all within walking distance of the NECI campus.
#8 L'ACADEMIE DE CUISINE Washington, DC
History and Current Facility: L'Academie de Cuisine was founded in 1976 by Francois Dionot, a classically trained chef at the apex of a career that began at the world-renowned L’Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland. The school has 30,000 square feet of lab/kitchen and classroom space. Approximately 140 students are enrolled at a time.
Programs: A dynamic curriculum that combines three phases: classroom study and kitchen fundamentals, advanced kitchen training, and a paid apprenticeship in a fine-dining kitchen. Students attending the day schedule complete the program in 50 weeks. Students attending the evening schedule complete the program in 62 weeks. L'Acadamie de Cuisine has a highly rated Recreational Cooking Program located just steps from the metro in Bethesda, MD, taught by the same staff as the professional culinary school. The student to faculty ratio 16:1
Externships: L'Academie de Cuisine offers the longest consecutive apprenticeship of any culinary or pastry program in the United States, a real-world opportunity for students to work under the direction of the executive chef and staff in a fine-dining establishment. In addition to the traditional classroom study, both programs require a 26-week apprenticeship in a fine dining establishment before graduation. All apprentices are paid by their employers in compliance with Department of Labor regulations.
Staff and Alumni: Francois Dionot, a native of Reims, France, Chef Dionot who was educated at L'Ecole Hoteliere de la Societe Suisse de Hoteliers in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is the director of the program but active on a daily basis in the school. Most instructors are previous graduates from L'Acadamie de Cuisine and have worked in some of the best restaurants in the Washington DC area. Carla Hall, host of ABC’s "The Chew," Nick Stefanelli, Aaron Silverman, Jeff Heineman, Angela Pinkerton, Katsuya Fukushima, Shannon Overmiller,
Awards and Industry Reputation: Cooking School of the Year Award, International Association of Culinary Professionas l (IACP) in 1997), Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist: Francois Dionot, by the IACP, Educator of the Year Finalist: Francois Dionot, by the IACP Member of the Year Award, Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, Home of the USA World Pastry Cup team, RAMW, and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Alumni Awards include: Finalist, Top Chef, Bravo TV Network:Carl Hall. The school maintains a number of partnerships with professional organizations including IACP, RAMW, and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Food and Wine's Best New Chefs 2016: Aaron Silverman (Culinary Arts), Executive Chef, Rose's Luxury, Pineapple and Pearls; James Beard Award, Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year 2011: Angela Pinkerton (Pastry Arts), Eleven Madison Park, New York City, StarChefs Culinary Rising Star: Jacques Van Staden (Culinary Arts) – Executive Chef, Top of the Palms Casino, Las Vegas, N.V
L'Acadamie de Cuisine is partners with many culinary associations including IACP.
Graduation and Placement: 61% of Students Graduate after 150% of normal time span.
Location:L' Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary and Pastry Arts Programs and administrative offices are at the Gaithersburg, MD campus. The recreational classes are held at L'Academie – Bethesda, MD.
#9 CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SAN ANTONIO San Antonio, TX
History and Current Facility: The CIA San Antonio is housed in a 30,000-square-foot building at the dynamic Pearl site, located on the San Antonio River Walk and set among the restored 19th century buildings of the former Pearl Brewery. The campus features a one-of-a-kind Latin kitchen with both indoor and outdoor cooking stations, plus five other teaching kitchens and a professional bakeshop. Demonstration theaters, a computer lab, the Learning Strategies Center/Library Learning Commons, and a library round out the education resources. Note: In the next few years, the institute anticipates launching a second concentration for bachelor's degree students from Hyde Park. This one will work with the soon-to-open hotel at the Pearl to create a hotel concentration.
Programs: Associate degrees with majors in either culinary arts or baking and pastry arts, based on the same innovative curricula as the world-renowned degree programs at our New York campus, custom programs for leaders and professionals in the food industry, recreational programs for food and wine enthusiasts, from two-hour demos and one-day cooking classes to multi-day skill-building Boot Camps. CIA now offers to a limited number of students a Latin Cuisine Studies Bachelor's Degree Concentration where students spend a month studying at the San Antonio Campus to study study the foods of Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Central America, the Caribbean. We expect this program to be expanded over the coming years.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: The school maintains the student-run Nao Latin Gastro Bar for sampling the flavorful world of Latin American cuisines and beverages as well as the CIA Bakery Café.
Staff and Alumni: All of 150+ faculty members across the three U.S.CIA campuses are dedicated and talented teachers, each possessing a unique set of skills and experiences . CIA alumni from other campuses are shown above. A large number of San Antonio have opened or involved in many local restaurants.
Awards and Industry Reputation: The CIA's influential 49,000+ graduates work in—and hire for—every segment of the industry.
Graduation and Placement: Currently, the graduation rate at CIA, Texas stands at 71%, as compared with 78% for the Culinary Institute of America as a whole.
Location: San Antonio, TX located near both Austin and Houston.
#10 RESTAURANT SCHOOL AT WALNUT HILL Philadelphia, PA
History and Current Facility: Founded in 1974 , the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College is a small boutique college that prides itself on offering a unique education emphasizing above all the power of hands-on experience. Part of the way that the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College achieves this is through small class sizes—every student is afforded individualized attention and opportunities for one-on-one instruction.
Programs: The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill offers both Associate and Bachelor's Degree Programs. The associate degree is comprised of six 10-week terms for a total of 18 months. Students must complete the associate degree before beginning the bachelor's degree. It takes 36 months to complete both degrees. At the end of the associate and bachelor's degree programs, students travel to France, England, or Florida and the Bahamas for a first-hand look at the hospitality and culture emphasized in their classes. All of these fantastic opportunities are already included in each student's tuition, making travel an exciting and rewarding complement to the academic regimen. By studying the industry both locally and globally, students from Walnut Hill College can expand their knowledge and thrive wherever their careers take them. Students nearing the end of the bachelor's programs embark upon an 8-day exploration of the best of England. Combining history, art and culture with hospitality and fine cuisine, this capstone course is the ideal culmination of the student's overall college experience.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College is affiliated with hundreds of the finest hotels, restaurants, resorts, casinos, caterers and conference centers in the Delaware Valley and across the country. The school provides four on-campus restaurants to give students multiple opportunities to experience the strata of the growing restaurant industry.
Staff and Alumni: Walnut Hill is a small school with a small staff of 19. But with a student population of only 387 there is an excellent student teacher ratio, Alumni include Jason Cichonski (Chef/Owner of Ela and The Gaslight, Top Chef: New Orleans chef contestant and Chris Kearse (Chef/Owner Will BYOB, ranked in Zagat’s “30 Under 30 Philadelphia” and named “Best New Chef” by Philadelphia Magazine).
Awards and Industry Reputation: Food and Drink Franchaise - One of the Top Ten Culinary Schools in the Northeast.
Graduation and Placement: Restaurant School at Walnut Hill had graduation rates of 54% in 2014. Two years
after graduation 88% of students reported working.
Location: Located in University City, Philadelphia.
#11 ARIZONA CULINARY INSTITUTE Scottsdale, AZ.
History and Current Facility: Arizona Culinary Institute (AZI) isa custom-built 18,000 square-foot facility . It boasts five professional kitchens where the school teaches courses like Basic Culinary Arts, Baking, Meat Fabrication & Saucier and Advanced Baking & Showpieces. Students also gain real-world skills in the Front Line Kitchen which is a student-run restaurant (du Jour). AZI's program begins with 6 weeks dedicated to learning the “Basics,”
Programs: Arizona's Culinary Institute's Diploma program can be completed in as little as 8 months. 80% of the program is hands-on cooking time instead of a classroom-focused program
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: ACI runs the French Classic du Jour Restaurant where student can apply skills learned in the classroom. Du Jur is said to be one part fine dining restaurant and one part student laboratory. The final course of the program is a paid position as an Intern at a restaurant, resort, catering or other culinary location. This consists of 7 credits and 210 hours.
Staff and Alumni: Students at ACI are surrounded by a team of talented chefs who know what it takes to succeed in the industry. ACI chefs have all been carefully chosen and provide a diverse and well-balanced range of expertise. ACI runs an online site where alumni can communicate with each other and find information about job placement.
Awards and Industry Reputation: ACI was the recipient of the 2009-2010 ACCSC School of Excellence award.
Graduation and Placement: In a recent poll by Arizona Culinary Culinary, 76% of ACI graduates completed the program in 8 months or less. There has been is a 90% job placement rate over the past 5 years.
Location: The school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona which has an eclectic mix of nightclubs and restaurants
#12 NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOSPITALITY STUDIES at SULLIVAN UNIVERSITY Louisville, KY
History and Current Facility: Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) has long set the standard for hospitality education, earning a reputation over the past three decades as one of the top hospitality schools in the U.S.
Programs: Sullivan’s streamlined curriculum and year-round, 11-week quarters allow you to complete your degree in as little as 18 months. NCHS offers nine degree programs ranging from a Diploma in Personal/Private Chef to a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. There are more than 650 students enrolled in the various tracks.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: Sullivan boasts a 3.5-star restaurant, Winston's that is completely run by culinary students, a retail bakery, and a state-of-the-art catering facility that serves the local community. Note: Winstons is currently closed but plans to reopen in 2016 with a new focus.
Staff and Alumni: NCHS have authors and winners of top awards within the 30 faculty members, including Chef Spendlove, a certified master chef, who bring a collective 1,000 years of experience to help teach, guide and mentor students in every aspect of the hospitality work place.
Awards and Industry Reputation: NCHS' extremely successful student competition teams have won over 400 gold, silver and bronze medals that include four awards from the 2012 Culinary Olympics in Germany.
Graduation and Placement: The graduation rate at Sullivan University averages 69% over their culinary programs. The Career Services department plays a major role in the successful employment of graduates.
Location: Louisville, KY, which has been voted one of the Top 10 Restaurant Cities in America
#13 BOSTON UNIVERSITY METROPOLITAN COLLEGE PROGRAMS IN FOOD AND WINE Boston, MA
History and Current Facility: Cofounded by Julia Child and Jacques Pépin in 1989, this intensive, semester-long program exposes students to classic French techniques and international cuisines. Merging the best aspects of traditional culinary arts study with hands-on instruction in BU's state-of-the-art laboratory kitchen, the program provides insight into the food industry and prepares students for a wide variety of jobs.
Programs: With the Traditional Culinary Arts program, students receive a Certificate in the Culinary Arts from Boston University upon completion of the program. BU also hosts a Wine Studies Program and a comprehensive multidisciplinary Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) in Gastronomy to round out its Food & Wine programs. The Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) in Gastronomy is a unique, multidisciplinary program that encompasses the arts, the humanities, and the natural and social sciences. Students in the program examine the role of food in historical and contemporary societies from a variety of perspectives—gaining a holistic view of the impact of food, food science, and nutrition on world civilization. The school offers not only Associate’s Degrees in Baking & Pastry or the Culinary Arts, but also a Bachelor’s Degree (BBA) in Hospitality Management plus the chance to enhance your degree with minors in Culinary Management or Tourism and Destination Management. Over 400 hours of instruction leads to mastery of both the basic classic and modern techniques.” There are also Graduate programs in Gastronomy and Food Studies open to the general public and industry professionals, Boston University's Lifelong Learning offers a variety of food and wine certificate programs, as well as seminars, lectures,and gastronomic tours.
Staff and Alumni: Our faculty includes some of the world's finest chefs, including Chef Pépin, Mary Ann Esposito (chef and host of Ciao Italia), Michael Leviton (chef and owner of Area Four and Lumiere), Jamie Bissonnette (chef and owner of Coppa and Toro, named 2014 Best Chef Northeast at the James Beard Foundation Award and others.
Awards and Industry Reputation: Boston Globe Recognizes Award-Winning Chef Jacques Pépin Ahead of MET 50 Gal and Barry Maiden, food and wine instructor for Metropolitan College who received the coveted James Beard Foundation Award as Best Chef: Northeast for 2015. The Boston Globe Food Section staff—led by Globe Food Editor Sheryl Julian—won first place for Best Newspaper Food Coverage awarded at the annual Association of Food Journalists conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. Julian serves as an instructor in MET’s Certificate Program in the Culinary Arts and Programs in Food & Wine—and has helped launch the food writing careers of many students from the College’s culinary arts and gastronomy programs.
Graduation and Placement: Upon successful completion, students receive a Certificate in the Culinary Arts from Boston University. An Online Gastronomy Blog at BU can be used to assist students in gathering more information. Gastronomy graduates share their reflections, stories and careers post-BU.
Location: Boston, MA.
#14 INTERNATIONAL CULNARY SCHOOL IN WASINGTON DC
History and Current Facility: The International Culinary School in Washington DC opened its doors in 2000. The school is part of the Art Institutes, a system of over 50 schools throughout North America. Programs.
Programs: Associate of Arts degree in Culinary Arts, Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts and a Baking & Pastry Program. The school also offers: A Diploma in Culinary Arts, Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts Management, Associate of Arts degree in Wine, Spirits & Beverage Management and a Diploma in Baking & Pastry.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: The Culinaire Restaurant is the student-run restaurant at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Washington. Located just across the river from Washington, DC, the Culinaire Restaurant provides culinary students with real-world experience and instructional content—and provides diners with a unique culinary experience.
Awards and Industry Reputation: The culinary program at the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Washington has received notoriety from several local media outlets, including The Washington Post, The Washington Times, and WRC-TV, NBC’s Washington, D.C. affiliate.
Location: Arlington, VA
#15 ESCOFFIER SCHOOL OF CULINARY ART Austin, TX
History and Current Facility: Esoffier was founded by Joan Brett in 1991 as Cooking School of the Rockies. In 1993 the school changed its name to Culinary School of the Rockies (CSR). The school introduced its first professional program, Culinary Arts in 1996. In 2011, CSR became an affiliate of Escoffier, which is located in Texas. Since that merger, Triumph Higher Education has purchased both the former Culinary School of the Rockies as well as the Escoffier Texas campus. Facilities inclid ea state-of-the-art, modern kitchen, and its in-depth curriculum is faithful to the skills, techniques, and recipes developed by Escoffier. Class sizes are small, with an average class size of fifteen students, meaning students receive the individual attention needed to succeed. Both culinary schools are now known as Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and affiliated with the Auguste Escoffier Foundation as well as the Le Musée Escoffier de l'Art Culinaire, located in France. Michel Escoffier, the great-grandson of Auguste Escoffier and the President of the Auguste Escoffier Foundation, is also the school's Advisory Board Member. The school has two campuses, the Boulder, Colorado campus and the Austin, Texas campus, as well as an online culinary program called Escoffier Online International Culinary Academy.
Programs: Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts (a 60 week program), Certificate in Culinary Arts and a Certificate in Culinary Arts. Escoffier at Austin Texas has their own Garden Club where they grow their own produce for use in classes. Escoffier also has an online culinary program.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: With the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts 60-week program there is Farm-to-Table experience on a working farm and an Industry Externship that allows you to apply your food service preparation, operation and management skills and knowledge.
Staff and Alumni: Notable alumni include: Antoinette Williams, Chef,at Peché Restaurant, Lezlie Mills Gibbs, Head Pastry Chef & Co-Kitchen Manager at La Pâtisserie by Luxe Sweets, and Diedra Rae, Pastry Chef / Owner of Sweet D'licious.
Awards and Industry Reputation: The school has an especially strong and well-known Baking and Pastry Program.
Graduation and Placement: You will receive assistance with job placement while in school and upon graduation. Escoffier's Career Services staff will provide resume writing assistance, application and job interview preparation, industry referrals, networking opportunities and weekly job listings.
Location: Austin, TX
#16 SAN FRANCISCO COOKING SCHOOL San Francisco, CA
History and Current Facility: 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)
Programs: 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 and/or Restaurant Training: 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.
Location: Based in the heart of San Francisco CA —one of the United States’ true culinary epicenters
#17 CULINARY INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK AT MONROE COLLEGE New Rochelle, NY
History and Current Facility: In the few years since the founding in 2009 of the Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College their program has produced award-winning culinary teams, students, faculty and staff, as well as a critically acclaimed student-run restaurant, The Dining Lab, deemed a "training ground for students" by The Wall Street Journal and "the little kitchen that could" by The New York Times. Their culinary competition team has won over 600 ACF medals and has been named New York State Champions for two years running.
Programs: Associate (AAS) Degree Program in Culinary Arts, Associate (AAS) Degree Program in Baking and Pastry and an Associate (AAS) Degree Program in Hospitality Management
Staff: Dean Frank Costantino, named Chef of the Year by the ACF Long Island Chapter, and pastry instructor Ebow Dadzie, who was named one of the 2014 Top Ten Pastry Chefs in the U.S. by Dessert Professional.
Externships and or Restaurant Training: The Dining Lab Launched in 2013, The Dining Lab is a critically acclaimed contemporary American fine dining restaurant run entirely by students from the Culinary Institute of New York (CINY).
Awards and Industry Reputation: Top 10 Culinary Arts Schools in the Northeast by fdfworld.com (Food Drink Franchaise), Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College earned 2 gold and 4 silver at the ACF Philly show in 2016 and The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College won Top Team and Individual Titles at Prestigious ACF Northeast Regional Competition in 2016.
Graduation and Placement: CINY has the unique advantage of close proximity to New York City, providing students continuous exposure to the industry’s highest standards in the hospitality capital of the world.
Location: New Rochelle, N.Y. with easy access to New York City and its 23,000 restaurants.
#18 SAN DIEGO CULINARY INSTITUTE San Diego, CA
History and Current Facility: SDCI is a fairly new culinary school only having been around for 12 years. SDCI is unique in that they are family owned and have only one campus location. Every classroom includes work space for every student, including burners, pots, pans, large utensils, and (for the patisserie students) a full sized cutting block. Each student has their own work-station with a full-sized cutting block, induction burner, and plenty of open space for their utensils and cooking materials. Everything from your knives to the pots and pans are very high quality and very similar to the materials you'll be using once you start working in some of the finest kitchens in the world. Since the school was founded, SDCI have doubled their classroom space and expanded their programs.
Programs: SDCI offers the Advanced Professional Diploma in Cuisine and an Advanced Professional Diploma in Pastry. Classes are small, there are never more than 16 students in well-equipped kitchen classrooms
Externships and or Restaurant Training: At the conclusion of your program, you will use your skills in a live professional kitchen under the tutelage of an experienced Executive Chef, committed to furthering your education.
Staff and Alumni: Staff at San Diego Culinary Institute bring a minimum of 5 and an average of 10 years as an Executive Chef and have an average of over 25 years total culinary experience. All staff possess the Certified Executive Chef designation. SDCI alumnus and Top Chef Contestant,
Awards and Industry Reputation: Rich Sweeney, was recently voted as the runner-up for best chef of San Diego in 2011. His restaurant, R Gang Eatery, was voted runner-up for best new restaurant in 2011. Chef Sweeney employs several SDCI grad of which , includes his sous chef.
Graduation and Placement: Once you complete your studies at SDCI, the school will place you in an externship with a top rank hotel, restaurant, resort, or catering company — in San Diego or throughout the country. Many SDCI students take full-time employment from their extern host.
Location: San Diego, CA
#19 SECCHIA INSTITUTE FOR CULINARY EDUCATION Grand Rapids, MI
History and Current Facility: In a 60,000-square-foot space, the institute gives students hands-on experience preparing and serving food under the supervision of faculty in on-campus restaurants, including Art & Bev’s Bistro and The Heritage. At Grand Rapids Community College traditional classrooms have been transformed into state-of-the-art learning spaces.
Programs: The school offers the following programs: A.A.A.S. Culinary Arts, A.A.A.S. Restaurant Management, Certificates in Baking & Pastry Arts, Craft Brewing, Packaging and Service Operations, Culinary Arts for Personal Chefs, Advanced Certificates in Baking and Pastry Arts, and Hospitality Management. .Secchia's average class size is 22.9 students, and 92% of our faculty hold master’s or doctoral degrees.
Externships and or Restaurant Training: The Craft Brewing Internship is designed for students to participate in a brewery related internship experience of paid or unpaid work and learning activities involving employers and departmental instructional staff. Students work a minimum of 16 hours per week under supervision at department approved employment locations. The Heritage Restaurant is a fine dining public restaurant staffed by culinary school students under the direct supervision of Chef Professors and Table Service Professors. The Fountain Hill Brewery is operated by students enrolled in the Craft Brewing, Packaging and Service Operations certificate. Art and Bev's Bistro is a cafe operated by students from GRCC's Secchia Institute for Culinary Education under the careful guidance of Chef Michael Whitman. In addition to bistro fare, it also regularly features a variety of baked goods for sale, hand-crafted by the Secchia Institute's pastry arts students.
Staff and Alumni: Werner Absenger the new Program Director of the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College hopes to bring a more holistic view to hospitality education focusing on three aspects that the SICE offers: culinary, brewing, and hospitality management.
Awards and Industry Reputation: Secchia Institute for Culinary Education has been consistently awarded American Culinary Federation (ACF) accreditation with exemplary status since its inception more than 30 years ago. A recent article in the national Full Service Restaurant magazine, named SICE one of America's top 20 culinary schools
Graduation and Placement: To get information on career opportunities, visit the Student Employment Services.
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
#20 DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CULINARY ARTS New Orleans, LA
History and Current Facility: Culinary Arts is one of Delgado's premier programs, training students for careers in the food services and the restaurant industry. Delgado's Culinary Arts Department provides academic instruction through both theoretical and hands-on experiences; as well as, supervised practical work experience in the field of food service, culinary arts, and the hospitality industry.
Programs: The school offers the Culinary Arts, A.A.S., Certificate Programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Culinary Management. Based on individual interests and ambitions, students can choose to concentrate in either Chef Apprenticeship, Catering, or Pastry Arts.The Line Cook Certificate of Technical Studies prepares students to work in service, production, fast foods, and baking areas of the food service industry.
Students will receive academic instruction through both theoretical and hands-on experiences, as well as supervised practical work experience in the field of food service, culinary arts, and the hospitality industry.
Externships and/or Restaurant Training: Students concentrating in Chef Apprenticeship will get the chance to study under executive chefs of hotels and restaurants in the metropolitan New Orleans area and follow the traditions of the European culinary apprenticeship programs.
Location: New Orleans, LA