Choosing a Cooking School

Choose a Cooking School That’s Right for You

What’s the best cooking school for me? What cooking schools are generally considered to be among the top 10 in culinary education? How do I really know if I’m going to a high-quality cooking school? You may find yourself asking these and many other questions as you look for the education experience that best prepares you for a successful culinary career.

Here are six key points you should keep in mind as you navigate the vast sea of cooking schools out there and decide which college program is right for you:

1. Choose a cooking school that will give you the best possible chance for success.

Look for:

• High graduation and employment rates.
• Opportunities for long-term career success with appealing salaries.
• A large, successful network of alumni leaders.
• A strong industry reputation that provides access to regional, national, and international career opportunities.

2. Choose a cooking school that emphasizes hands-on learning in kitchens and bakeshops, as well as real restaurant experiences.

Look for:

• A high number of hands-on instructional hours.
• A wide array of professionally equipped teaching kitchens and bakeshops.
• A variety of first-class restaurants on campus for professional training.
• Externships at leading restaurants, hotels, and resorts to gain real-world experience and make industry connections.

3. Choose a cooking school with a large faculty comprised of experienced, diverse, and accomplished chefs.

Look for:

• Number of Master Chefs or Master Bakers on faculty.
• Instructors who are Certified Hospitality Educators (C.H.E.s), a credential certifying that they are effective teachers.
• Diverse faculty that represents a variety of cultures and culinary experiences.
• “Celebrity” chefs on faculty who actually teach at, not just endorse, the school.
• Student/faculty ratios that allow for valuable individual mentoring.
• A “published” faculty and college; accomplished culinary educators are often authors of leading texts in the field.

4. Choose an accredited cooking school that offers bachelor’s and associate degree programs.

Look for:

• Associate degree programs that cover fundamental skills, techniques, and cuisine studies to prepare you for a variety of jobs in the foodservice industry.
• Bachelor’s degree programs that build the same foundation plus provide operational and management knowledge to prepare you for leadership positions beyond the kitchen and bakeshop.
• Accreditation by the leading regional accrediting commission for higher education, validating the quality of the college education provided.

5. Choose a cooking school that provides an active campus community and access to career and cultural resources.

Look for:

• A diverse student body and a variety of clubs, special events, and sports.
• Attractive, comfortable student housing, extensive recreational facilities, and a fun campus life experience.
• Access to major cities or regions where you can benefit from additional entertainment, cultural learning, and exposure to leading foodservice businesses.

6. Choose a cooking school that will give you excellent value, backed by a comprehensive financial aid program.

Look for:

• A clear description of tuition and other education expenses as an indicator of institutional quality and integrity. Schools should make this information readily available to you.
• An educational experience that maximizes your career opportunities by giving you valuable industry access and contacts.
• A professional, experienced financial aid staff ready to help you meet your needs.
• Scholarships made available by the cooking school to supplement federal and state aid programs.
• Financial aid support that continues through each year of study, not just the first year.

To research cooking schools, check out resources such as ShawGuides (www.shawguides.com, cooking and wine schools, career) and Peterson’s Culinary Schools (www.culinaryschools.com) to identify cooking schools of interest. Then visit the colleges’ Web sites and request viewbooks and catalogs to find out more about their programs and resources.

While the Web is a great general resource, avoid “top 10”-type ranking sites that typically advertise for a narrow selection of schools.