8 Top Rated Culinary Schools

Culinary schools can offer a thorough grounding in all of the major cooking arts and have produced many fantastic working chefs. These are specialist schools but the quality inevitably varies from place to place. Some are quite ordinary but others rise above the crowd to offer a superb culinary education.

1. Institute of Culinary Education, NYC

The Institute of Culinary Education started in 1975 and is incredibly demanding. Students must be at least 20 years old and have 2 years of college or work experience to be accepted into the program. The school draws students from around the globe and has won several awards. The institute regularly win top awards for it's work.

2. Johnson & Wales University

Since 1993, this school has been offering associate and bachelor degrees in Culinary Arts, making it one of the leading culinary colleges in the country. With several locations around the US, they offer programs in food marketing and food services, culinary arts, baking and pastry and culinary nutrition. Academic knowledge is mixed with hands-on work for a rounded education.

3. French Culinary Institute, NY

Many still regard French cuisine as the pinnacle of cooking and this school specializes in teaching it. There’s a faculty of famous names with hands-on classes and well-known visiting lecturers. They also run programs for culinary professionals and short programs for amateurs.

4. Pennsylvania Culinary Institute

The Pennsylvania Culinary Institute has been training chefs since 1986, originally as a branch of the Sawyer School. It offers two different associate degree programs, each 15 months long, in Specialized Technology in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary and Specialized Technology in Le Cordon Bleu Pastry. The school partners with the International Culinary Academy in Pittsburgh and ranks many top chefs among its alumni.

5. California Culinary Academy

There are some excellent culinary schools on the West Coast and San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy is one of the best. It offers classes in both classic and contemporary cuisine at its two campuses in the cit, but also focuses on practical skills like hotel operations which provide essential preparation for future careers.

6. Texas Culinary Academy

The only Cordon Bleu affiliated facility in the state, Texas Culinary Academy is massive with a 73,000 square foot facility that includes a demonstration area modeled on Le Cordon Bleu restaurants. Based in Austin, there’s not only a kitchen and classroom, but also a lab for those delving into food science as well as a specialized baking program. Financial aid is available for students who need it.

7. New England Culinary Institute

Offering a 2 year Associate degree in Culinary Arts, the New England Culinary Institute has very small class sizes with around seven students to each teacher so that each individual gets the best hands-on experience. Students can also study for a bachelor’s degree or an Associate degree in Food and Beverage Management. The school arranges internships, so students experience on the job training.

8. Sullivan University

In Louisville, Kentucky, Sullivan University might be unique in having its own 3 ½ star restaurant actually run by students. It focuses more on hospitality than anything else, with a choice of five different associate degrees available as well as diplomas in cooking and baking.