Question about culinary schools.....

[beautybelle]

Is there anyone here that has went or is going or sent their child to culinary school?
Culinary Institute of America
Cordon Bleu
Art Institute
Any of them really?

If so I would like to hear any info you can impart. Especially cost and experience and degrees and such.

Thanks.

Oh, the reason im asking is I know a parent and their teen who is trying to decide where to go.

 

[brytorlyn]

I am curious about those schools too. My daughter is going to Culinary School this September but we are in Canada so I have not really looked at those schools very seriously but I would like to hear from people who have.

I looked at the the Cordon Bleu institute here in Ottawa, Ontario and the cost for one year was something like $45,000. I was floored!!! She will be going to a well reputed college here but is thinking that after the 2 year program she is considering specializing in baking and that would be $20,000 for a year at the the Cordon Bleu.

 

[ajk912]

What is the ultimate goal? You can get a job in a kitchen with no experience. You can work your way up the culinary food chain without a degree. You can definitely become a sous chef without a degree.

My DH is actually an executive chef of a hotel without a college degree. He did do an apprenticeship type program (free, and in fact he was paid minimum wage for 2 years) and that's his only education (besides high school, of course). Now he has 20 years of experience so he has the BTDT degree.

Some places want you to be ACF (American Culinary Federation) certified, I don't think my DH has ever said anything about anyone being upset that he doesn't have a college degree. It doesn't seem to be necessary, really, in the kitchen world. Heck, even Rachael Ray doesn't have one, and she's on tv.

 

[brytorlyn]

I just looked up the tuition for the Culinary Institute of America....It would cost over $100,000 to send a child there plus room and board!!!! I have a friend who paid that for medical school...

It is true that you don't NEED a degree to be a cook/chef. My daughter is a garde manger for a very nice restaurant and she is a high school student still...I can see be able to work your way up the ladder.

We are sending our DD to a good college program..it will cost us about $10,000 to $12,000 plus room and board and where we live (near Toronto/Niagara Falls) she will be able to find a job in a fine cuisine restaurant.

 

[TLHB70]

I want to follow this thread because DD is very interested in attending a culinary school. She is only in middle school now so I have a while before she has to make the decision. She loves cooking and wants to have a career in that area. Hopefully I can learn a bit from all of you. I do not know anyone that has gone to a culinary school nor do I know anyone that works in the restaurant business.

 

[pixie dust 112]

My BIL went to the Culinary Institute of AMerica. It is a fantastic school, but definitely pricey! I think they have both 2 and 4 year programs. We live fairly close to Hyde Park, so have had the opportunity to eat at the CIA....I can tell ya the quality of the cuisine is incredible so I guess they are teaching them something!

 

[lilysmommy]

I teach culinary arts at a local technical college. We are 2 year program with both a technical degree and an associates degree. We are an ACF accredited program. This means my students and department are held to the same standards as the CIA and Le Cordon Bleu schools Associates degree programs. Many places will not require any formal training but some do. I would advise looking at the ACF website and finding a program that offers what this individual is looking for.

BTW - our program is approximately $500.00 a year in tuition with uniforms, books, knife kits and kitchen tools separate.

LilysMommy

 

[beautybelle]

100,000 dollars!!! ohmygosh thats unbelievable. I wonder if the other schools are cheaper?

Somebody asked what they were going for, well im thinking he is interested in baking/pastry area of it.

 

[LSURyan]

Intrested in Louisiana? Try this http://www.nicholls.edu/culinary/

 

[LSURyan]

Intrested in Louisiana? Try this http://www.nicholls.edu/culinary/

 

[phorsenuf]

My son goes to culinary school at Johnson and Wales in Providence , RI. They have 4 campuses (?) across the country. They are one of the top culinary schools in America.

It is an incredible school. They have trimesters there. 2 of them are kitchen labs and 1 is academics. My son had his academics first so he got that out of the way and just cooked the rest of the year. They have 1 class for 6 hours a day for 9 days. Then they have their final and move on to the next class. So one may be sauces, the next pastry, the next front of house, etc. He has learned how to butcher meat, learned all about wines ( they are actually exempt from federal drinking age laws so the kids can try all the different wines to properly learn about them.) They can of course only drink in the class. It's actually a dry campus. He had a bar tending class where each student has a complete bar setup and learns how to bartend. For their final they shut off the lights, turn on the disco ball and crank the music. The instructor comes up and gives you an order for x amount of drinks and you have x amount of time to do it.

They have a microbrewery sponsored by Coors and at the end they send their beer that they designed and brewed to Coors for tasting.

They learn about ordering, how to run a dining room, how to wait at a fine restaurant and so much more.

They also have a 2 year program for just baking and pastry.

It really is a most incredible school. Expensive? Hell yes but what you learn is incredible. The internships they offer makes me jealous. LOL

Granted you can work your way up into a restaurant to a point but if you want to cook, and I mean really really cook than a culinary college is where you want to be. They also teach you how to order, how to keep a kitchen properly stocked, nutrition and much much more. You learn all aspects of working and running a kitchen.

The thing that killed us most the first year was room and board. This coming year he and 4 other kids are sharing an apartment so that's a huge savings there and he got a great financial aid package so it's extremely affordable this time around.

He loves it there. Feel free to ask me (and I'll ask him) any questions you may have.

Here's a link o some of the degrees they offer. Check out the website, it offers a lot of information. http://www.jwu.edu/content.aspx?id=19586

Emeril actually went to school here and many other famous chefs.

 

[chell]

If their child is interested in going to a school like those listed they aren't going to get a job in just any ole restaurant, they will be working in a high end restaurant. My suggestion would be either the CIA or Johnson and Wales. Sadly I do not have personal experience with either of those schools, but I have followed the industry enough to know those are excellent schools. They turn out some of, if not the best chefs in this country. It is worth every penny. It will not be easy, it's a lot of hard work.

 

[phorsenuf]

If their child is interested in going to a school like those listed they aren't going to get a job in just any ole restaurant, they will be working in a high end restaurant. My suggestion would be either the CIA or Johnson and Wales. Sadly I do not have personal experience with either of those schools, but I have followed the industry enough to know those are excellent schools. They turn out some of, if not the best chefs in this country. It is worth every penny. It will not be easy, it's a lot of hard work.

I sure hope so!

 

[beautybelle]

Wow, I didnt even know about Johnson & Wales. I will definately tell her about that one for sure.

BTW phorsenuf, I love your siggie about the roses in December. That is beautiful.

 

[TLHB70]

My son goes to culinary school at Johnson and Wales in Providence , RI. They have 4 campuses (?) across the country. They are one of the top culinary schools in America.

There is one in Charlotte, about 25 minutes from our house. That is the school that my DD has asked about. Since she is currently in middle school I haven't really looked at the prices or details. Charlotte also has a few other culinary schools.
I was not expecting the price to be as high as what is posted here....

 

[phorsenuf]

Wow, I didnt even know about Johnson & Wales. I will definately tell her about that one for sure.

BTW phorsenuf, I love your siggie about the roses in December. That is beautiful.

Thanks. It's actually a line in Armageddon. I just love that movie.

Definitely check out JWU. They are a fantastic school. Where are you?

 

[HARASW]

My DD went to culinary school, here in NY, immediately after graduating HS. It was a wonderful experience. She specialized in pastry arts.

If there are any specific questions that you have, please let me know.

 

[amid chaos]

DH went to Culinary Institute of America. An outstanding school and as previously posted $$$$. You can get a 2 year associates degree or a 4 year bachelors. Anyone coming successfully out of the school will be very employable by high end restaurants and corporations. Early in our marriage we moved around alot so he got some fantastic experiences...Switzerland, The Williamsburg Inn, The Woodstock inn, Greenbriar, a beautiful resort in the caribbean.

Johnson and Wales in Providence is also an excellent school. DH has had interns from the school and has employed many graduates.

 

[Imzadi]

100,000 dollars!!! ohmygosh thats unbelievable. I wonder if the other schools are cheaper?

DH went to Culinary Institute of America. An outstanding school and as previously posted $$$$.

Early in our marriage we moved around alot so he got some fantastic experiences...Switzerland, The Williamsburg Inn, The Woodstock inn, Greenbriar, a beautiful resort in the caribbean.

CIA is the equivalent to going to Harvard or Yale in the culinary industry.

As someone asked, it really depends on what the teen's ultimate goals are. Does (s)he want to work in little, hometown restaurants? Or like the above poster, the CIA will open doors to work around the world.

Someone else mentioned living near Hyde Park. The student can probably live off campus. Poughkeepsie is nearby with Vassar College & Dutchess Community College. I think Marist College is nearby, too. So, (s)he will be able to possibly find college roommates for shared housing nearby, which may be cheaper.

You might also look at the culinary bios of the people who were on Top Chef. Several of them went to great schools and then went onto work at high end restaurants before being chosen to compete. One gal ended up working in Dubai before the show.

The Food Network's Bobby Flay, went to the French Culinary Institute here in NY. he now has three different style restaurants in NYC and one in Las Vegas.

Tyler Florence went to Johnson & Wales down in Virginia or SC. It opened the doors to him working becoming a sous chef at a fancy NY restaurant, before moving on. Hosea, the winner of Top Chef, last season, also went to the same Johnson & Wales.


One thing I did notice in watching Top Chef is that most of the chefs in all seasons usually weren't good at dessert & baking. From what I've heard. it's a whole other headset to do baking. Cooking, they can add a pinch of this, a dash of that, a handfull of something else. Baking requires precision & skill. One has to put in the right amount of baking powder or flour or it just does not come out right.

 

[AmyinKY]

I went to Sullivan University in Louisville, KY for their baking and pastry arts degree. Yes, it is expensive, but I did receive a quality education from many experienced chefs. It has been my experience that there are a lot of tech schools promoting their culinary department and those do little to prepare you to work in the field. Their diploma is not worth anything. J & W as well as the CIA do produce great chefs, but so does the Culinard, Sullivan and many others. Do your research, decide what you want to do with the education you receive before you enroll in a school. Weigh the cost of the education vs. where the diploma will open up doors for you.