FoodPlaces

The 4 Best Cooking & Culinary Schools in the United States!

Hello! If you have arrived at this here webpage, you are probably interested in learning what the best cooking schools and culinary institutes in America are. These culinary schools are renowned for their excellence in culinary education, hands-on training, and experienced faculty, providing aspiring chefs with a solid foundation for a successful culinary career.

Please note that the culinary education landscape may change! Tuition and other costs to higher education are pretty much always increasing, while standards for admissions can decrease the richer your family is. Faculty can turn over, and facilities may not be as modern as those of other schools.

Also, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some elite cooking schools — like the San Francisco Cooking School and the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) — to totally shut down and close entirely. With that in mind, this list is shorter than we may like so it is always a good idea to research and verify the latest information before making any decisions — especially if you are going to go into six-figure debt over enrolling in culinary school.

Is the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts any good?

Hell yes. The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, with campuses in Boulder, Colorado, and Austin, Texas, as well as an online option, has established itself as a leading culinary institution with a rich legacy. Founded in 2011 through the acquisition of the Culinary School of the Rockies, the school embodies the timeless culinary techniques and philosophy of the legendary Chef Auguste Escoffier — who is considered one of the greatest chefs who ever lived in the world. Offering an array of programs, including food entrepreneurship, baking and pastry, plant-based culinary arts, and hospitality, the school prepares students for diverse culinary careers. Auguste Escoffier’s influence on culinary history is profound, and the school continues to pass down his principles, including the brigade de cuisine system. With more than 130 chef instructors, the school takes pride in being the largest culinary school in the nation. These instructors, many of whom are seasoned executive chefs and restaurateurs, provide invaluable expertise and mentorship to aspiring culinary professionals. Industry recruiters have praised Escoffier graduates, lauding them as “predictable” (in that good way, of course), and confident in their proper training, making them highly sought after in the culinary world.

An old-timey photograph of Auguste Escoffier with the caption King of Chefs!
image via wikimedia

How do I apply to the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts?

🍴 Ready to take the first step towards an exciting culinary career? 🍴 Apply now to the prestigious Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and embark on a culinary journey steeped in tradition and innovation. Join the esteemed faculty, experienced chefs, and industry experts as you learn the time-honored techniques and modern culinary practices of the legendary Chef Auguste Escoffier. With campuses in Boulder, Colorado, and Austin, Texas, as well as an online option, they offer a diverse range of programs to suit your culinary passions. Don’t miss this opportunity to become a part of the Escoffier legacy and receive training that will set you apart in the culinary world. Take the leap and apply today by clicking this link! You should also research what kind of financial aid options the school offers. You’re sure to get an excellent culinary education here. 🍽️🔪

How Good is the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)? 

It’s excellent — perhaps the best culinary school in American. The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), nestled in Hyde Park, New York, boasts an extensive reach with branch campuses in St. Helena and Napa, California, San Antonio, Texas — and even Singapore! — catering to culinary enthusiasts globally. Established in 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut, CIA holds the distinction of being the first culinary arts school in the United States, pioneering culinary education. The institute offers a diverse array of programs, ranging from certificate programs to associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, catering to students with varying career aspirations. Dubbed the “think tank of the food industry,” CIA is renowned for its innovative and cutting-edge approach to culinary arts. Its website offers an interactive feature that allows prospective students to chat with current students and ambassadors, providing an inside look into the vibrant life at the institute. There’s no culinary education quite like the CIA: the impressive list of esteemed alumni includes big food personalities such as Roy Choi, Anne Burrell, Scott Conant — not to mention the brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, beautiful and legendary Anthony Bourdain — further cementing CIA’s status as a premier institution shaping the culinary world.

Click on the picture to buy the classic Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain!

A photo of Anthony Bourdain standing next to a person whose face is obscured by the cover of his book Kitchen Confidential. The image is surrounded by various cartoon chefs, heart graphics, and a sign that reads 'ANTHONY FUCKING BOURDAIN' in bold letters.

How do I apply to the Culinary Institute of America?

🍴 Excited to kickstart your culinary journey? Applying to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is easy! 🍴 Begin your path to one of the top cooking schools in the US and becoming a skilled chef, pastry artist, or hospitality professional by visiting the official website. Explore comprehensive culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and hospitality management programs and find the one that matches your passion. With campuses in Hyde Park, New York, and branch campuses in St. Helena and Napa, California, San Antonio, Texas, and Singapore, CIA offers a diverse array of culinary experiences — as well as guidance on the kind of financial aid and scholarships available to help lower your costs. Don’t miss the chance to learn from renowned chefs and industry experts, gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art kitchens, and immerse yourself in one of the world’s culinary capitals. Take the first step and apply now to CIA to unlock a world of culinary possibilities! 🍽️🔪

Does Johnson & Wales University (JWU) have a great hospitality school?

Yes, JWU has an outstanding hospitality program — perhaps the best hospitality program in the world and some of the finest culinary education you’ll find in America. Originally founded in 1914 by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales as a business school, Johnson & Wales University (JWU) has evolved into a prestigious institution with a strong emphasis on culinary education. With its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island, a sister campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an online presence, JWU offers culinary programs that provide students with comprehensive and hands-on training. One of JWU’s unique features is the operation of hotels that double as education opportunities for hospitality students, offering real-world experience in the industry. Additionally, the university boasts NCAA regulation athletic facilities and a sports program of quality competitive to schools with more extensive sports offerings. With notable alumni like Emeril Lagasse, and MasterChef personalities Graham Elliot and Aarón Sánchez, JWU’s culinary programs have garnered significant recognition. The university takes pride in its high percentages of career outcome rates and job offers after paid internships, demonstrating the effectiveness of its culinary education. JWU’s faculty is a strength, consisting of experienced chefs, industry professionals, and culinary experts, bringing invaluable insights and expertise to the classroom and preparing students for successful careers in the culinary world.

How can I apply to Johnson & Wales University (JWU)?

If you are looking for undergraduate application options to either the Providence or Charlotte campuses then apply via this handy link! No matter what kind of application you’ll be providing — early action, regular (rolling), or as a transfer — make sure you are observing all deadlines. In the meantime, make sure you really really really want to go to JWU by doing as much research as you can about their culinary programs, as well as tuition and fees, financial aid packages, grants, and scholarships. Who knows! Maybe with the culinary education you get at JWU will make you the next Emeril Lagasse and have a deep fryer with your branding on it!

Also, we told an AI to create a “classroom full of aspiring chefs listening to a teacher at a culinary cooking school” and this is what it gave us. Scary!

We told openart ai "A classroom full of aspiring chefs listening to a teacher at a culinary cooking school" and this is what it gave us
via openartAI

Is the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) good?

Yes! Established in 1975, the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) is a premier culinary school in New York City that is actually pretty great, but it unfortunately shares an acronym that should not be confused with a very bad certain fascist-enabling organization. Despite this, the good ICE has gained widespread acclaim and has produced notable alumni, including cooking personalities Bobby Flay and Vivian Howard. The school’s state-of-the-art facilities boast a variety of culinary classrooms and teaching kitchens equipped with modern cooking technology, a bean-to-bar chocolate lab, a vegetable farm, and a hydroponic herb garden, supporting its diverse curriculum. Beyond its foundational programs, the good ICE offers continuing education opportunities in cake decorating and sommelier training. The good ICE’s contributions to the culinary landscape have earned praises from influential figures like Danny Meyer and Wolfgang Puck, solidifying its position as a leading institution in culinary education. The ICE is indeed one of the top cooking schools in the US.

How do I apply to the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE)?

We hope you mean the good ICE and not the bad ICE! If you would like to go to the good ICE for an outstanding culinary education and one of the top cooking schools in the country and apply to enroll into the Institute of Culinary Education, it boosts an “easy to access” and “quick to complete” application process that can take less than 10 minutes. Whether you’re interested to attend the one in New York City or their location in Pasadena, Los Angeles, or even online, you’ll have to get your all your stuff together regarding the required documents and financing plan. If you want to apply to the bad ICE, we’re not going to help you so you can go fuck yourself off our Content Bash website.

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Image Credit: Jorge Royan via Wikimedia Commons

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