2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST COOKING SCHOOLS IN AMERICA
2017 Ranking of the Best Culinary Schools in America
Cooking and preparing a fine meal are best taught by professionals. While some of us have an innate ability to pair spices with meats and create elaborate dishes, the majority of chefs will require instruction from one of the many culinary arts schools in the country.
The best culinary schools can give you the techniques and knowledge you need to make it in the restaurant industry. Through intensive culinary arts classes, you can learn to cook or bake pastries with finesse. But how do you recognize the best culinary schools in America?
Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Culinary Schools in America
We want you to know that you have options when it comes to your education, especially when you have to select a cooking school. Accomplished chefs have graduated from many of the best culinary schools in America instead of deferring to overseas and international programs.
In our detailed ranking of the best culinary schools, we’re going to show you how to find the best cooking schools in America. If you’re ready to learn how to sauté, julienne, and more, you’ll want to take another look at these top culinary schools.
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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Cooking Schools in America
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the schools below to go directly to the detailed review section for that cooking school):
- Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
- Culinary Institute at Hyde Park
- Institute of Culinary Education
- International Culinary Center
- L’Acadamie de Cuisine
- New England Culinary Institute
Top 6 Best Cooking Schools in America | Brief Comparison & Ranking
Top Culinary Schools | Location | Tuition |
| Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts | Boulder, Colorado Austin, Texas Online | Online: $14,995 Culinary Arts Diploma: starting at $18,300 Pastry Arts Diploma: $22,950 |
| Culinary Institute at Hyde Park | Hyde Park, New York | $14,315 per semester |
| Institute of Culinary Education | New York City, New York | Culinary Arts Program: $35,990 to $40,100 Pastry Arts Program: $29,550 to $38,350 |
| International Culinary Center | Campbell, California New York, New York | Culinary Arts Program: $29,900 to $39,900 |
| L’Acadamie de Cuisine | Gaithersburg, Maryland | $29,775 |
| New England Culinary Institute | Montpelier, Vermont Online | Certificate of Professional Cooking: $13,590 Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts: $113,710 |
Table: Top 6 Best Culinary Schools in America | Above list is sorted alphabetically
What Should You Look for in the Best Cooking Schools?
Education is a highly personal decision. Students all over the world have individual aspirations and goals for after their graduation. Even when it comes to finding the best culinary schools, the decision will largely be subjective to your dreams of becoming the next top chef.
One of the first things you should be looking for at the various culinary arts schools in the country is the program selection. Some culinary schools will offer certificates in professional cooking, while others offer full bachelor’s degrees. The type of education you receive will play a huge role in determining the cost of your tuition as well.
Image Source: Culinary Arts Schools
Beyond the certification, you should also consider which area you want to specialize in. The best culinary schools in America can provide multiple options for your concentration: culinary arts, farm-to-table cuisine, regional cuisine, or pastry making.
Understanding the primary focus of the culinary classes should assist you when it comes to deciding among the best culinary schools.
Once you narrow down the options for your preferred culinary institute, you need to consider its location.
This determines what types of externships may be available to you as well as where you will need to live for the coming months or years. The best culinary schools often have an online degree program available as well for those who cannot relocate for their education.
Consider looking for a cooking school that features an externship as part of the degree program. The opportunity to put your skills to the test as part of your certification can give you a leg up when it comes to getting a job after graduation.
Externships provide you with a safe environment to put your skills into practice. You gain real world skills in the restaurant business and can learn from top chefs who run their own kitchens. At many of the top culinary schools, you may even find that this portion of your education can score you a paycheck.
All of these factors will weigh into your decision regarding which of these culinary schools will be the best fit for you. It is a highly personal decision based on your dreams, goals, and practical living situation. Don’t underestimate the importance of thinking through these key factors when it comes to applying to the best cooking schools in America.
Image Source: New England Culinary Institute
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Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Cooking Schools in America
Below, please find the detailed review of each school on our list of top culinary schools. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these culinary arts schools to score so high in our selection ranking.
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Review
With two convenient campuses, the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is one of the best culinary schools in America for its unique curriculum. Prospective students searching for top culinary schools can select from their Boulder, Colorado or Austin, Texas campuses, as well as additional online options.
One of the unique draws that qualifies Auguste Escoffier as one of the best cooking schools in America is its farm-to-table focused studies. Up-and-coming chefs are taught that where their food comes from is just as significant as its preparation. Local food sources and sustainable practices are emphasized at their culinary institute.
Culinary classes are also available online, allowing you to learn the art from the comfort and convenience of your home. Instructors will be able to critique your skills, and you can learn through their recipes and technique videos.
Curriculum for a culinary arts diploma in both of their best culinary schools covers a total of thirty-six to forty weeks (depending on the campus), with topics including:
- Culinary foundations
- Culinary arts
- Regional and classical cuisines
- Culinary industry externships
Tuition
What qualifies Auguste Escoffier among the top culinary schools? Tuition for their classes is fairly reasonable, with the online option being the least expensive. You can earn your Culinary Arts Fundamentals for just $14,995.
From there, you can gain a culinary arts diploma from the Austin campus for slightly less than that of their Boulder campus. Consider the savings: $18,300 in Austin versus Boulder’s $27,700. A pastry arts diploma prices equally at both campuses ($22,950).
Culinary Institute at Hyde Park Review
The Culinary Institute at Hyde Park is considered one of the top culinary schools because of its wide variety of academics. The best culinary schools in America offered by the Culinary Institute of America (including the location at Hyde Park) were some of the first culinary schools in the country. Since 1946, they have been paving their way to be called one of the best culinary schools.
Unlike some of the other best cooking schools in America, The Culinary Institute offers more than just a culinary arts degree or diploma. Consider some of the different areas of study offered by these culinary arts schools:
- Bachelor’s degree in food business management
- Bachelor’s degree in culinary science
- Bachelor’s degree in applied food studies
- Associate degree in culinary arts or pastry arts
Even non-students can study in their culinary classes with workshops and classes offered on wine and beer as well as regular boot camps.
Tuition
Culinary Institute at Hyde Park is not only one of the best culinary arts schools in America, but it also maintains a high percentage of students who qualify for financial aid. They boast that 92% of students receive financial aid or scholarships to help cover the cost of their culinary arts classes.
Unfortunately, the top culinary schools often come with a price tag. The Culinary Institute at Hyde Park is no exception, with tuition rates including board coming in at $16,430 per semester. Without board, tuition itself runs approximately $14,315 per semester.
First-semester freshmen and sophomores will have a slightly higher total due to the initial purchase of supplies.
Over the course of four years, this would bring your tuition to a grand total of $131,440, including your room and board with a standard meal plan.
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Institute of Culinary Education Review
The Institute of Culinary Education, located in New York City, offers flexible solutions for potential chefs looking for the best cooking schools in America. You’ll find four different options for fields of study, ranging from culinary or pastry arts to hospitality management and restaurant management.
Their top culinary schools have received several prestigious awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. In 2015, 2011, 2008, and 2003, they were named the Culinary School of the Year. Alumni gave this culinary school a 93% recommendation rating.
Even better, their cooking classes are scheduled in a way to give students the flexibility they need. Complete a program in as few as eight months (morning or afternoon) or stretch it out for up to a year. The choice is yours at their top culinary school.
Tuition
Tuition is fairly affordable at this best culinary school, though pricing does vary among the scheduling options. Tuition for a culinary arts program ranges from $35,990 to $40,100.
Pastry and baking arts is slightly less expensive, coming it anywhere from $29,500 to $38,350.
In both cases, the tuition for this best culinary school in America includes your food, uniforms, iPad, books, knives, electives, and more.
International Culinary Center Review
With a long history of success as one of the best cooking schools in America, the International Culinary Center has an impressive track record. Over their years in business as a cooking school, this culinary institute has earned 137 Michelin stars and counting from their alumni.
Choose one of the two campuses that make up these top culinary schools: one in Campbell, California and the other right in the heart of New York, New York.
Students would agree that one of the major advantages to learning culinary arts at the International Culinary Center is the accelerated program. These top culinary schools will fit an incredible 600 hours of training into a short six- to nine-month period. You even have the ability to choose from three different culinary arts focuses:
- Professional culinary arts
- Culinary arts with farm-to-table intensive
- Italian culinary experience
For aspiring pastry chefs, both campuses have a professional pastry and baking component. The New York campus is the better of the culinary colleges for pastry making, with additional focuses on cake baking and decorating as well as bread making.
Tuition
Because there are a number of programs available from the International Culinary Center, tuition will fluctuate greatly. These culinary colleges range in price from $6,950 for culinary entrepreneurship to $42,900 for culinary arts with a farm-to-table intensive.
A general culinary arts program at either of these best cooking schools will range in price from $29,900 to $39,900 depending on the dates and scheduling you select. Tuition at these top culinary schools also includes your supplies.
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L’Acadamie de Cuisine Review
Nestled just minutes away from Bethesda, Maryland lies L’Academie de Cuisine, which has earned a spot as one of the best culinary schools. The French name may be deceiving: this culinary arts school is actually one of the best cooking schools in America for all types of modern cuisine.
L’Academie de Cuisine has earned its fair share of awards over the years from different organizations naming it one of the best cooking schools. Acknowledgments include:
- Top Ten Best Culinary Schools in America from TheBestSchools.org
- Best Culinary Schools in America from EDInformatics
- Cooking School of the Year from International Association of Culinary Professionals
- Top Twenty Culinary Schools from Full Service Restaurants magazine
The methodology behind their program is part of what ensured its name as one of the best cooking schools in America. Academics include three phases designed to prepare students for real-world application: classroom study and fundamentals, advanced kitchen training, and a paid apprenticeship.
Classroom sizes are incredibly small at these best culinary schools. To ensure one-on-one attention to your meal preparation and kitchen techniques, classes have no more than eight students at a time.
Tuition
Tuition fees are difficult to find on the website for this culinary arts school. However, you can utilize their tuition estimator to get a feel for what attending top culinary schools will ultimately cost you.
According to the calculator, tuition and fees tend to run in the ballpark of $29,775 with an additional $725 for book and supplies. This puts L’Academie de Cuisine in line with the cost of the other best culinary schools.
Image Source: L’Academie de Cuisine
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New England Culinary Institute Review
The New England Culinary Institute, located in Montpelier, Vermont has long been recognized as one of the best culinary schools in America. These culinary schools feature top training in one of the best environments for aspiring chefs.
Their curriculum and culinary classes are a huge contributing factor to their ranking among the best cooking schools in America. Small classes and a farm-to-table emphasis put students in a great position for future success within the restaurant industry.
If you opt to attend their culinary arts schools on campus, you can choose from one of three programs:
- Culinary arts
- Baking and pastry arts
- Food and beverage business management
Part of what makes the New England Culinary Institute one of the best cooking schools in America is the flexibility even within their culinary arts program. You can choose from a certificate (26 weeks), an associate of occupational studies (24 months), or a Bachelor of Arts (39 months). Your level of commitment to the craft determines which program is best suited to your needs.
Additionally, potential students may want to consider some of their online degree programs. You can earn a Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and food and beverage business management from the comfort of your own home.
Tuition
Tuition for the programs available through their top culinary schools varies greatly depending on the intensity of the education. For example, a certificate in professional cooking is relatively inexpensive at just $13,590 including materials.
At the other end of the spectrum is a more expensive option. A Bachelor’s degree through the on-campus program is the most expensive at $113,710 for the three-year duration. The online equivalent to this program runs just $25,200.
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Conclusion—Top 6 Best Cooking Schools in America
The best cooking schools will often depend on exactly what you hope to gain through your education. Whether you want to specialize in regional cuisine, obtain a certificate, or finish your bachelor’s degree, the top culinary schools all have different specialties to offer their students.
You will find top-notch education through culinary colleges around the country. Major cities and small towns can all be home to some of the best cooking schools in America. Think about where you would want to live as a deciding factor if you’re torn between several of these top culinary schools.
Regardless of which campus you select, the best culinary schools are there to help hone your professional skills and advance your techniques. Look for the campus and education that will ensure the greatest chance for future success within the restaurant industry.
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