Top Culinary Schools - Culinary Institute of America

There is no doubt that one of the most revered and top culinary schools in America is The Culinary Institute of America also known as CIA. The Culinary Institute of America has a total of 3 campuses around the country, with their main campus located in Hyde Park, New York. The other two campuses are located in St. Helena, California and San Antonio, Texas. So no matter which part of the country you live in you will have the opportunity to attend one of these fantastic schools.

Whether you are looking to begin your culinary career or further you professional qualifications then the Culinary Institute of America is the place to look. Some of the degrees offered are: Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S) and Associate of Occupational Studies (A.O.S) degrees. The Associate of Occupational Studies can be obtained in either Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts. As you can see a wide range of courses are available from the CIA so you should be able to find something to meet your needs.

This school employs around 125 culinary instructors and chefs so there is no doubt that there is an abundance of knowledge to be gained from these instructors as you would expect from one of the top culinary schools in America.

The B.P.S. degree is a 38 month long course and the A.O.S. degrees are 21 months. All of these degrees are also followed up with an 18-week paid externship. This is a great way to get industry experience first hand as you will be working in a real world environment. This is something that absolutely cannot be taught in a classroom setting and has to be experienced. Many students find that they learn as much from taking part in the externship as they do in the classroom as you have to think on your feet and deal with different situations each day. It's also a great way to find out if you would enjoy working in certain types of environment.

However if you already have 4 or more years experience in the cooking industry then it is possible that you will be able to enter the accelerated program and bypass some of the introductory courses.

There is also an American Culinary Federation (ACF) accredited program for professional chefs already in the business who are looking to further both their skills and qualifications. Having a qualification like this on your resume can only help your job prospects in the future.

The Culinary Institute of America is the only school that has the authority to oversee the master chef certification test. So if you are already at the top of your culinary game looking to take the master chef test then be ready for a grueling 10-day long examination. Very few people in the world have actually passed this test as it is so tough.

CIA hasn’t become one of the top culinary schools in America by accident. This school boasts an impressive list of alumni. Famous chefs such as Anthony Bourdain, Todd English, John Besh, and Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes fame have all learned how to cook there.

The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology and Middle States Commission on Higher Education recognize all degrees obtained at CIA.

Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park campus in New York contains the most on campus restaurants out of all their locations. Students who have finished their externships usually finish out their courses by working at these campus restaurants. Restaurants include: The American Bounty Restaurant which serves traditional American food with local ingredients, The Escoffier Restaurant offers French style cuisine, The Ristorante Caterina de' Medici offers up delicious Italian dishes, St. Andrew's Café is for those looking for a more casual dining experience in this gorgeous cafe setting, and finally The Apple Pie Bakery Café is for some of the best deserts you will ever taste. If you're not able to make it one of these restaurants, the CIA offer the Culinary Institute of America Cookbook and Baking At Home With the Culinary Institute of America books for sale. You can get a taste of these fantastic restaurants at home.

A top culinary school comes with a top culinary price tag. The tuition averages out to around $13,000 a semester. There are a total of 8 semesters so the grand total is $104,000 for the full course. The Culinary Institute of America also offer living accommodation in residence halls for a price. Obviously the more people you share a room with the cheaper the price will be. For a single bedroom it is about $3,450 per semester while a room for 4 people is $2,185 per semester.

In summary, the Culinary Institute of America belongs on the list of top 10 culinary schools in America and if you can afford the tution, you will receive a fantastic education.