California Culinary Schools

Culinary Schools in California

San Diego, Los Angeles and Hollywood are some of the most well known cities in California and the nation as a whole. Did you know that they are also great places to get a culinary arts degree? Indeed, those three cities are just a few of the places that you can obtain a culinary education in the state of California. You always have the option to study online as well, so a career in the food industry is just a few years of study away.

Before you jump into a degree program, you need to understand the different levels of training that colleges may provide. A simple one year program at a vocational school will offer just the right amount of skills for entry level work in the field. More advanced studies in some management skills can be found in a two year community college, but the biggest jobs can only be obtained through a full degree at a four year institute.

Tips for Choosing a Culinary School

There are many things to consider when selecting a college to attend. For one, you need to see how prepared they are to train you. That means you have to check the credentials of the staff and the inventory of the student kitchens. It may also be nice to note if they have any special restaurants on campus that are run entirely by students. You will get a lot of hands on experience there.

Learning the Local Food Culture

To really succeed in the California culinary world, you have to immerse yourself in local food culture. Take a tour of some of the restaurants in your area, and focus specifically on family-owned establishments that offer real food from real people. That will give you the best indication of how the average person eats in California so you can better adjust your cooking style. You may also attend some of the food festivals in the area, like one of these:

• Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival – Indio
• Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook Off and Festival – Santa Cruz
• San Francisco International Chocolate Salon – San Francisco
• California Strawberry Festival – Oxnard
• North Beach Festival – San Francisco

Become Certified and get a Real Gig as a Chef

You are going to be the key to your own success, so to get a job, you might as well start early. Go out and find an internship right when you get into school, even if you don’t think you’re prepared. Also join some local organizations and associations so you might be able to get a list of local job postings. Scholarships may be available there as well.

The job outlook for the culinary field is promising, and when you first get to work you might make $30,000 a year. Though this may seem small, a simple advancement in the workplace can lead to a lot more money. Food and beverage directors often make $70,000+ a year, so your financial options are out there. You just have to maintain the drive to succeed in your line of work.

California Technical Colleges Offering Culinary and Pastry Arts, Restaurant Management, and/or Hospitality Degrees

• The Art Institutes – San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Ana, Sunnyvale
• Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America – Pasadena, San Francisco, Hollywood, Sacramento
• Remington College – San Diego
• Ashworth College – Online