During the 1990s, many culinary schools saw a need for a higher level of professional training in the industry, with more attention given to the management side of the food service business. Accordingly, many schools began offering four-year courses. Since 2007, the American Culinary Federation Foundation Accreditation Commission has offered accreditation to schools countrywide. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges also offer accreditation.
Two-year culinary programs essentially turn out cooks. Four-year culinary programs build on this base by imparting the management skills necessary to run a restaurant or other food service operation. While there is some attention given to advanced cooking techniques, the majority of the courses are business-oriented, with a specific focus on the food service industry. These include, but are not limited to, courses on management, business communications, financial management, menu planning and marketing. The Culinary Institute of America's website lays out the course requirements for its program in a handy grid format.
The leading culinary schools are well-known, and most offer four-year programs. The Culinary Institute of America offers a Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, while rival Johnson & Wales offers degrees in both Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts. The New England Culinary Institute and California Culinary Academy also offer four-year programs. Several chain schools offer four-year degrees as well, foremost among them are Le Cordon Bleu and the Art Institutes. In the case of chain schools, not all locations may offer the advanced courses required for a bachelor's degree.
A variety of schools across the country offer four-year programs. A representative selection includes Lincoln Culinary Institute in Florida; Baltimore International College in Maryland; Kendall College in Chicago; Stratford University in Virginia; French Culinary Institute in NYC; Drexel University in Philadelphia; Bellevue University in Nebraska; Mountain State University in West Virginia; Nicholls State University in Louisiana; Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona and Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia. Complete lists of accredited schools change and are available from the accrediting bodies, or in some cases from the school's website.