Deciding to attend an Italian chef school is a decision that should be undertaken with great care. Not only will you be expected to learn cooking techniques and recipes, but schools will also stress the language and culture that go into Italian cuisine. If you are attending a formal culinary school, you will be expected to learn restaurant management, cost control, menu planning and safety. Most Italian cooking schools require only a willingness to participate and dedication to practice. Schools providing degree programs in the culinary arts will require high school transcripts and certain prerequisite classes. Think seriously about the personal and financial requirements for attending culinary school. The Italian Culinary Academy in New York is an intensive 19-week program -- 10 weeks in New York and nine weeks in Parma, Italy -- at a cost of $41,000 as of 2011.
While you will not find many culinary schools in America that concentrate in Italian cuisine, many institutions provide industry standard certificates and programs to get you started in the restaurant industry. Le Cordon Bleu and The International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes have dozens of campuses across America to receive formal restaurant training. These programs not only prepare students in the culinary arts, but also include training in restaurant management, safety and food science. Gaining employment in an Italian eatery after graduation is the best way to hone your culinary skills.
What better place to learn how to cook Italian than in its birthplace. Not only will you learn to cook, but you will also experience the language, the history and the culture of Italy. The Italian Institute for Advanced Culinary & Pastry Arts and Scuola di Arte Culinaria Cordon Bleu both offer intensive three-month programs in Italian cuisine, but the requirements differ. Scuola di Arte Culinaria is open to all students, but you do not earn a certificate. The Italian Institute is open to only current culinary students or culinary school graduates. You will receive numerous certifications and a possible apprenticeship, upon completing the program. There are dozens of cooking schools in Italy that offer professional programs, with the majority being located in Florence, Tuscany and Rome.
If you want a taste of the Italian cooking experience, choosing a cooking class or short program will give you an idea of life as an Italian chef. Italian cooking courses range from a single day where you concentrate on one dish to weeklong cooking vacations that introduce you to ingredients, recipes, preparation and wine pairings. Italian cooking courses are available from your local restaurants to the hills of Northern Italy. Short cooking courses gradually introduce you to the expectations and lifestyle of a chef. The Awaiting Table and Scuola di Cucina di Lella, both in Italy, offer day and week courses, ranging from breads and pastries to pastas and wine tasting. Most major cities in the United States have cooking classes that prepare Italian dishes. Rustico Cooking in New York City provides a rotating calendar of cooking classes that include Southern and Northern Italian cuisine.