What Are the Top Culinary Schools in the Country?

Texas Culinary Academy

• This school for food sciences ranked number one on a survey taken by chef2chef.com and boasts more than 15 years of experience training professional chefs. The school has recently opened newly-built facilities, including a laboratory, kitchens, and a restaurant. The Texas Culinary Academy is also the only culinary school in Texas affiliated with Le Cordon Bleu.

  Texas Culinary Academy

  11400 Burnet Rd. Ste. 2100

  Austin, TX 78758

  888-553-CHEF (888-553-2433)

Culinary Institute of America

• The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), located in Hyde Park, New York, is the oldest culinary school in the United States. CIA offers both associate's and bachelor's degrees in culinary arts, as well as baking and pastry arts. The school also has four enrollment seasons, which allow applicants greater flexibility for their schedules.

  The Culinary Institute of America

  1946 Campus Dr.

  Hyde Park, NY 12536

  800-CULINARY (800-2854-6279)

French Culinary Institute (NY)

• As the name indicates, the French Culinary Institute (FCI) is centered on classical French culinary techniques, with modern technology and techniques mixed in. In addition to undergraduate-level degree programs, the FCI offers advanced classes for working professionals. The school boasts several celebrity faculty members, including Alain Sailhac, Jacques Pépin, André Soltner, as well as visiting lectures by Marcella Hazan, Alice Waters, and Bobby Flay.

  The French Culinary Institute

  462 Broadway

  New York, NY 10013

  212-219-8890

Le Cordon Bleu

• Le Cordon Bleu is one of the premier culinary schools in both France and the United States. The school has campuses in 16 different locations, including Seattle, Miami, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Much of the training involves areas of food science peripheral to preparation, such as table service and wine selection.

  www.cordonbleu.edu/

  (See "Contact" page for campus addresses.)

New England Culinary Institute

• The New England Culinary Institute, located in Montpelier, Vermont, has been training professional chefs for 30 years. The school boasts small classes and personal attention for students. In addition to classroom work, students get hands-on experience in a free-standing restaurant attached to the Montpelier campus or the resort and inn located on the school's second campus in Essex, Vermont.

  New England Culinary Institute

  56 College St.

  Montpelier, VT 05602

  877-223-6324