Located in Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco, this college offers five main programs, with specialized associate's or bachelor's degrees in each program. The programs are the Culinary Arts program, the Patisserie and Baking program, the Hospitality and Restaurant Management program, Le Cordon Bleu Online programs, and non-professional cooking classes. Financial aid is available.
The Art Institute in California has locations in Hollywood, the Inland Empire section of San Bernardino, Santa Monica, Santa Ana, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Sunnyvale. Two major programs, Culinary Arts and Culinary Management, offer specialized associates and bachelor's degrees for future chefs. Students at the Art Institute have opportunities for internships and to work in student-run restaurants as part of the curriculum.
San Diego Culinary Institute offers courses in two programs, the Commis Culinary method program and the Diplome Professionel de Boulangerie et Patisserie program. The Commis Culinary Method is a little-used teaching method whereby the student is taught techniques in lieu of recipes for food preparation. Students work one-on-one or in small groups with master chefs in authentic kitchens. The diplome program operates under the same small-group ideas as the commis program, but the art and science of baking is emphasized. Baking is a science involving intricate measurements for ingredients, while presentation of baked items is an art form.
The Professional Culinary Institute, located in Campbell, California, is a branch of the French Culinary Institute. The college offers three programs: Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, and Sommelier Certification. The Culinary Arts program offers basic knowledge and mastery in the kitchen, while Baking and Pastry arts highlights the skills of the future baker and pastry decorator. The Sommelier Certification is the college's unique program, as it is the only Sommelier Certification program in the world approved by the Court of Master Sommeliers. The Sommelier Certification prepares students wishing to obtain certification in professional wine tasting and critiquing. In this program, students learn to become wine masters through training in wine scent, taste, color and appeal to palate.