Culinary schools are typically for those who want a career in the culinary arts. There are two and four year programs where you can earn a degree. These schools cover a full range of cooking and baking techniques and other specialized areas like restaurant management. The United States has some well-known culinary institutes such as Johnson and Wales University and Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
There are gourmet chef stores that stock everything for cooking, baking and the culinary arts. Some of these stores offer cooking classes like Sur Le Table or William & Sonoma. These stores offer cooking and technique classes taught by culinary professionals. The classes vary in subject matter from regional and international cuisine to the latest food trends. You can choose the class that suits the type of cooking techniques you're interested in.
Many community colleges offer cooking classes in a variety of culinary techniques. Even if you are not looking to get a degree and just want to learn techniques, there are courses available during the day and evening. There are specific classes available such as baking, Asian cuisine, vegetarian cuisine, Italian cuisine and cheese making. This might be a good choice if there is a community college conveniently located near you.
If you have Internet access, a convenient way to learn cooking techniques is online. There is a wide variety of cooking classes online that are free of charge. Video cooking classes are also available so that you can see demonstrations and step-by-step directions. Some of the courses are broken down into specific areas of study such as cooking meat, vegetables, seafood and using herbs. So, if you're looking to learn at home, an online course might be right for you.