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Cooking Schools
How to Choose the Right One Near Chandler Arizona

Chandler Arizona culinary students at cooking schoolYou have made a wonderful career choice to become a chef or cook by enrolling in a culinary school near Chandler AZ. Not only will you learn how to create spectacular dishes or prepare lavish desserts, you'll also be able to make a nice living doing it. But now that you've decided, just how do you set about picking a culinary arts college? Before reaching your ultimate choice, what qualifications should you review and compare among the cooking schools you are considering? In order to be a success in the hospitality and restaurant fields you must select the appropriate culinary program and degree. There are a wide range of alternatives to choose from, starting with a diploma or certificate program and advancing to earning an undergraduate as well as a graduate degree. You may attend a small culinary college, an online college, or enroll in a renowned culinary institute that provides advanced degrees. The kind of degree and school you choose will probably be based on how much money and time you can afford to commit, in addition to your ultimate career goal. Once you have decided what your primary area of interest and budget are, you can start evaluating the culinary arts institutes that meet your preliminary qualifications. Depending on the degree and type of culinary school you choose, you can be employed as a professional chef or cook in as little as six months. So before we delve more into the method of choosing a school, let's talk a little bit more about the degree and culinary school choices that are available.

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Culinary School Degree Programs

Chandler Arizona chef cooking in front of flaming pan

As with many other professions or trades in Chandler AZ, there are multiple degree programs that are available in the culinary arts. At the most basic level, you can enroll in a nearby cooking course, which are more casual in nature and can run from several hours to a number of weeks. Typically a diploma or a certificate is presented upon completion. They can be comprehensive in nature, such as demonstrating how to cook French meals, or they can be rather targeted and concentrate on one dish, for instance Crepes Suzette. Naturally if you are looking for a more conventional education suitable for a career in the restaurant profession, you will most likely want to enroll in a degree program. With a degree program, you will be obligated to invest significantly more time.

  • Associate's Degrees can require as long as six months to 2 years to finish.
  • Bachelor's Degrees usually call for as much as four years of instruction.
  • Masters Degrees can take an added two years or more after acquiring a Bachelor's.

Even more advanced degree alternatives may be available, such as Doctoral or specialized programs offered by culinary arts institutes. Probably the most important issue to bear in mind when deciding on which degree to pursue is making sure that it furnishes the credential and education required to advance your ultimate career goals.

Culinary Arts Institutes

Chandler Arizona chef making gourmet food platter

Once you have made your choice regarding the type of instruction and degree that you would like to pursue, you can begin your search for the culinary school, college or institute that offers it. For example, if your goal is to become a chef specializing in German cuisine, then obviously you will concentrate on those schools that offer the proper training. Or you can choose a college based on its ranking or other factors (we'll review some of those later) and then choose the most suitable degree program offered that is consistent with your career goals in Chandler AZ. However you make your choice, culinary arts schools typically fit within 3 distinct categories:

  • Cooking Schools. A few cooking schools do offer degree programs, but typically they offer diplomas or certificates. Their courses tend to be more focused in nature, and they can last anywhere from 1 or 2 months to as long as three or four years.
  • Community Colleges. Regional community colleges tend to be more affordable than the majority of private schools and many have excellent programs. They almost solely offer Associate's Degrees and are founded and managed by either local or state governments.
  • Culinary Arts Schools and Institutes. The more advanced training and degrees are offered by culinary arts schools and institutes. Some institutes provide the most respected as well as the highest level of training in academia. But bear in mind, since they are private schools they often can be more costly than their public counterparts, some much more.

Picking a culinary institute will not only be based on the type of degree or program you would like to pursue, but also how much you have to spend on your education. If you decide to attend a public school to reduce expenses, keep in mind that out-of-state residents generally have to pay a higher tuition than in-state residents. In addition, many community colleges and regional public schools have lower tuition charges for area residents. So make sure to look into the public alternatives within Arizona and also within the Chandler AZ area to locate the most affordable options.

Culinary Online Degree Programs

Chandler Arizona young woman attending online culinary classesMany prospective students may discover that there are no culinary arts institutions that are within commuting proximity of their Chandler AZ home. One option is to attend online classes within the comfort of one's home. The convenience and flexibility makes it the only solution for many students that continue working full-time while going to college. In addition there are more schools online than ever before that are accredited. Remember that a substantial portion of the training will be provided through an externship. Externships are programs where students work under area chefs or other culinary arts professionals so that they receive hands-on training outside of the internet classroom. Just make sure that the online school you enroll in is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved organization (more on this later). Therefore if you are dedicated enough to be able to go to classes and study using this more independent fashion, attaining a cooking degree online just might be the right choice for you.

Comparing Cooking Schools

At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of cooking schools in the Chandler area and across the Country, you need to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for instance reputation and accreditation that you need to assess also. Therefore, below are some crucial areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final selection.

Accreditation.  It's important that the cooking program you choose has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review regarding their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.

Age.  Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.

Job Placement Rates.  First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutes you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the courses and dropped out. They can also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary field, as well as a large network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.

Location.  The cooking college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Chandler home, unless you are able to relocate. You may think about attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary school located in a different state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.

Class Sizes.  The most effective approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the teachers. The optimal way to evaluate the interaction between teachers and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their histories and credentials.

Flexible Class Schedules.  There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick provides class scheduling that can fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Chandler AZ due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the cooking institute has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other responsibilities.

Learn More About Cooking Schools in Chandler

Enroll in the Right Chandler Cooking School

A successful career in the hospitality and restaurant industry is dependent upon selecting the ideal culinary program. As we have addressed, there are a number of things that you must take into account when researching schools, for instance their reputations, accreditation, and training facilities. Just like any life changing decision, you should begin by getting information, and the best way to do that is by contacting cooking institutes directly, either face to face or by phone. If you're unsure regarding which schools to explore, you may want to consider asking chefs in your location about any cooking institutes they recommend.  Afterwards use the Internet to explore those schools further before contacting them. By taking the time to carefully assess each of your education options, you will find yourself in a much better position to make an informed decision. And when you select the right school, you will have a terrific beginning toward your aspiration of becoming a chef in Chandler Arizona.

 




 

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