Culinary Schools

You think you got what it takes to cook with the best?  Or maybe you’ve just seen too many episodes of Hell’s Kitchen.  Either way here are some great reasons to pursue a dream of becoming a great chef. 

· Economy.  It’s the economy baby! Lets face it, as more and more manufacturing jobs are shipped off to other places, service industry is what we will have left.  Good luck trying to get someone in India to express mail you that Crème brulee.

· Money.  Show me the money.  The base salary of the head chef in a casino is about 85 k per year, starting, without bonuses or benefits.  Sounds like a heck of a living to me, and school will give you that edge to get to the top.

· Satisfaction.  When was the last time you looked in the mirror and said, I’m great, a champion in my field and appreciated for my real worth.  Yeah right, few of us live that dream, and only those willing to go out and grab it by the nose will ever know the kind of passion that comes with having such a career.

· Versatility.  What a thing, to be able to just say, I’m bored with this sushi gig, I’m going to go work in a rib shack! From pastries to southern cooking the choice is yours.  Seriously, with the right education, you can do just that and always move on to greener pastures and brighter skies instead of being locked into the same boring job forever.

· Personal Challenge.  Don’t underestimate the value of a good challenge, nothing feels better at the end of the day than working hard and knowing that you get paid the big bucks for  a reason.

· A REAL Team.  Feel like if you have to sit through one more of those four hour “What animal are you?” management exercises that your going to stick a mechanical pencil in your eye?  Come out and get the opportunity of a lifetime with a squad that knows the value of real teamwork.

· Craftsmanship.  For those of us not content to rot the rest of our existence away behind a desk staring at our boss’s forehead for the rest of our working life, getting out and getting our hands dirty can be a must do thing.  Just knowing that you made something well and can do it every time is a fabulous feeling.  Also, you get to define what doing well is from tasting great to heart healthy cooking.

· Service.  My father always said serving others was it’s own reward, and it take a few years under your belt to learn the truth of this.   When you do it’s better than the six figure salary.

· Be your own boss.  No one has to tell you why this is the perk of a lifetime.

· Your good.  You know you are, everyone believes you have talent( which is why your stuck making vats of meatballs for family weddings) so go get the deed that proves it!  Or suffer the consequence of never knowing if you might have made it or not for the rest of your life.  Have fun in those meetings…

Thanksgiving

Favorites

    Time tested and true, these are favorites for good reason.

Cooking that first turkey for your new in-laws?  Want a dish that is sure to impress?  Or maybe your kids have let you know (in not so subtle ways) that last year’s bird was a little on the dry side.  Whatever the reason, our recipes will make your season easy and memorable.  

Tid Bits for those with Bird on the Brain -When selecting a turkey, look for words on the package such as “natural” or “free of preserves” or “free of preserves”.  These guys haven’t been pumped full of artificial garbage that trashes all the work you will put into the bird later. -Remember to remove the neck and giblets, usually a small packet inside the cavity of the bird.  Seems silly, but my mother forgets to do this every year, and bakes them inside. -The USDA does not allow for the use of hormones in turkeys produced for consumption in the U.S. -Grade “A” is the highest grade the USDA gives and is typically the only grade you can get in supermarkets. -Make sure you cook your turkey all the way trough to at least 160 degrees F or higher. Check in the deepest part of the breast with a meat thermometer.  This insures that Salmonella and other organisms will not be present in the food. -One lb of turkey per person will have you covered on the guest list. -Fresh turkey is a bird that has never been below 26 degrees F, and should not be hard to the touch. -Organic turkeys tend to have the best flavor, but can be expensive and hard to find, especially at the holidays. -Don’t try to slow cook a turkey the way you would a beef brisket, all you will get is soggy, sickly turkey skin. -Make sure the thigh, not the drumstick, reaches it’s required temperature of 170 degrees F, it is common for the drumstick to get there before the thigh does and it is really embarrassing to serve a bloody thigh on accident. -Brushing the turkey skin with butter the last 15 minutes of cooking will give it that crispy, Norman Rockwell look that makes everyone’s mouth water when you bring it to the table.  

15 Minute Masterpiece

Green Bean Casserole  

Cooking time: 10 minutes prep time, and about 25 minutes baking time.  My favorite of the casserole recipes. Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

2 10 3/4 oz cans Campbell’s condensed Cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of milk

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

8 cups canned green beans

2 2/3 cups French’s French fried onions  

Directions  Mix all ingredients, save 1 1/2 cup of onions in a large bowl and transfer to a casserole pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.  Pour remaining onions over the top of the casserole and back for 5 more minutes.    

 Fancy enough for Company 

French Bread Sausage Stuffing  

1 1/2 loaf(s) ( 16 ounces each) French bread, torn into 3/4-inch pieces (about 12 cups)

2 package(s) (10 to 12 ounces each) pork sausage meat, fresh or frozen (thawed)

6 medium celery stalks, sliced

3 medium onions, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide bread between two 15 1/2″ by 10 1/2″ jelly-roll pans or large cookie sheets. Place pans on 2 oven racks and toast bread 20 to 25 minutes or until golden, stirring bread and rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through toasting. Cool bread in pans on wire racks. (If not making stuffing right away, store bread in large self-sealing plastic bags at room temperature up to 1 week.) Meanwhile, in nonstick 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until browned, breaking up sausage with side of spoon. Remove skillet from heat. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to very large bowl. To fat remaining in skillet, add celery and onion. Cook vegetables 20 minutes over medium heat or until lightly browned and tender, stirring frequently. To bowl with sausage, add vegetable mixture, bread, broth, parsley, thyme, poultry seasoning, and pepper; toss to mix well. Use to stuff 12- to 16-pound turkey. Or, spoon stuffing into greased 13″ by 9″ glass baking dish. Bake stuffing, uncovered, in preheated 325º F oven 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned on top. Baking in a casserole pan is a better idea than in the bird.  It is safer, both items ultimately cook faster, and the stuffing will be fluffy and crispy, not soggy and wet like happens sometimes in a moist bird.

 Five Star Dish

Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie

9 inch unbaked pastry shell

1 1/2 cups flour                                                                                                                                                         

3/4 cup shorting                                                                                                                                                                             

2 tablespoons cold water                                                                                                                                           

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all dry ingredients well, the cut in shortening and cold water.  The trick with pie crust is to not over work it, or it will get rubbery.  The shortening makes for a lovely flakey crust.

Pumpkin Pie

16 oz can of pumpkin

14 oz can of condensed milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Sour Cream Topping

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tb sugar

1 Tb Vanilla Extract

Mix sour cream topping ingredients and then refrigerate.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large bowl mix thoroughly all pie filling ingredients.   Pour into uncooked shell and bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. bake another 15 minutes.  Add sour cream topping, covering with tinfoil to prevent discoloration of topping.  Bake a further 10-15 minutes, or until a knife comes out of the pie clean 1 inch from the crust.  Garnish with pecans or as desired when pie has cooled.  No low carb recipes here! 

Not just for breakfast and old ladies any more…

Sick of that same limp, vegetarian disaster?  These are sure fire ways to perk up that old purple plant and wow everyone from the fiercest of carnivores to the pickiest of vegetarians.

About the Humble Eggplant

-It can be steamed, fried, baked, sautéed, boiled, stir fried, grilled, and stuffed.

-The skin is edible, but many people peel the plant because the skin is bitter.

-The flesh is very sponge like and soaks up juices and marinades.

-Once cut the flesh of the plant will brown like an apple.

-Aluminum cookware will discolor the eggplant while it is cooking.

-If you are baking the plant, poke several holes in it so it doesn’t burst.

-Add to soups at the last 10 minutes of cooking so the eggplant is not mushy.

-Prime time for eggplants in the United States is August through September.

-Wrinkles in the skin of an eggplant, or an eggplant that is too soft to the touch is old an likely to be bitter tasting.

-Eggplants that are not ripe are firm to the touch and do not yield to a finger, just ripe ones should leave a small dent when pressed.

15 Minute Masterpiece

Baked Eggplant with Tomato Sauce and Pasta

Cooking time: 15 minutes prep time, and about 25 minutes baking time.
Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

1 plump eggplant (about 7 inches long and four inches in diameter)

olive oil

garlic powder

pepper

good quality bottled tomato sauce (like Newman’s Own)

pasta

freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 3/4 to 1 inch thick pieces. Score the skins with the tip of your knife.

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with a thin film of olive oil. Lay eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish (face down for the end pieces). Rub a little bit of olive oil on the tops (you shouldn’t need more than a tablespoon for all of this). Sprinkle with garlic powder and freshly cracked pepper.

Bake about 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and pour tomato sauce over the eggplant (about 8-10 oz). Put the dish back in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes more, or until the eggplant can be easily pierced with a fork.

Turn on the water for boiling your pasta when you put the dish in the oven the second time. Cook until al dente. Serve a slice of eggplant and sauce over the pasta. Top with cheese if desired.

Fancy enough for Company 

Korean Sauce Grilled Baby Eggplant Dish

Begin by marinating sliced tofu, and cutting baby eggplants in half.  Then barbeque baby eggplants and tofu, turning every minute or so to prevent them from burning. The tofu burns fast so be careful especially of this.  Cook throughout, and do not overcook or the eggplant will be mushy.

 Korean Sauce
You can buy this sauce, but homemade is tastier and not filled with thickeners and preservatives.
Spicy Green Onion Garnish

For best color, make this right before you plan to serve it.

4 green onions, bulb removed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1-2 teaspoons minced hot chili pepper (like jalapeño)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon minced chili pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup apple juice concentrate (the frozen kind is fine)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Place all ingredients except the sesame seeds into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer until partially reduced, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add sesame seeds. Sauce should thicken as it cools. To use, warm slightly and serve over vegetables and tofu.

Finely chop the green onions. Mix them well with the remaining ingredients. Serve over eggplant that has been stuffed with cooked vegetables and rice.

Five Star Dish

Eggplant Rollatini

1 large eggplant, about 4” diameter
1 tablespoon salt

1 cup Progresso Italian Style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper

1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded thin
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon black ground pepper

1/3 cup olive oil for frying, or more as needed
Marinara Sauce recipe found on page 127
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut stem and end from eggplant. Peel the eggplant partially in strips, leaving some of the peel intact. Using a meat cutter or a mandoline, slice the eggplant into thin lengthwise slices, about 1/8″ thick. Let the eggplant slices soak in cool water with 1 tablespoon salt added for about 30 minutes while you prepare the other steps.

Place the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, and parsley in a shallow plate. Beat the eggs until fluffy.

Prepare the filling by placing the ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, parsley, egg, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Rinse the eggplant in cool water and drain. Dip each slice in the beaten eggs and then the bread crumbs on both sides. Place the olive oil in a large skillet and over medium heat, fry the eggplant about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Salt and pepper lightly as they fry. Drain slices on paper towels. Add olive oil to pan as needed, and if necessary, start a clean pan midway of frying.

Meanwhile, using a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, pour in 1 cup marinara sauce to cover the bottom. When all of the eggplant slices have been fried and drained, place them on a large cookie sheet. Place 2 tablespoons ricotta filling on each slice, and spread gently. Starting from the short end of the slice, roll the eggplant up jelly-roll style. Place each roll, seam-side down, in the baking dish. You should have about 15 rolls. If all the rolls do not fit, use an additional smaller dish.

Pour the remaining sauce, an additional 3 to 4 cups over the rolls. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake about 30 minutes, until bubbly on the sides.  Serves 4 to 6.

Maybe you’ve got what it takes to play with the folks at the top…

The Hobbyist… 

Homemade pies, cookies, and tacos for the family.  Tried and true recipes handed down through the years, mother to daughter. These are great ways to prepare food, and very rewarding for the cook.  Tons of resources are available for free online, more recipes than can be counted, online cook books, blogs with every shred of information one could want.  Great for those of us that just love to cook in general, but have a real life out side the kitchen, with families and careers.  For the aspiring amateur, cooking clubs and farmers markets are all that is needed to put us in a heaven all our own.  The best advice for people in this category is fresh fresh fresh!  There is a big difference, for example, in pre

frozen meat and flesh that has never been frozen before, or in vegetables picked and shipped locally, over ones shipped from out of the country.  It is amazing to me how may cooks overlook this simple fact, but no matter what you are preparing, without exception fresh is always better.  Also, I love things that are in season, it insures, if nothing else, a great variety in your diet year round.  Nothing frustrates the pleasure chef worse than cooking the same five dishes week after week.  So get out there, try some great dishes, (and some not so great ones).  Take advantage of all these great free resources online and maybe even discover a passion that propels you to…

The Enthusiast…

Culinary enthusiasts with a day job but a serious passion for cooking will want more than a few regurgitated recipes and tattered old pans.  We want real food, new food, exciting possibilities and a recipe or two that will blow minds and win hearts.   Wanting to try ever new and exciting possibilities, pushing foreword and drinking up the knowledge they come across-.  We want more than the endless maze of untested, random recipes the internet has to offer, we want hands on experience we can sink our teeth into.  For people who are this deep into the cooking fervor, they will find local classes, clubs, and maybe even a job cooking in a steak house if they are devoted.  All are great physical ways to get better at cooking and pursue the passion.  I recommend a start at the local community college, and a bite into ethnic foods.  Anything you find interest in will do, just get outside your comfort zone and try some new things.  Community collage is inexpensive, easy to get into, will have tons of time slots available, and will have a variety of different culinary options for you to try out.  If you enjoy your play time there, and you truly have a passion to be one of the best,( and the steakhouse job isn’t cutting it.) you can move on to the bottom rung of the top ladder.  A bona fide, for real Culinary Arts School.

 Culinary Artist…

If your insatiable appetite for other people’s appetites can not be satisfied with casual encounters at your local community college and nightly flings cooking at your local steak house, consider culinary school.  A great school can make possible a dream of a life time in the culinary profession, at the top and with the best.  Learning not only fine food, but wines, people, language, you name it.  The world of possibilities in this arena is only limited at this point by your education in such matters.  There is so much to learn you will never master it all, and even if your dream is to run a rib shack, the experience you will get from cooking school is a must.  New perspectives, and the connections you will make will help you become a success in your endeavors.  I know 2 people who made their partnerships while in school and opened successful restaurants after graduating.   Here is a list of culinary arts schools that will help you pursue your fame and fortune.

The Culinary Institute of America

http://www.ciachef.edu/

The French Culinary Institute

http://www.frenchculinary.com/index_noflash.html

The California Culinary Academy

http://www.baychef.com/

I sincerely hope anyone wishing to pursue a career in the field of the culinary arts does so, and also, would take a business class or too as well.  Serving others is it’s own reward.

Have a peek at this exciting new super-food

Need a good way to get a great source of protein minus the meat?  Sick to death of scarfing soy all day?  Or maybe just get some fiber without having to eat your cereal box in the morning.

 What the heck is Quinoa?

-Quinoa is very nutritious and high in protein,  and is great for cooking vegetarian meals and vegans looking for a little extra protein in their diet.

-It is the seed of a leafy plant, which is related to spinach.

-It can be purchased in it’s many forms at supermarkets, organic markets, and even on Amazon.com!

-Quinoa comes in meal form, flour form, and flake form.

-Quinoa is cooked completely when you can bite into it and it has lost it’s chalky inside.

-If you over cook the Quinoa, it will be mushy and not a pleasant consistency.

-Quinoa is pronounced “Keen-Wa”

-When preparing whole Quinoa, rinse the seeds well as they are naturally coated in a bitter substance thought to repel birds and other animals.

15 Minute Masterpiece

Basic Quinoa Recipe: 4 – 6 Servings: 2 quart pot with tight fitting lid

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups cold water

1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Directions:

Soak the quinoa first for 15 min – 1/2 hour in it’s cooking pot. Soaking loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which can give a bitter taste if not removed.

If you don’t have time for long soaking, use hot water and soak for five minutes, then give an extra rinse or two

Stir the quinoa with your hand, and carefully pour off the rinsing water, using a sieve at the last.

Put the quinoa back in the pot, add more water, and rinse again two or three more times, until the rinse water is pretty clear

Drain quinoa well in the sieve.

Place quinoa in the pot, add the water & salt.

Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to simmer.

Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on.

Fluff gently with a fork and serve. Quinoa is delicious on it’s own, and makes a great breakfast food with a variety of seasons like cinnamon and brown sugar.

Fancy enough for Company

Quinoa Burgers with Hummus and Red Pepper

These are great, even the fussiest kids will tolerate this dose of health food with compliance.

1/2 cup quinoa, well-rinsed under cold water
1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can white beans (e.g. cannellini or great northern beans), drained and rinsed
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten (or 1/4 cup silken tofu for a vegan burger)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

4 whole grain or regular hamburger buns
Accompaniments: purchased hummus, salad greens, jarred roasted red bell peppers

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, green onions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg (or tofu), cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse until just blended (and still slightly chunky).

Form mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick). If too soft, refrigerate 15 minutes to firm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes per side.

Toast the buns and spread with some of the hummus. Top with the burgers, greens and red bell peppers. Makes 4 hearty burgers.

Five Star Dish

Quinoa Cakes with Eggplant-Tomato Ragù and Smoked Mozzarella

For quinoa cakes

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 large egg, lightly beaten

4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For topping

1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup drained bottled roasted red peppers, rinsed and chopped

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, diced

Make quinoa cakes:
Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan.

Meanwhile, wash quinoa in 3 changes of water in a bowl, then drain well in a fine-mesh sieve.

Stir quinoa into boiling water and return to a boil, then simmer, covered, until quinoa is dry and water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, then stir in egg.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and lightly brush with oil. Lightly oil a 1-cup dry-ingredient measure. Pack enough quinoa into measure with a rubber spatula to fill it two-thirds full. (If spatula becomes sticky, dip in water.) Unmold onto baking sheet and gently pat quinoa into a 4-inch-wide patty with spatula. Make 3 more quinoa cakes, brushing measure with oil each time. Chill cakes, uncovered, at least 15 minutes.

Make topping while quinoa cooks and chills:
Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander and drain 30 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of eggplant to extract liquid, then pat dry.

Cook eggplant, onion, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, roasted peppers, and water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender and mixture is thick (if dry, thin with a little water), about 10 minutes.

Cook quinoa cakes:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Carefully add quinoa cakes and cook, turning once carefully and adding remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons oil, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes total (pat cakes to reshape with cleaned rubber spatula while cooking if necessary). Transfer to plates.

To serve:
Return eggplant ragù to a simmer and stir in parsley and half of mozzarella, then simmer, stirring, until cheese just begins to soften, about 30 seconds. Spoon over quinoa cakes, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  ·Quinoa cakes can be formed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
·Eggplant-tomato ragù, without parsley and mozzarella, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

The city of Baltimore, according to residents the “greatest city in America”, is Maryland’s largest city, and is not part of any county.  John Hopkins University and John Hopkins Hospital are the city’s biggest employers.  Students will enjoy Baltimore’s humid, sub tropic climate.   A cute city with over 300 identifiable districts, residents are not far from Mount Vernon and the Washington Monument.  Home also to a rabid selection of fans, both the NFL’s

Ravens and the MLB’s Orioles are lucky recipients of the adoration denizens lavish upon both teams.

Baltimore International College sports a highly decorated staff from around the world, notably Global Master Chef Jan Bandula.   Their goal is to prepare students for a diverse career  in hospitality from brittish classics to french cooking.  They also offer shadow days for prospective students, as well as several good open houses.  The staff averages over 25 years of experience for each chef instructor.

Not bad for a not for profit  private college, Baltimore International College is accredited through the commission on Higher Education of the United States.  They offer a Masters in Hospitality, which is a completely online program, and also pride the small classes.

Degrees offered at BIC range from certificate programs to an online masters degree.

Contact Information

-Website: www.chic.edu

-Phone: 1-800-624-9926

-Email: Admissions@bic.edu

-Address

BIC Admissions Department

17 Commerce street

 Baltimore MD 21202

Situated in the beautiful city of Scottsdale Arizona, Scottsdale Culinary Institute is in a great location for unique culture.  A warm (literally) and lively city, with a unique quality one has to experience first hand to understand. “The west’s most western town” is today a booming city boasting over 240,000 people,  and with tourism being the city’s biggest employer, there are tons of great opportunities to get out and have some fun.

Executive Chef at the culinary school is Jon Paul Hutchins.  Hutchins has hosted the Iron Chef competition, was formerly Chef Instructor at the New York Restaurant School, was educated himself at the Culinary Institute of America (1983-1985), and has been on television a number of times.

Fostered at this culinary school is an atmosphere of professionalism in their learning

environment, with students having the freedom to express their talent and creativity.  SCI touts a real world experience so as to ensure fluidity as the student progresses from the classroom to the kitchen.  Limited class sizes and modern equipment all make this easier, and no one can deny that time served in the prestigious 3 Star (3 Star is the highest rating given to a student run restaurant.) L’ Ecole will have you on the top of your game when you are ready to make your big break and graduate.

Programs featured include the Bachelor Programs:

Le Cordon Bleu-Culinary Management

Le Cordon Bleu– Hospitality and Restaurant management

Also several Associate Programs

And two Certificate Programs:

Le Cordon Bleu– Patisseries and Baking

Le Cordon Bleu– Culinary Arts

Contact Information

-Website: www.Chefs.edu                         

 -Phone: 1-800-848-2433             

-Address:

Scottsdale Culinary Institute

8100 East Camelback road, suite 1001

Scottsdale AZ, 85251

The head honcho is Lloyd Kirsch is the CHA President at CHIC.  The facility has all of the staff listed online for viewing, and I can see why.  All highly accredited, skilled professionals making up a laundry list of extreme caliber.  Anyone privileged enough to work under the staff at CHIC (many of which were educated themselves at CHIC) would be very wise to commit every second of that experience to permanent memory.

The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago’s culture is one of cultivated excellence, all of the staff seem to take personally the ambitions of the students.  A deep vision of higher education in a variety of fields with an emphasis on well roundedness polish the sophisticated image.  As for clubs and activities, there’s no school football, but how the heck can you beat a wine tasting club?

The programs featured at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago:

Associate of Applied Science Degree in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts

Associate of Applied Science Degree in Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie and Baking

Certificate in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts

Contact Information

-Website: www.chic.edu

-Phone: 1-888-295-7222

-Address

The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago

316 West Chestnut

Chicago IL 60610

Parked in one of the most desirable cities of the U.S., Orlando Culinary Academy is like a vacation while you are being educated.  Orlando keeps a playground of familiar faces, such as Walt Disney World Resort, Seaworld, Universal Studios Resort, the Epcot Center, and more gorgeous golf courses than can be counted.  A 13.4 Billion dollar technology industry piled on top of the ample tourist economy makes for a great place to learn the high end food business.  Nicknamed “the beautiful city” for good reason, Orlando is home to well over 227,000 people, and still has room for the NBA team The Orlando Magic.

      The staff at Orlando Culinary Academy work personally with the students there, and actually tutor them when necessary. They themselves are experienced professionals, and understand the career needs of the students they teach.  OCA’s Director of Career Services helps approaching graduates achieve the career they deserve, and the OCA boasts a staff with many connections and recourses for their alumni.

      The Orlando Culinary Academy wears it’s tradition of ethics, challenge, and practical application proudly.  Topics of science, culture, and history alongside the culinary arts, make for a well rounded and balanced education which prepared it’s students for whatever may come their way.  High standards, and an expectation of student involvement keep Orlando Culinary Academy running with the best.

The list of programs featured at OCA:

Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts (Associate of Applied Science Degree)

Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie & Baking (Associate of Applied Science Degree)     

Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts (Diploma)

Contact Information

-Website: www.orlandoculinary.com

-Phone: 1-888-793-3222

-Address

Orlando Culinary Academy

8511 Commodity Circle, suite 100

Orlando FL 32819