Culinary

What is culinary arts?

The English word ‘culinary’ comes from the Latin culina, meaning ‘kitchen’. Thus, the culinary arts are those of cooking and food preparation.

What should I look for in an online culinary school?

The best online culinary schools should possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, you can often recognize top online culinary schools based on:

• The school’s name and status
• The school’s history
• Teacher credentials
• Alumni network

In choosing the best online culinary school for you, you should consider the following factors:

• Admission requirements
• Residency requirements
• Class and teaching style
• Testing methods used
• Course content and presentation
• Program length
• Class size
• Student-teacher interaction
• Technology use
• Tuition and financial aid
• Transferability of credits
• Availability of a dedicated administration team and resources

What levels of online culinary programs are available?

The following levels of culinary degree online programs are available:

• Online Culinary Certificate Programs
• Online Associates in Culinary Arts
• Online Bachelor in Culinary Arts
• Online Masters in Culinary Arts
• Online PhD in Culinary Arts

How long does it take to get an online culinary degree?

The amount of time it takes a student to earn an accredited online culinary degree depends on the level of culinary degree being pursued and the pace of the student.

Typically, the breakdown is as follows:

• Online Culinary Certification Programs – 6 months to 1 year
• Online Culinary Associates Degree – 2 years
• Online Culinary Bachelor Degree – 4 years
• Online Culinary Masters – 2 years
• Online Culinary PhD – 2 to 5 years

What are some examples of online culinary courses?

A top online culinary school will allow students freedom to develop their own talents while teaching the skills necessary to earn food service licenses and certificates. Some courses may include:

• Food Safety
  Heavy emphasis must always be placed on food safety, including the correct temperatures at which to store and prepare food, and the necessary food service qualifications that must be met in order to receive official licensure.
• Food Presentation
  The presentation of food can be an art form in and of itself. This course introduces students to techniques for creating aesthetically pleasing arrangements for the presentation of any dish.
• Mediterranean Cooking
  Mediterranean cooking encompasses primarily Italian and Greek specialties, which students will learn to prepare in this concentration course.
• Dessert Baking
  Students will learn the fundamentals of baking necessary to prepare dessert pastries, cakes, and pies.
• Pan-Asian Cooking
  In this culinary combination course, students will learn the basic techniques of east Asian and Indian cooking and how to combine them for original and delicious results.

What areas of culinary specialization are available?

Graduates of top online culinary degree programs may choose to specialize in the preparation of cuisine from a particular region of the world, or in other specialized food preparation areas such as:

• Baking
• Meat Preparation
• Desserts
• Catering
• Culinary Management

What can I do with a culinary degree?

Those with popular online culinary degrees can find jobs as chefs or other culinary professionals in many settings around the world. Their potential careers may include:

• Head Chef
• Assistant Chef
• Food Safety Inspector
• Caterer
• Cooking Teacher
• Restaurant Manager

What is a chef?

A chef prepares gourmet foods in restaurants, hotels, or other food settings.

What does a chef do?

The primary job responsibility of a chef is to cook, but the best online culinary degrees will prepare graduates for other tasks a chef may need to perform, including hiring, training, and managing a staff, developing unique recipes, and creating restaurant menus. A chef is also often responsible for food presentation, which is often addressed in online culinary courses.

How much does a chef earn?

Chefs who have graduated from an accredited online culinary school earn an average annual salary of $38,770. Those individuals who have earned accredited online culinary degrees can expect some competition for top chef jobs, as growth of the industry is expected at only 6% over the coming decade, slower than the average rate. The tendency for people to spend less time and money eating out at restaurants has contributed to slowed growth in the culinary industry.

How do I become a chef?

Earning a top online culinary degree will provide graduates with a number of job opportunities in the food preparation industry. Those interested in how to become a chef should note that they are required to earn food service licenses. A popular online culinary school will help students find internship and job opportunities to enhance their resumes.