Best Culinary - Baking & Pastry - Hospitality Schools in Florida
There are many great culinary schools in Florida.
The best one for you will depend on many factors, including location, programs offered, cost, and scholarship availability. The schools listed below represent some of the best in the state of Florida based on accreditation, reputations, and student reviews.
You may have heard of some of these schools, but others will be new to you. Over 50 schools in Florida have various culinary, baking, hospitality, or restaurant management programs. These schools are a good start but over time I'll list more of them with programs offered and tuition ranges.
Please note, tuition rates, scholarship money, and programs offered can change from year to year. I will keep these numbers updated, but it is important to contact the school for up to date numbers.
Read, Read and Read Some More
One of the best suggestions I have for anyone thinking of going to culinary school or just getting into the restaurant industry is to read everything you can get your hands on. Learn from professional chefs who have worked in the industry and those who have taught in culinary schools.There are many great books available to get you started in your culinary education and I suggest you read as much as possible before making that big decision to make sure this is the right move for you. Below is just a sample of books you might be interested in checking out.
For a much more comprehensive list of books for aspiring culinary, baking and restaurant management students, I suggest checking out my post on books for future culinary students and chefs.
MY TOP CULINARY SCHOOL PICKS IN FLORIDA
Keiser University Center for Culinary Arts
Keiser University's Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts offers their students the opportunity to learn about food preparation with hands on experience. You'll also learn how to handle food, sanitation and how to use the equipment to produce restaurant quality food.
With campuses in
Melbourne - 900 South Babcock Street Melbourne, Florida 32901
Sarasota - 6151 Lake Osprey Drive Sarasota, Florida 34240
Tallahassee - 1700 Halstead Boulevard, Building 2 Tallahassee, Florida 32309
Hillsborough Community College
The Hillsborough Community College offers programs in Culinary Management, Hospitality & Tourism, Restaurant Management and more. The Culinary Management program prepares students for employment in commercial and institutional management positions in the culinary industry and/or to provide supplemental training for persons previously or currently employed in these occupations.
Dale Mabry Campus - 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd. Tampa, Florida 33614-7820
Gulf Coast State College
As a culinary management student at Gulf Coast State College, you'll gain the practical culinary skills and business knowledge you need for a rewarding career in the field. Gulf Coast State College offers two distinct Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees - Culinary Management A.S. and Hospitality & Tourism Management A.S. They also offer two College Certificates - the Chef's Apprentice Certificate and the Culinary Arts Certificate. Both certificates are based on core curriculum in the kitchen lab and fully apply to the A.S. degrees.
Panama City Campus - 5230 West Highway 98 Panama City, FL 32401
McFatter Technical College
This ACF accredited program offers students the opportunity to prepare for employment as pastry, restaurant, hotel and resort cooks, as well as basic management positions in the food service industry. Through combination of classroom academics and hands-on culinary procedures, students will learn and demonstrate competencies in: introduction to the hospitality and food service industry, garde-manger, food production, baking/pastry.
Davie Campus - 6500 Nova Drive Davie, Florida 33317
Florida Technical College
Founded in 1982, Florida Technical College is a private college with five separate campuses within the state of Florida. The Florida Technical College Kissimmee campus is located in Plaza del Sol and offers culinary arts and baking/pastry programs intended to prepare students for entry-level positions in the professional world.
Sheridan Technical College
Sheridan Technical College's Commercial Foods and Culinary Arts program accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission. You'll train in the classroom with one day of online work and if qualified, have the opportunity to obtain the ServSafe and Certified Culinarian Certification. Website
TOP FLORIDA COOKING CLASSES FOR THE HOME COOK
Publix Aprons Cooking Classes
Publix Aprons Cooking Schools are designed to give their customers a kitchen to learn, practice, and have fun in. Their classes are meant to entertain, amuse, and inspire you, giving you confidence no matter what you're cooking up. Their classes cover a world of cuisines and trendy topics, a baker's dozen of techniques, special seasonal topics, and even guest appearances by celebrity chefs—TV stars, cookbook authors, and local restaurateurs.
Tallahassee Store - 3521 Thomasville Rd - Tallahassee, FL 32309-7134
Tampa Store - 7835 Gunn Hwy, Tampa, FL 33626
Cozymeal
Cozymeal offers the best in culinary experiences by pairing local consumers and companies with some of the nation's top chefs for cooking classes, food tours and culinary team building events. Consumers as well as small and large companies use us regularly for all their culinary needs, from celebrations with family and friends to team building events to office meal delivery.
Tampa Location
Lenore Nolan-Ryan Cooking Classes
Lenore's hands-on cooking classes have been celebrated over decades and always recognized as the most popular in South Florida. When you love food and love people like we do, you want to share that joie de vivre with those of the same spirit. It is our pure pleasure and passion to invite you to cook with us, live with us, laugh with us and love with us all things delicious. Lenore will lead you, one on one, as we chop, slice and dice together, then sit down to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Fort Lauderdale Location- 3311 North Ocean Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
A. Chef's Cooking Studio
A. Chef’s Cooking Studio was originally just a daydream. Chef Andrea, always a lover of art and food, dreamed up the idea of a Studio for cooks! Home cooks, professional cooks, those who want to learn, and those who want to share, would have a Studio to call home. In December of 2006, that daydream turned into a reality, as Chef Andrea and her Husband and Co-Owner, Michael, unlocked the doors of their then, new enterprise! A. Chef’s Cooking Studio was born! It’s been over 10 years and the joy of serving Jacksonville, The Beaches, Southside, Ponte Vedra, Bartram, Saint Augustine and guests from as far as Orlando and Amelia island continues today!
Jacksonville Location - 145 Hilden Road, Suite 119 -Ponte Vedra, FL 32081
Kitchenable
A quaint cottage cooking school on the shore of Lake Ella in Tallahassee, Florida.
Tallahassee Location - 1635 North Monroe Street - Tallahassee, FL 32303 - 850 264-2308
Will You Find a Job?
According to the National Restaurant Association, there are over 1 million restaurant and food service jobs in Florida, which represents 12% of employment in the state. This number is expected to grow 16% by 2027, which means an additional 160,000 jobs.
The projected sales in Florida's restaurants in 2017 is expected to be over $40 billion. That's a lot of food being prepared and served.
Going to School in Florida
Known as "The Sunshine State," Florida is a great place to live if you're considering attending culinary school. From the Cuban-influenced cuisines of Miami and south Florida, to the bountiful seafood that is readily available throughout the state, the culinary industry is diverse and growing in Florida. From Disney World to the Florida Keys, Florida is home to a huge industry well, making it a prime location for those interested in hospitality management.
