Best Culinary – Baking & Pastry – Hospitality & Restaurant Management Schools in Colorado
If you are interested in going to a top rated* culinary school in Colorado, check out some of the culinary, baking / pastry and hospitality management schools below. We have researched many available programs to bring you some of the best schools in the country.
Nicknamed "The Centennial State," Colorado is perhaps best known for the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Offering more than just rugged mountain living, cities such as Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins are bursting with new restaurants, brewpubs, urban lifestyle, and a growing tourism industry. From the plains to the mountaintops, Colorado is a great place to live and go to school!
MY TOP PICKS FOR CULINARY COLORADO SCHOOLS
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts offers a diploma in culinary arts and pastry arts. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is committed to sustainability and “green” living. The school attempts to source local products and ingredients for classroom use and works to reduce environmental impact.
Boulder Campus - 637 S. Broadway, Suite H – Boulder, CO 80305
Culinary, Baking & Hospitality Career Outlook in Colorado
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook for jobs in the restaurant, food service and hospitality industries is good with projected growth rates. The table below demonstrates some important information you may want to consider when deciding if going to culinary school and then working in Colorado is right for you.
| Occupation | Total Employment in Colorado (2014) | Average Salary in Colorado (2014) | Annual Hourly Wage |
| Bakers | 3,310 | $27,140 | $13.05 |
| Bartenders | 10,650 | $24,120 | $11.59 |
| Butchers & Meat Cutters | 2,230 | $31,670 | $15.23 |
| Chefs & Head Cooks | 1,840 | $47,790 | $22.97 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 24,850 | $24,360 | $11.71 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 5,430 | $20,350 | $9.78 |
| Cooks, Short Order | 1,940 | $24,400 | $11.73 |
| Food Service Managers | 2,030 | $61,090 | $29.37 |
| Hosts and Hostesses | 9,240 | $21,080 | $10.14 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014
Culinary & Hospitality Industry in Colorado Statistics
- SalarybyState.org - the average culinary salary for job posting in Colorad are 12% lower than the average nationwide in March of 2013.
- BLS* - In May of 2014, there were 1,840 Chefs & Head Cooks in the state of Colorado
- BLS *- the average salary for these Chefs & Head Cooks was $47,790
- BLS* - Average Hourly Wage for Chefs & Head Cooks is $22.97
The Restaurant Industry in Colorado
The restaurant industry in Colorado is a huge part of their economy and generate jobs for thousands of Colorado residents plus important tax revenues to the state. For every dollar spent in Colorado restaurants, an additional $1.15 is generated in the state's economy.
According to restaurant.org:
- There were 10,959 eating and drinking places in Colorado in 2014
- $10.2 billion in restaurant sales projected 2015
- Restaurants will account for 264,200 (11%) jobs in Colorad in 2015
- By 2025 the projections are 33,00 jobs, a 16.1% job growth
