Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Chefs
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Tri-C and Columbus State Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Tri-C and Cincinnati State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Tri-C, Sinclair Community College, Zane State, and Cincinnati State.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Cincinnati State.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of University of Akron and Hocking.
Excellence
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at University of Akron.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Ohio Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Cincinnati
- Programs: 12 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma
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Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Hocking College • Nelsonville, OH
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 1987)
• 10/2/2011
"I would have liked to have gone to a bigger school. But at the same time I did learn a little at this school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you don't have plans on working for Gordon Ramsay, you will do okay at Hocking College. If you plan to work outside of Southeastern Ohio you will need to choose another school. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | Somewhat frowned upon in some circles. Not as prestigious as some of the French cooking schools. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I have been out of school for awhile, but when I went the school was considered to be very good and unique. Now, I think they are rated as average, and of course there are better schools. |
| Instruction | 5 | In some areas we were ill prepared. They could have given us more advice on the ownership and management of a small business in addition to being the chef. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The program wasn't rocket science, but it did take a bit of skill and study. You had to know how to cook a little and be familiar with a kitchen. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They had you buy a lot of books you never used. Most of your training was in the kitchen at the motor lodge the school ran - free labor for them, hands on training for you. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | You take classes when they say - there is no flexibility. You work around the school's schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | When I went, the facilities were almost pitiful - no real support or study system. I have heard it's better now. It would have to be. |
| Social Life | 2 | A lot of drinking and drugs - not a good atmosphere. There was some racial tension and lots of smoking and drinking. |
| Placement Services | 2 | Non existent, they could careless if you get a job. They only tell you the success stories of former students. Not the ones working in Fast Food or those who are jobless. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Not so good here. They don't follow through with the students. Once you have quit paying them, they forget your name. |
University Of Akron • Akron, OH
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 1986)
• 12/13/2011
"The reputation of the UA Culinary program has opened doors for me. I feel that the program is well-regarded in the foodservice industry."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | UA is a good Midwestern school to pursue a culinary education. It is a good school to learn the basics. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | It's not the Culinary Institute of America, but it provides a good basis to enter the industry. There are many worse options for a culinary education. |
| Program Quality | 8 | UA Culinary could provide a more in-depth immersion into baking and pastry work. The remainder of the culinary program is quite adequate. |
| Instruction | 7 | Instructors are qualified to teach the current curriculum. More guest instructors would add to the current roster of instructors. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Culinary work is very demanding. The UA coursework does not always present the demanding nature of the industry. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Hands-on learning is essential to learning the culinary trade. Book learning occurs in off-hours and weekends. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | UA runs a small program with little choice for class scheduling in the Culinary major. There are many early morning and late-night classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There have been many improvements made at UA since I attended the university. I would say that they look tremendous, but I have not personally experienced these upgrades. |
| Social Life | 5 | Fraternity/Greek life is quite active. Many Culinary students participate in university activities. |
| Placement Services | 4 | Job placement services are rather poor at the university level. Internet job searches are far more productive at the chef level. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | While I am aware of a few fellow students in the industry, I have not met them at university functions. Better networking would improve contact between alumni. |
Columbus Culinary Institute • Columbus, OH
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 2009)
• 1/11/2012
"Although many people from another local culinary schools claim that we are not a "real" school, I believe I got a better education than they did. As mentioned earlier, it was a perfect mix of book and hands-on learning, and we got to experience many things that those attending a public community college might not get to experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Even though the cost of CCI is incredibly high, it is worth it. All the classes are tailored to the culinary arts, and there are no extra classes that don't pertain to the degree. |
| Program Reputation | Columbus Culinary Institute has only been around for about 6-7 years. In that time there have been many curriculum changes and several different directors. I believe that in time we will shine as an outstanding school, but since it is so young there hasn't been time yet. | |
| Program Quality | 10 | I believe I received the best training I could from a new school. Our courses provided insight not only into the art of cooking but into the environment as well. |
| Instruction | 10 | All the Chef Instructors are highly qualified. They have real-life experience, they truly care about the students, and they make everything a personal experience. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Many people in my class struggled with the academic classes, but excelled at the actual cooking labs. I was prepared to be challenged in both areas, and I succeeded. A lot of people go to culinary school thinking that it's just an elaborate cooking course, and are sorely disappointed when they realize it's an actual school. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say it is a perfect mix. We learned from the book, and then executed with our hands. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There are four different schedules for each day, ranging from a 6:00 AM start to a 12:00 PM start. They also offer weekend activities and after school meetings. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The teachers I had were not only knowledgeable in their area of expertise, but many of them had worked in the culinary arts as well. They all made sure to have the academic classes tie in with our culinary experience. |
| Social Life | 8 | Other than having a few bad apples, most of the people I went to school with were amazing. Being with the same people five days a week for almost two years straight builds a lot of camaraderie. |
| Placement Services | 5 | As I stated earlier, I think CCI needs time to stake its claim in the culinary world. If more employers were willing to take on students, the job placement would probably work better. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | We were always told that we could come back any time for assistance with anything - finances, job, etc. This may be true, however, they don't make it readily available for the average working person. |
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