The Best Culinary Schools

For those with culinary dreams of running bakeries or restaurants, or of writing menus and preparing Michelin-star food, the idea of traditional college classes and degrees can be a bit hard to swallow.

Even for those who have already decided on attending culinary school, choosing a school with the right program, reputation, and industry connections can often seem overwhelming.

The 20 culinary schools on this list are considered to be some of the best in the nation. They are located all over the United States. Some, like those in the famed Le Cordon Blue network, are well-known and established training grounds for some of the food industry’s leading talent.

Others, like the relatively new San Francisco Cooking School, have burst onto the culinary scene with programs designed to prepare aspiring chefs and bakers to work in the industry in as little time as possible.

But despite their many differences, each school on this list prides itself on its mission to protect and train the future of culinary arts, both in the United States and abroad.