List of the Best U.S. Cities for Culinary Arts Education

The most popular cities in United States draw the most tourists, which can mean big money for the food industry. A major city which relies on tourism will provide the best opportunities for culinary students. Graduates could easily find work in local hotels, restaurants, resorts, clubs, and various other tourist attractions.

Food For Thought

Before choosing a city to study in, it is important to factor in geographical location. Some cities may have a specific focus or cuisine history that could be beneficial to your studies. If you are interested in Mexican cuisine, you may want to look into a culinary school in Houston, or San Antonio. If seafood is your forte, your best choice would be to look into cities close to the ocean, like Seattle or Miami.

Atlanta
Atlanta is a city that is culturally diverse and relies heavily on tourism. Culinary schools in Atlanta offer a variety of different campus programs, as well as online programs focusing on management.

Austin
There’s more to Texas than just football and Dallas. As one of the state’s major cities, Austin offers a variety of online programs focusing on food service, tourism, and management.

Boston
There are less culinary schools available in Boston so the competition can be fierce. Regardless, there are still many opportunities for graduates to find work after completing their studies, with food preps and supervisors representing 88% of the culinary work force.

Chicago
For future chefs and students, Chicago is swirling with a variety of culinary choices and job opportunities. With many culinary schools to choose from, students choosing to study in Chicago could easily find work within the city if they complete an externship following their studies.

Dallas
Everything may be bigger in Texas, but the job growth is expanding at a slow rate. Regardless, there are a still a large number of online and campus culinary programs to choose from, some of the popular schools in Dallas have a focus on Mexican culture and cuisine.

Denver
Studying in a picturesque city like Denver has its costs. It may be expensive, but its culinary schools offer a large number of online programs in hospitality and restaurant management. Graduates may be able to find work easily after completing their studies because the city attracts rich tourists and celebrities.

Houston
Houston has one of the most successful job markets in the United States. Students have the option of enrolling in programs which could take less time to complete, and there are also various catering and management programs available online.

Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a touristy city tendering to touristy needs. There are plenty of programs available online, but graduates who complete their studies in Las Vegas could gain a successful career through externships.

Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a city in which its diversity is only matched by its size, offering student chefs a wide array of opportunities.

Miami
Enrolling in a Miami culinary institute has its benefits because the tourism industry is booming, but it can also be very expensive. Many well-respected culinary schools are located in Miami, most of which have programs with a tourism focus.

Minneapolis
As the largest city in Minnesota, studying in Minneapolis could be the best way to preserve your culinary career during the cold winters. There are a variety of online programs to choose from, and culinary institutes offer programs in nearly every culinary topic.

Napa Valley
The Napa Valley is internationally known for its wine industry, and offers a variety of on-campus programs which focus on beverage studies. Tuition and living costs may be expensive, but there are a variety of management programs which can be completed online.

New York City
New York City is one of the largest and most culturally diverse cities in the world. Studying in New York is expensive, but the food business is growing as quick as a New York minute. The city and its culinary institutes are also home to some of the most famous chefs in the world.

Pasadena
There are many options for students hoping to earn an education in Pasadena. However, there are not as many on-campus learning programs available as there are online. As one of the major cities in California, program curriculum could be focused on the production and history of wine.

Pittsburgh
This industrial city has plenty of online programs to choose from. From tourism to food service management, in Pittsburgh nearly every program is available for future culinary students.

Portland
Coined “the delicious destination of the year” in 2007, Portland is also home to several cooking competitions and annual food festivities. There are many tourism and hospitality programs to choose from which are also available online.

Sacramento
Sacramento is one of the most populated cities in California and is very much a part of its booming industry. There are a variety of different programs available online, and curriculums tend to focus on tourism and beverage management.

San Antonio
Because it is the second largest city in Texas after Houston, San Antonio is a big city with more options for culinary graduates. Tourism and management programs are available online, and some programs may have an emphasis on Mexican cuisine.

San Diego
Relying heavily on the tourism industry and influenced by Mexican culture, San Diego is becoming a popular city of choice for culinary students. Job opportunities are plentiful, and there are a variety of programs available both in the city and online.

San Francisco
A culinary education in San Francisco could be that iconic golden bridge that leads you to a future career within the city. There are over local 1300 restaurants, and although the pay is good, there could be a house full of competition.

Scottsdale
Home of the Scottsdale Culinary Festival and Arizona Restaurant Association, culinary students may find studying in Scottsdale extremely beneficial. There are many online programs available with a variety of different topics to choose from, and graduates could find work in various tourism-related businesses.

Seattle
Does Seattle smell like a great city to raise your culinary spirits? It’s probably the seafood. There are many online programs to choose from, and Seattle-based campuses offer unique programs, some of which focus on banquet planning and nutrition.