Train to be a Chef with Johnson and Wales Cooking Colleges

If you have your sights set on culinary stardom – maybe as the next Iron Chef or as the host of your own show on the Food Network – there are numerous options for getting your culinary training. Johnson and Wales University is a nationally-recognized school with four campuses spread across the United States. Find out how its programs can help you achieve your dreams to become the top banana in the kitchen.

Program Options:

Johnson and Wales University has four campuses, each offering different programs in the fields of culinary arts and hospitality. The overall program focus provided by the university combines training for culinary skills with business knowledge for managing a restaurant or hotel kitchen. Instructors include professional chefs and industry professionals, and class sizes are kept small for individual attention.

The following programs are available:

Culinary Arts
This two-year associate’s program combines training in classical techniques with business acumen in the areas of cost control, nutrition and sanitation. Technique training will focus on classical/international cuisine, garde manger, patisserie/dessert and international dining room services. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

Culinary Nutrition
This bachelor’s degree focuses on education in the areas of food allergies, food intolerance and food-intake related diseases. Graduates will know how to cook and understand sound principles of nutrition. The program has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics and is open to students who have earned an associate’s degree in either Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts and meet minimum academic standards. Available at the Providence and Denver campuses.

Baking & Pastry Arts
An associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree are offered in this program, which focuses on techniques for creating artisan breads, pastry, pies, tarts, celebration cakes, and other showpieces. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

Culinary Arts & Food Service Management
This joint bachelor’s degree combines training as a chef and a manager, with an option to choose a concentration in several areas of hospitality. Graduates of the Culinary Arts associate’s degree program are eligible. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

Baking & Pastry Arts & Food Service Management
This joint bachelor’s degree combines the baking and pastry programs with management training. Graduates of the Baking & Pastry Arts associate degree program are eligible. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

Food Marketing
This bachelor’s degree program is offered through the College of Business. Available at the Providence and Miami campuses.

Food Service Entrepreneurship
This bachelor’s degree is also offered through the College of Business, and offers training for students interested in opening a food-related business or creating new food products. Students will have the chance to work in a commercial test kitchen to develop new products. Available at the Providence campus.

Hotel and Lodging Management
Classroom lecture is combined with related work experience to learn management skills, leadership skills and communication strategies. A concentration can be selected to choose a specialty. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

International Hotel and Tourism Management
This bachelor’s degree program includes one term abroad and three terms of language study. Concentrations may be selected for a specialty focus, such as gaming or event management. Students must apply as freshmen already enrolled in the Hospitality College. Available at the Providence and Charlotte campuses.

Restaurant, Food and Beverage Management
The program focuses on current industry trends and combines theory with practical experience. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

Sports Entertainment Event Management
Students will learn the basic of event production, media relations and management. Available at the Providence, Miami, Charlotte, and Denver campuses.

Travel-Tourism and Hospitality Management
This bachelor’s degree program uses an immersive approach that blends classroom education with real-world training. The final project will require students to produce a tour to a domestic or international destination. Available at the Providence and Miami campuses.

The university also offers options for accelerating your studies. Students who have worked in the food-service industry for at least three to five years or can finish an associate’s degree in as little as 12 months. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree can “garnish” their degree by earning an associate’s in just 12 months. Online bachelor’s degrees in Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts are also available for students who already have an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts.

Getting Experience, Then the Job

All of the programs at each of the four campuses of Johnson and Wales University heavily emphasize hands-on training and real-world experience. There are numerous labs and other high-tech professional facilities at the campuses. Facilities at each of the campuses include multiple hot kitchens, Garde Manger kitchens, pastry labs, bakeshops, meat labs (including instruction on butchering), wine and beverage labs, and kitchens for soups, stocks and sauces. Store rooms are set up to teach students the fundamentals of running a kitchen, from ordering and receiving to storing and maintaining product. Some campuses also have a nutrition lab and food-testing lab. Other facilities can include culinary labs, libraries, and even a museum.

All of the campuses have dining rooms to learn the full course of restaurant operations, including dining etiquette. The Providence campus also features a hotel and inn, where students can gain experience in hospitality relations.

Internships and externships are integral to many of the programs. Some degrees require the completion of an externship or some other practical training at the end of a student’s studies. Opportunities are available at one of the school’s numerous facilities. Other programs include rotational assignments, career co-ops, and placements through partnerships in the community. Additional training opportunities include regular cooking and baking competitions and a visiting lecture series.

For those who want to be exposed to another culture or to different techniques for either cooking or management, study abroad programs are available in countries including France, Ireland, Germany Italy, Peru, Switzerland, Singapore and Thailand.

Counseling services are also available to help students create a plan for meeting career goals. Representatives guide students on interviewing skills and resume writing, and career conferences are offered twice a year.

Getting Started

Tuition is the same no matter the campus or the program you choose: $28,539. Student fees, room and board and supplies will tack on extra, depending on the options you choose. To apply for financial aid, students must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal grants and loans are available, and many organizations offer scholarships for culinary studies.

The admissions process is open, and there is no deadline for applications, as students are accepted on a rolling basis for terms beginning in September, December, March and June. But students should keep in mind term dates in order to apply and enroll for their intended term. There is no application fee. Graduation from high school or the completion of an equivalency degree must be shown. There are no other requirements for admissions.

School Information:

Johnson and Wales University
jwu.edu

Charlotte campus
801 West Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
980-598-1000

Denver campus
7150 Montview Blvd.
Denver, CO 80220
303-256-9300

Miami campus
1701 NE 127 Street
North Miami, FL 33181
305-892-7000

Providence campus
8 Abbott Park Place
Providence, RI 02903
401-598-1000