Washington State Colleges with Cooking Degrees

Washington is a national trendsetter in many arenas, and the culinary world is no exception. The state that gave us gourmet coffee, grunge music, and open market fish-tossing has yet another invaluable gift: culinary arts programs.

Not only is Washington home to the oldest culinary arts program west of the Mississippi River, but schools like the Seattle Culinary Academy are leading the way in developing forward thinking, eco-friendly, sustainable culinary practices. There are numerous accredited hospitality training programs in Washington, and they all provide ample opportunities for students to learn the trade and prepare for national certification with the American Culinary Federation.

Which Program is Right for You?

Culinary educational levels here range from diploma to certificate, Associate, and Bachelor’s degrees. Certificates and diplomas traditionally take less time to complete (between 12 and 18 months) and provide instruction on specific components and skills within the larger culinary tradition, such as pastries and baking, food safety, or a la carte dishes.

Associate degrees are offered in just about all culinary programs in Washington. AT Bellingham Technical College, for example, you can complete an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in two years. In an AAS program, students will gain a more comprehensive introduction into the expansive culinary trade. Class offerings may include kitchen management, meat preparation, baking and bread making, garde manger, nutrition, customer service, and food purchasing.

A Bachelor’s degree, like the one offered at Seattle Community College, prepares students to enter the trade at a management level in restaurants, kitchens, or other food & hospitality service establishments. In addition to the culinary classes offered in an Associate’s degree program, Bachelor’s degree students will take classes in marketing, economics, communications, and business.

Some programs require students to complete an internship or apprenticeship with a local bakery, restaurant, or caterer prior to graduation. This is a great opportunity for students to make connections in the industry for employment after graduation. Once students complete their training, they may be eligible to become nationally certified by the American Culinary Federation.

On-Campus Schools

Art Institute of Seattle
2323 Elliot Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
800-275-2471
artinstitutes.edu/seattle
Culinary Arts
Baking and Pastry
Culinary Management
ACF Accredited

Bellingham Technical College
3028 Lindbergh Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-738-3105
btc.edu
Culinary Arts
ACF Accredited

Lake Washington Institute of Technology
11605 132nd Avenue NE
Kirkland, WA 98034-8506
425-739-8310
lwtech.edu
Baking Arts
Culinary Arts
Wine Education and Technology
ACF Accredited

North Seattle Community College
9600 College Way North
Seattle, WA 98103-3599
206-528-4402
northseattle.edu
Culinary Arts Continuing Education
Hospitality Management
ACF Accredited

Olympic College
1600 Chester Avenue
Bremerton, WA 98337-1699
360-475-7570
olympic.edu
Culinary Arts
ACF Accredited

Renton Technical College
3000 NE Fourth Street
Renton, WA 98056
425-235-2352
rtc.edu
Culinary Arts
Baking
ACF Accredited

Seattle Central Community College
Seattle Culinary Academy
1701 Broadway
Seattle, WA 98122
206-344-4386
seattleculinary.com
Culinary Arts
Specialty Desserts and Breads
ACF Accredited

Skagit Valley College
2405 East College Way
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
360-416-7618
skagit.edu
Culinary Arts
Hospitality Management
ACF Accredited

South Puget Sound Community College
2011 Mottmand Road SW
Olympia, WA 98512-6292
360-754-7711
spscc.edu
Culinary Arts
ACF Accredited

South Seattle Community College
6000 16th Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98106
206-764-5344
southseattle.edu
Culinary Arts
Hospitality Management
ACF Accredited

Spokane Community College
Inland Northwest Culinary Academy
North 1810 Greene Street
Spokane, WA 99207
509-533-7284
scc.spokane.edu/?culinary
Culinary Arts
ACF Accredited

Online Programs

American Culinary Federation
The ACF has over 200 chapters in the United States; its main campus is located in Florida
180 Center Place Way
St. Augustine, FL
904-824-4468
www.acfchefs.org
Continuing Education
Chef Certification
Chef Educators
Food Safety Certification
ACFEFAC Accredited

The Art Institutes of Pittsburgh – Online Division
The Ai has over 40 campus locations across North America, plus this online campus
420 Blvd of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA
412-291-6200
www.aionline.edu
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Culinary Management
MSCHE Accredited

Ashworth College
430 Technology Pkwy
Norcross, GA
770-729-9400
www.ashworthcolleg.edu
Professional Gourmet Cooking and Catering
Hotel and Restaurant Management
DETC Accredited

DeVry University
This University has 90 campus locations in 26 different states
One Tower Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
1-866-338-7934
www.devry.edu
Hospitality Management
HLC Accredited

eCornell
eCornell is an online program and subsidiary of Cornell University, located in New York
950 Danby Road, Suite 150
Ithaca, NY
607-330-3200
www.ecornell.com
Leadership and Strategic Management
Project Leadership and Systems Design
Financial Management
Management Essentials
Human Resources Management
Hospitality and Foodservice Management
Certificate in plant-based nutrition
HRCI and PMI Approved

Johnson and Wales University
JWU has campuses in Providence, Charlotte, and North Miami; its largest campus is in Rhode Island
8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI 02903
1-800-DIAL-JWU
www.jwu.edu
Baking & Pastry Arts and Food Service Management
Culinary Arts and Food Service Management
NEASC Accredited

New England Culinary Institute
NECI has two campuses in Vermont; its main campus is in Montpelier
56 College Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
877-223-6324
www.neci.edu
Hospitality and Restaurant Management
ACCSC Accredited

Penn Foster Career School
925 Oak Street
Scranton, PA 18515
570-343-9635
www.pennfoster.edu
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Catering
DETC & CHEA Accredited

Sullivan University
SU has three campuses in Louisville, Lexington and Fort Knox. The main campus for its Global e-Learning program is located in Louisville
2100 Gardiner Lane
Louisville, Kentucky 40205
502-413-8830
1-866-755-7887
www.sullivan.edu
Beverage Management
CCSACS & ACF Accredited

University of Phoenix
This University has campuses in over 40 states, and two locations in Canada
4602 East Elwood Street
Phoenix, AZ
480-968-0587
www.phoenix.edu
Hospitality, Travel and Tourism
HLC Accredited