Top 10 Best Culinary Schools in the World 2023

Last Updated on December 22, 2022

If you are looking for the best culinary schools in the world, you are not alone. This is one question several people have been asking. In this article, we have listed the top 10 best culinary schools in the world.

Acquiring the best culinary education can help you get to your desired professional level a lot easier. While there are many successful chefs that have attained success and fame without attending the best culinary schools, well-respected culinary schools can help you learn the skills, knowledge, artistry, and techniques that you need to rank high in the field.

About Culinary Education

Culinary education is growing in popularity. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the tourism and hospitality sector in a big way. However, food deliveries still increased, and barring a few months chefs have been in demand. Food is a basic necessity and culinary arts have helped hotels and restaurants innovate and create an amazing culinary experience for customers, foodies, entrepreneurs, and more.

There are a lot of courses and specializations from undergraduate to postgraduate level. Some examples of typical culinary courses include.

• BA Culinary Arts
• PG Culinary Arts
• BHM Catering Technology & Culinary Arts
• Bachelor in Culinary Science
• Diploma in Pastry & Bakery
• PG Diploma in Bakery and Confectionary
• Diploma in Food and Beverage Operations

There are a lot of amazing culinary institutes with specialization in various cuisines, bakery, pastry and more. Culinary Arts education basically involves about cooking, presenting, designing food. You must have heard about a lot of celebrity chefs. If you want to be one, you need to start by taking up education at one of the culinary institutes.

Eligibility for culinary courses are similar to the BHM courses. You need to have completed higher secondary education and international students need to satisfy language criterion. TOEFL and IELTS are key English language tests serving as standard globally.

Culinary education is also offered at most of the top hospitality institutes across the globe. The eligibility and selection criterion along with fees varies from institutes to institute.

Some of the best places to study these courses are in the USA, UK, Switzerland, Australia and Canada. However, a lot of new and existing colleges providing culinary arts are coming up from Asian countries.

Best Culinary Schools in the World 2023

Note: We don’t endorse or promote any of these culinary schools and thus our readers are requested to consider this article as an informative article on top culinary schools.

You must do your proper research before deciding to take admission to one of these institutions. We have included references and resources to help you explore more about these and more culinary institutes across the globe.

So, without any more commentary, let’s get started now with the list of best culinary schools in the world.

1. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

While the nature of the article forces us to rank these culinary schools, it would be fair to say that all of these are great institutes and almost equal in stature and repute.

Thus the ranking of these excellent culinary institutes is not as 1-10 but is done in an alphabetical order to avoid contradictions.

The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is named after the world-famous Auguste Escoffier who revolutionized modern French cuisine and the Cordon Bleu.

The school teaches the skills and techniques of Auguste Escoffier himself.

Check all about the institute and the programs it offers at the Official website of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.

2. Castello di Vicarello

Castello di Vicarello offers guests staying with them professional cooking lessons.

This is a Castle Hotel in Tuscany which offers short professional courses. Learning the art of Pasta, Bread making and pastry making is what you can expect at the Tuscan Kitchen.

Therefore, if you are only looking to expand your skills as an amateur home cook, this would be the best place to learn.

3. Hattori Nutrition College

The Hattori College in Japan was established by Yukio Hattori, the popular Iron Chef.

The students attending the college enjoy the opportunity to create unique masterpieces that they can showcase to paying guests. The college provides Dietary Education and is one of the renowned culinary schools in Asia.

Established in 1939 as Tokyo Nutrition School, Hattori Nutrition College acts as a fusion of traditional and modern culinary world.

4. Institute of Culinary Education, New York

A lot of the Top Hotel Management Schools in the world also have culinary courses in their programmes.

However, we have only included the schools which are focussed exclusively on culinary programmes. Like the Institute of culinary education, New York.

This Culinary Institute offers students hands-on programs but it also places emphasis on on-the-job experience through internships.

This Culinary School is regularly ranked among the top culinary schools in the world.

This is a largest independently held culinary institute in the USA with its Campuses located in New York and Los Angeles.

5. Kendall College School of Culinary Arts

Students that graduate from the Kendal College often enjoy positions in high end and well-to-do establishments.

Kendall College has received a lot of recognition and awards in the USA and around the globe.

It is considered to be a culinary reputation high in quality and repute which aims to bring up regular innovation to the food and beverage industry.

6. Le Cordon Bleu, Paris

Le Cordon Bleu is considered one of the most illustrious institutions to get a culinary education.

If you are highly interested in French gastronomy and cooking, Le Cordon Bleu could be the ideal place for you to learn.

Some popular chefs that studied at Le Cordon Bleu include Julia Child, Nathalie Dupree and more.

Le Cordon Bleu now has 23 institutions across 5 continents and thus you might be closer to a Cordon Bleu Culinary institute than you think.

Le Cordon Bleu Campus in London is extremely famous as well.

7. New England Culinary Institute

The New England Culinary Institute is known for producing world-class chefs as well as a variety of courses such as baking and pastry, food and beverage management, as well as culinary arts.

Located in Vermont, USA this culinary institute was founded in 1980 and has soon found a place in most of the rankings of top culinary colleges around the globe.

8. School of Artisan Food

The School of Artisan Food situated in the UK is known for courses in bread making, cheese making, brewing and more artisan skills.

It is located in Nottingham’s Sherwood Forest and is one of the best schools to learn bespoke cooking skills.

So, if you are a chef who would like to gain a specialised education in particular cooking areas or enhance your skills, this college is the right place for you.

Have a look at the Course page of School of Artisan Food for further details.

On the course page you can select from a variety of culinary course, filter from multiple sections and select courses based on duration. Below is how their course page looks. Loaded with options for those looking to study cheese making, Pizza making, baking and more.

9. The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park

The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park is situated along the picturesque Hudson River.

It offers a number of courses in several fields including applied food science and food management.

The Best Schools Ranking has put them on top in their list of 30 best Culinary schools in the world ranking.

10. The International Culinary Center

The International Culinary Centre is ranked 3rd in the College Rank listing of 20 best Culinary Programmes in the world. This award-winning French Culinary Institute has campuses in New York City and San Francisco Bay Area.

Reputation speaks volume of the International Culinary Center. The International Culinary Center offers the best culinary education combining both practical skills and theory to produce independent graduates.

Career Progression after a Culinary Course

Chef jobs are one of the highest paid jobs in the hospitality industry. So, the key aim of culinary education for most is to become a chef in a reputed hospitality establishment.

However, there are other career opportunities like nutritionists, Food Quality control and more.

Here are the top career options posts a culinary degree or diploma:

• Chef (Starting from Commis- DCDP – CDP or Chef de Partie – Sous Chef – Executive Chef / Speciality Chef)
• Food Entrepreneurs
• Pastry Chefs
• Bakery Chefs
• Butchery Chefs
• Concept Developers
• Menu and Food designers
• Nutritionist / Dietitian (more courses required post culinary diploma)
• Hygiene Manager

And more.

The hospitality industry is based on talent and experience and nothing can beat that. However, good education and training will help you leapfrog the competition to get ahead of the pack.

If you feel you have got what it takes to become one of the Celebrity chefs in the world in the years to come, stepping foot into one of these great institutions would be a good start.

Hope you found the list of the top 10 best culinary schools in the world helpful. We would continue updating this list with the most recent additions. If you have comments, questions, or just want to discuss, do not hesitate to leave a comment.