Why Choose Culinary Schools in Florida?
If you love to cook and want to share your love of cooking with others, going to a culinary school is one option. Florida has a strong culinary scene, and the type of cuisine worked will varies significantly by region. The hospitality industry in the state is robust, bringing in over $50 billion annually. That means that there is plenty of space for budding chefs to work in the industry and hone their craft.
Florida is the perfect place for culinary school, because students have excellent internship opportunities as well as festivals where they can put together their brands and sell to the public. This is a fun way for students to get experience while also being able to make some cash.
Top 5 Culinary Schools in Florida
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Myers Technical College | Fort Myers, Florida |
| 2 | Charlotte Technical College | Port Charlotte, Florida |
| 3 | Gulf Coast State College | Panama City, Florida |
| 4 | Erwin Technical College | Tampa, Florida |
| 5 | Eastern Florida State College | Cocoa, Florida |
Choosing Culinary Schools in Florida
There are dozens of schools that offer programs in culinary skills, but getting a good chef’s job is tough. It’s important to enroll in a quality program and to choose one that has internships and externships allowing real, on-the-job training. Training at an excellent facility gives students the opportunity to work with some of the best in the industry and to network with others.
These are the top culinary schools in Florida. These schools are ranked from the highest score to the lowest. If you have questions or need more help finding the right program for you, we can help based on your specific search requirements.
Best 13 Culinary Schools in Florida
Fort Myers Technical College
Fort Myers Technical College offers a professional culinary arts and hospitality program. The program consists of 1,200 hours in food preparation, cook, chef, and foodservice management courses. The program takes place over the course of approximately 11 months.
School Overview
Charlotte Technical College
Charlotte Technical College offers a 1,200-hour course in professional culinary arts and hospitality. The program meets from Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 2:45 p.m.
School Overview
Gulf Coast State College
Gulf Coast State College offers a 35 credit hour culinary arts certificate. The program offers hands-on training in a state-of-the-art facility. Classes have low student-to-teacher ratios to help get better, specialized support.
School Overview
Erwin Technical College
Erwin Technical College offers a 13-month certificate program in professional culinary arts and hospitality, and in addition students may obtain their ServSafe National certification. Students learn hands-on from award winning instructors the necessary skills to thrive in all arenas of the foodservice/hospitality industry. The three student operated dining outlets, each with a different style of service, provides the real-world experience necessary to ensure a smooth transition from education to work. The schedule is from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day of the week, making it easy for students to go to classes and complete normal work afterward. Job placement assistance is available.
School Overview
Eastern Florida State College
Eastern Florida State College has both a full- or part-time track for the Culinary Management Associate in Science degree. The programs are limited and train students to work as a culinary manager, pantry cook, executive chef, or in other roles.
School Overview
McFatter Technical College
McFatter Technical College offers a Professional Culinary Arts & Hospitality program. The program can be completed in just 12 months when students attend full time. Students go on to work as pastry chefs, at resorts, and more.
School Overview
Sheridan Technical College
Sheridan Technical College offers a 12-month program in the culinary arts. The courses take approximately 1,200 in-class hours, and students attend from Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. Students learn about menu planning, dining room service, and other important topics in the course.
School Overview
Hillsborough Community College
Hillsborough Community College offers a 35 credit hour program in the culinary arts. The certificate program prepares students to work as a lead cook, baker, pantry cook, or prep cook in institutional or commercial settings. Students can also opt for culinary management AS degree at this school.
School Overview
Broward College
Broward College offers an accredited culinary arts program. The program consists of approximately 12 months of training and 1,200 hours of work. Students may obtain the ServSafe certification during their time in the program.
School Overview
Florida Technical College
At Florida Technical College, students learn how to work, manage, and cook in any type of kitchen environment. The program is 15 months long as is primarily hands-on, teaching students to become quality chefs in short order.
School Overview
Johnson and Wales University
Johnson and Wales University offers both AS and BS degrees in Baking and Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, and many other programs. Students can choose from certificates in brewing and minors in sommelier management and craft brewing as well.
School Overview
Keiser University
Keiser University has campuses in several areas around Florida and provides an Associate of Science degree in the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts. Students learn to handle food, use restaurant-specific equipment, and more.
School Overview
The Art Institute of Tampa
The Art Institute of Tampa offers a culinary arts program. The program can be either an associate of the arts in culinary arts or an associate of the arts in baking and pastry. A BA is also available for students interested in culinary management. The school does not provide information on enrollment.
School Overview
Ranking Methodology
For the purpose of this listing, we’ve taken the scores of two categories, tuition, and enrollment, and combined them to get an overall score for the school. High tuition rates and high enrollment rates were both ranked poorly, as they suggest high costs with less direct access to the faculty and one-on-one support.
Every effort was made to provide accurate information in this article. Keep in mind that this list is subject to change and may be altered at any time. The results cannot be guaranteed.
Questions About How Your School Ranked?
If you work at one of the schools above and have questions about your ranking or would like to adjust the information provided here, please contact us. We are here to help.
If your school is not listed and you would like to have it listed, let us know. We’re always ready to speak with new facilities and those who believe they’ve been missed.
