<p>OK, so you have graduated from a top-10 LAC and want to follow a path as a chef/ restaurant owner.</p>
<p>Any recommendations for chef schools, with intensive high-quality programs, maybe 6 -12 month duration? An ideal may be something in France with instruction in French, so you can improve language skills at the same time.</p>
<p>The only one that I would recommend is the CIA. [About</a> The CIA-The Culinary Institute of America](<a href=“http://www.ciachef.edu/admissions/about/default.asp]About”>http://www.ciachef.edu/admissions/about/default.asp)</p>
<p>And I hope that you are aware of what a low paying, very tough job this is. (I grew up in the restaurant industry)</p>
<p>Instead of going to restaurant school (though the CIA is great) what about going to France and working in a restaurant kitchen? That’s the usual way chefs are trained. Or work in a US restaurant kitchen.</p>
<p>I was just going to add, that the CIA admission requirements include 6 months experience in a professional kitchen. I never took culinary classes, but supported myself through college and grad school working as a sous chef and later I worked as a line cook (saute and grill).
I later took cooking classes when I lived in Italy, but only for pleasure.<br>
I like that CIA requires work experience since it helps students leave their culinary fantasies at the door.</p>
<p>Check out the local community college to see if they have a culinary arts certificate program. If you get the certificate, that will get your foot in the door. Then with a few months of professional experience, you can be admitted to a professional culinary arts school.</p>
<p>(My daughter, who is attending IU in the fall, is torn between pursuing a liberal arts degree and becoming a professional chef. She took the first year of culinary arts training through her high school and loved it. In this economy we are encouraging her to keep all her options open!)</p>
<p>Actually, I was just at CIA last week. Our server, who was a student, told us that the 6 month’s “experience” could be anything - even working in a Subway!</p>
<p>Oh yah…it can even mean working at a volunteer soup kitchen or school cafeteria. The do it because so many people who fantasize about working in the food industry have never stepped inside any kind of professional kitchen!</p>
<p>LAC to Chef–here’s one woman’s story. Her restaurant is great. One of my favorites.</p>
<p>[Myers</a> + Chang](<a href=“http://www.myersandchang.com/index.php?p=387&sp870=121]Myers”>http://www.myersandchang.com/index.php?p=387&sp870=121)</p>
<p>[Cooking</a> Schools ? Culinary Arts Degree ? The Art Institutes](<a href=“Closed School Information Page |”>Closed School Information Page |)</p>
<p>AI is a for profit company (much like ITT TECH, and UOP) I would proceed with caution in that area. <a href=“http://www.sueainow.com%5B/url%5D”>www.sueainow.com</a></p>
<p>CIA sounds good, they have a 30 week accelerated program. But something in Europe might be more fun.</p>
<p>fun…are you SURE you are talking about the restaurant business? 
Trust me, a high quality intensive culinary program will not be fun.</p>
<p>Well, if it isn’t fun for you, then you are in the wrong business.</p>
<p>Absolutely! That’s why I left! (and the 16 hour work days didnt help either!)</p>