Cooking school, or culinary school, is where people can attend courses in food preparation and food handling. Cooking schools can be quite diverse in their program offerings, ranging from one-shot classes geared toward beginners to full four-year college degrees for professionals. A student of the culinary arts can find a wide array of cooking classes, courses and programs in the Minneapolis, Minnesota metro area, which is home to cooking courses for the layperson, specialty food preparation courses and many avenues for professional training and certification as a chef.
College Degree in the Culinary Arts
A branch of the acclaimed and accredited Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts is located in the Twin Cities suburb of Mendota Heights, Le Cordon Bleu is geared toward providing hands-on training in state-of-the-art kitchens for professional chefs. It offers Associate and Bachelor's degrees in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts and Pâtisserie and Baking, as well as professional certification. Similarly, the Art Institutes International Minneapolis campus offers several Associate and Bachelor's degrees in applied culinary sciences and management, as well as two certifications in Baking and Pastries and the Art of Cooking.
Specialty Culinary Arts
The Asian Culinary Arts Institute, located in the heart of Minneapolis, offers ongoing courses for culinary enthusiasts and professional development for working chefs to learn the art of Asian food preparation and planning. The courses aren't geared for beginners but toward experienced cooks. Courses are offered in Chinese and Indian cooking as well as special seminars on Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai food preparation throughout the year.
For Nonprofessionals
The greater Minneapolis area has several establishments that are geared specifically for the layperson who is seeking to improve her appreciation and knowledge of food preparation. In St. Paul, Cooks of Crocus Hill, a well-established gourmet equipment and food store, has a cooking school offering seminars to the public on subjects ranging from making artisan breads to autumn suppers taught by experienced chefs in a fully equipped kitchen setting.
Culinary Field Trips
Located in downtown Minneapolis, Kitchen Window is another gourmet store that offers seminars and demonstrations for the home cook on a large variety of topics as well as a four-session course on cooking fundamentals. Kitchen Window also offers a Celebrated Chefs series, in which the class visits the kitchen of a professional chef and observes how he prepares a three- or four-course dinner.
Cooking Schools for Kids
At the Way Cool Cooking School located in Eden Prairie, kids from ages three to 18 can learn valuable life and food preparation skills. Focusing on fun, practical application and a multidisciplinary approach, Way Cool Cooking School offers private lessons, group classes and even classes for whole families. The school also offers occasional cooking camps and retreats for its students and their families and works with local scouting troops to help scouts earn cooking badges.
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