Cooking Classes in Florida with Program Descriptions

Florida has about 50 schools that offer cooking courses. Learn about the courses, tuition info and program options for 10 of the largest schools to make an informed education decision.

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Cooking Schools in Florida

Many Florida schools offer programs related to cooking. Options are available for non-professionals with an interest in expanding their cooking skills, beginners just learning the basics of food prep and food safety, and experienced chefs studying specialty techniques. Following are short overviews of 10 of Florida's largest schools offering cooking classes, along with a table that shows program options and tuition info.

Brevard Community College

Located in Cocoa, Brevard Community College offers a certificate program in culinary operations. Cooking courses cover seafood and shellfish, food production, baking, food safety, regional cuisine and competitive culinary artistry. Required internships may be completed at the Cocoa Campus Boardwalk Café or at an off-campus location. Full-time students can complete the 32-unit program in two semesters. The program does not require a high school diploma or its equivalent for entry; however, one is required for financial aid eligibility.

Broward College

The culinary arts management program at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale is offered through a partnership between the college and Broward Technical Centers. To earn the associate's degree, culinary students complete a 39-credit commercial foods and culinary arts program at one the technical centers and 18 credits of general education requirements at the college. Some of the cooking courses include pastries and baking, regional and international foods, mass food production and classical cuisine.

Daytona State College

Daytona State College in Daytona Beach offers an associate's degree program in culinary management; credits earned in this program are transferrable to the school's Bachelor of Applied Science program in supervision and management. The program requires 64 credits to complete and incorporate a series of food production courses. The school also offers a 20-credit vocational certificate program with a specialization in baking & pastry that may be taken on a stand-alone basis or in conjunction with the culinary management degree. Available facilities include kitchens, state-of-the-art classrooms and an on-site restaurant, Café 101.

Florida State College at Jacksonville

The culinary programs at this Jacksonville-based college were developed based on guidelines established by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation. The program offers a 64-credit associate's degree program in culinary management. Courses include marketing and menu management, buffet and catering management, international and American regional foods, baking, culinary terminology, food production, garde manger and nutrition. Two internships are also required. The school also offers a 35-credit technical certificate program in the culinary arts. It requires many of the same courses as the degree program, but without the general education classes.

Hillsborough Community College

Located in Tampa, Hillsborough Community College offers a 12-credit Chef's Apprentice Certificate, a 35-credit Culinary Arts Certificate and a 64-credit Associate in Science in Culinary Management. All programs include courses in safety and sanitation, methods of food preparation, baking and garde manger. The 35-credit certificate program offers additional culinary arts courses, while the degree program requires a greater number of culinary and general education classes.

Keiser University - Ft. Lauderdale

Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale has two 80-credit Associate of Science programs in the culinary field. The culinary arts program offers cooking courses in sauces and stocks, food principles, sanitation, nutrition, American cuisine and French foods. Some of the courses offered in the baking and pastry program include icing and cakes, quick breads, yeast breads, frozen desserts, cooking fruit and baking techniques. Both programs also require 24 credits of general education classes.

Miami Dade College

Miami Dade College in Miami offers an 18-credit certificate program in culinary arts management operations with courses in cooking terminology, food production, international cuisines, baking and garde manger. The school also has an associate's degree program in culinary arts management. In addition to general education courses, this 68-credit program requires classes in facilities and menu planning, food production, international foods, culinary competition and nutrition. For individuals looking to improve their culinary techniques in a particular area, the college offers a 'culinarium' learning series, consisting of short courses in specialized areas of cookery. Some of the areas covered include basic cooking skills, breads, cake decoration and world cuisines.

Pensacola State College

Pensacola State College in Pensacola offers a 35-credit certificate program in the culinary arts. This program includes courses in baking, dining room management with French service, traditional cuisine, international foods and garde manger. Students can also earn an associate's degree in culinary management, which requires additional culinary courses as well as general education classes.

South Florida State College

Located in Avon Park, South Florida State College offers a 38-credit occupational certificate program in food management, production and services. Course topics include preparing food, planning menus, presenting food, kitchen organization and more. The program is offered in two formats. The first is designed for traditional college students, and the second is created for high school students who attend regular classes in the morning and hospitality courses in the afternoon.

Valencia College

Valencia College's West Campus, located in Orlando, offers four certificate programs and two associate's degree programs in the culinary arts. The 12-credit chef's apprentice program provides students with knowledge of cooking basics, including food production and safety, food and drink management and traditional cuisines. The 18-credit culinary arts management certificate program builds upon the apprentice program by adding courses in regional and world cuisine, pastries and baking. The 35-credit certificate program in culinary arts requires the same courses as the aforementioned certificate programs, plus advanced courses in baking and pastry arts, producing foods and garde manger. Students also complete general education requirements and a 3-credit internship.

Those looking to specialize can investigate the school's baking and pastry technical certificate, which covers basic baking, tarts and friandises, desserts and cakes, pastry production and cost management. Those who enroll in the associate's degree program in baking and pastry management take additional general education courses and advanced culinary classes, such as confections and chocolates, culinary competition and restaurant desserts. Credits from both associate's degree programs can be applied towards the University of Central Florida's Bachelor in Applied Science degree program.

School Comparison Table

School Name School Type & Setting Cooking Certificate and Degree Programs Undergraduate Tuition & Fees (2012-2013)
Brevard Community College 2-year, public; large suburb Culinary Operations Certificate $2,458 in-state; $8,986 out-of-state*
Broward College 4-year, public (primarily associate's); large suburb Associate in Science in Culinary Arts Management $2,494 in-state; $8,616 out-of-state*
Daytona State College 4-year, public (primarily associate's); small city Vocational Certificate in Culinary Options - Baking and Pastry Specialization,
Associate in Science in Culinary Management 		$3,371 in-state; $12,441 out-of-state*
Florida State College at Jacksonville 4-year, public (primarily associate's); large city Culinary Arts Technical Certificate,
Associate in Science in Culinary Management 		$2,790 in-state; $9,903 out-of-state*
Hillsborough Community College 2-year, public; large city Chef's Apprentice Certificate,
Culinary Arts Certificate,
Associate in Science in Culinary Management 		$2,506 in-state; $9,111 out-of-state*
Keiser University - Fort Lauderdale 4-year, private not-for-profit (primarily associate's); midsized city Associate of Science in Culinary Arts,
Associate of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts 		$15,664*
Miami Dade College 4-year, public (primarily associate's); large city Culinarium courses,
Culinary Arts Management Operations Certificate,
Associate in Science in Culinary Arts Management 		$3,366 in-state; $11,895 out-of-state*
Pensacola State College 4-year, public (primarily associate's); small city Culinary Arts Certificate,
Associate in Applied Science in Culinary Management 		$2,704 in-state; $10,875 out-of-state*
South Florida State College 4-year, public (primarily associate's); distant town Occupational Certificate in Food Management, Production and Services $3,160 in-state; $11,854 out-of-state*
Valencia College 4-year, public (primarily associate's); midsized city Chef's Apprentice Technical Certificate,
Culinary Arts Technical Certificate,
Culinary Arts Management Technical Certificate,
Baking and Pastry Arts Technical Certificate,
Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry Management,
Associate in Science in Culinary Management 		$2,378 in-state; $9,005 out-of-state*

Source: *NCES College Navigator.

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6 Popular Schools

  • The Art Institutes

    School locations:
    • Online Learning
    • Fort Lauderdale
    • Jacksonville
    • Tampa

    Online and Classroom-Based Programs

    • Bachelor
        • Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts Management
        • Bachelor in Culinary Arts Management
    • Associate
        • Associate in Culinary Arts
        • Associate in Culinary Arts - Baking & Pastry
    • Non-Degree
        • Diploma - Culinary Arts

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  • Strayer University

    Minimum eligibility requirements:
    • Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
    School locations:
    • Online Learning

    Online Programs

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  • Kaplan University

    Minimum eligibility requirements:
    • Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
    School locations:
    • Online Learning

    Online Programs

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  • Ashworth College

    Minimum eligibility requirements:
    • Must be 17 years of age or older
    School locations:
    • Online Learning

    Online Programs

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  • Penn Foster Career School

    Minimum eligibility requirements:
    • Must be 18 years of age or older
    School locations:
    • Online Learning

    Distance Learning Programs

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  • University of Phoenix

    Minimum eligibility requirements:
    • Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
    School locations:
    • Online Learning

    Online Programs

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Other Related Schools:

National Schools:

  • University of Cincinnati

    School locations:
    • Cincinnati
    Areas of study you may find at University of Cincinnati include:
      • Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
      • Non-Degree: Certificate, Coursework
      • Post Degree Certificate: Post Master's Certificate
      • Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
    • Culinary Arts and Personal Services
      • Culinary Arts and Culinary Services
    » Research University of Cincinnati's Programs

  • Ferris State University

    School locations:
    • Big Rapids
    Areas of study you may find at Ferris State University include:
      • Graduate: First Professional Degree, Master
      • Non-Degree: Certificate, Coursework
      • Post Degree Certificate: Postbaccalaureate Certificate
      • Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
    • Culinary Arts and Personal Services
      • Culinary Arts and Culinary Services
        • Catering and Restaurant Management
    » Research Ferris State University's Programs

  • Kendall College

    School locations:
    • Chicago
    Areas of study you may find at Kendall College include:
      • Non-Degree: Certificate
      • Undergraduate: Bachelor
    • Culinary Arts and Personal Services
      • Culinary Arts and Culinary Services
        • Chef Training
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Popular Schools

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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics