Online Culinary Arts Classes

Why should you take online culinary arts classes? If you are fascinated by the art of cooking and love working with your hands to create unique meals that tantalize the senses, you may be the ideal candidate for a career in the culinary arts.

Whether you want to begin a career in gourmet cooking and catering, work in a restaurant, hospital or hotel kitchen or simply want to enjoy your new skill at home, online culinary art classes can fulfil your dreams.

Online culinary arts classes are available for personal enjoyment and for those who wish to pursue a culinary arts career. Introductory culinary classes can provide students with an introduction to professional cooking, baking and pastry arts, as well as the foundations of cooking.

Online Culinary Arts Colleges

Art Institute of Pittsburg - offers the following online culinary-related program:

• Bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management

Penn Foster Career School - has a School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality at Penn Foster that offers the following online culinary arts classes and related programs:

• Bridal Consultant
• Catering
• Hotel and Restaurant Management
• Travel and Tourism Specialist

Ashworth University - offers the following online culinary programs and related courses:

• Certificate in Gourmet Cooking And Catering
• Certificate in Hotel/Restaurant Management

Find more Online Culinary Colleges by zip code

Online Culinary Arts Classes - Education & Training

Online culinary arts diploma programs require anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to prepare students for entering the world of culinary arts. Some entry level cooks begin their careers with no experience and must rely on others to learn their way around the kitchen. With an online culinary arts diploma, cooks have an advantage over their competition and will learn specific sought-after skills, making them more likely to be hired.

If you are interested in a more advanced culinary arts degree, there are online associate and bachelor degree programs available. In these classes, students will also learn the foundations of cooking, as well as: nutrition, menu planning, portion control, purchasing, inventory methods, proper food storage procedures, and use of leftover food to minimize waste. Students also learn sanitation and public health rules for handling food. Training in food service management, computer accounting, and inventory software, and banquet service are featured in some training programs.

Most colleges offering online culinary arts classes and programs also require students to get experience in a commercial kitchen through an internship, apprenticeship or out-placement program.

What Can You Do with a Culinary Arts Degree?

There are many careers you can pursue after attaining a degree or pursuing online culinary classes. Many people go on to become chefs, caterers, baking or pastry chefs, and restaurant managers, working in a variety of establishments that include cruise ships, resorts, hotels, and convention centers, among others. Often times, culinary arts students work as food critics, instructors or food inspectors. Many students have the goal of becoming a personal chef or even opening their own restaurant or catering business. Obtaining a culinary arts degree or taking online culinary classes will enable you to achieve those dreams.

Salary and Employment Outlook for Graduates of Online Culinary Arts Degree Programs

Job openings for chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers are expected to be plentiful through 2016; however, positions in the top kitchens of higher end restaurants are very competitive. According to the 2008 Occupational Outlook Handbook, two-thirds of all chefs, cooks and food preparation workers were employed in restaurants and other food services establishments. About 15% worked in institutions such as schools, universities, hospitals, and nursing care facilities.

The employment of chefs, cooks and food preparation workers is expected to increase by 11% over the 2006-16 decade. In addition, the earnings of chefs, cooks and food preparation workers vary greatly by region and according to the type of employer. Earnings usually are highest in elegant restaurants and hotels, where many executive chefs are employed, and in major metropolitan and resort areas. The median annual wage-and-salary earnings of chefs and head cooks was $34,370 in May 2006.