Chicago Area Culinary Arts Schools

Aspiring chefs have several education options in Chicago.

From the deep dish pizza to Shrimp DeJonghe, Chicago has rich and varied food traditions. It also has an endless number of famous bistros and cafes, where some of the world's finest cooks ply their trade. Many schools exist in the Windy City where prospective chefs can learn to fine-tune their craft; at-home amateurs can take advantage of cooking schools as well to take their dishes to the next level.

The Institute and Other Uptown Schools

One of the most decorated culinary arts institutes in the world is Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, and there is a branch campus located in the city on West Chestnut, in the former Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago building. The college offers three degree options for potential chefs, including a degree in baking and pastry arts. Students get to work with famous teaching chefs and learn how to make the finest dishes crafted. For those at-home chefs interested in picking up a few tips from renowned chefs, there is The Chopping Block, located in the West Merchandise Plaza, near the Sun-Times Building. The school offers daily specialty classes in a wide variety of topics such as vegetarian-centric cooking, wedding preparation and knife skills.

Cooking Schools Downtown and Further Afield

A couple of noted Culinary Arts schools exist downtown, below the Chicago River. The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, near the Chicago-Brown M stop, features an in-house restaurant where members of the public can eat meals served by the students. Another culinary learning center is the French Pastry School, located at 226 W. Jackson Blvd. The school's shorter classes range from sweet delicacies such as pound cakes, chocolate cakes and sorbets. The longer 24-week and 18-week classes features such subjects as cake decorating and baking. The Chopping Block also has a location further uptown at 4747 N. Lincoln Ave., convenient for those that live in the northern part of the city.

Dessert and Baking Options

Future pastry makers may want to check out French Pastry School.

The Illinois Institute of the Arts, Chicago, located at 350 N. Orleans St., offers a wide variety of classes in professional baking and pastry arts as well as having a baking certificate. The school also offers a Culinary Management Program for perspective kitchen managers. The aforementioned French Pastry School is noted for being an expensive but rewarding option for those interested in making sugary delicacies.

West of City Center

The Calphalon Culinary Center, located on West Randolph Street, is known for having fun and lower-priced cooking demonstration classes. Students get to use well-known Calphalon pots and pans, and the school offers classes for larger groups, such as corporate-based classes. Lexington College, located west of downtown near the intersection of I-90 and I-290, offers a hospitality degree for those who wish to become restaurant managers or caterers.

References

• Le Cordon Bleu: Chicago
• French Pastry School: Home
• Calphalon Chicago Center