Culinary Arts Schools in Alabama
Alabama's slow-cooked barbecue and fried chicken are legendary. No proper Alabamian cook burns their food -- and after attending an Alabama culinary school, neither will you. Food specialties abound in Alabama, from the seafood treasures of the Gulf Coast to innovative cooking in the bustling metropolitan areas. Ethnic food has also made a splash in the Alabama culinary scene: try top-notch Indian in Birmingham or Greek in Huntsville. As an example of its culinary prowess, Alabama has a long tradition of producing contenders for the prestigious James Beard award: in 2011, three of the semifinalists were from Alabama. The state hosts a variety of food events, including the Grits Festival in Childersburg, the Okra Festival in Burkville, the Butterbean Festival in Pinson, the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores and the National Peanut Festival in Dothan in November. The year-round availability of fresh produce is a major draw for culinary professionals, and community-supported agriculture is a healthy and popular trend.
Sweet Home Alabama: Culinary Schools and Careers
Although many Alabamians are proud of their own cooking skills, they love to eat out. According to the National Restaurant Association, there were 7,300 eating and drinking places in the state as of 2010. In addition, the NRA expects employment in the sector to continue growing by 15.4 percent throughout the next decade. Regarding chef earnings, the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the mean annual wage for Alabama head cooks and chefs as $45,070 in May 2011.
Does Alabama sound sweet enough for you to attend culinary school or pastry school? A degree in the culinary arts is not required to make a start in this fast-paced industry, but formal education could help you advance your career more rapidly. Get started by having a look at the list of culinary schools in Alabama below.
Additional Foodie Resources for Alabama Culinary School Students
A Year of Alabama Food shows off Alabama’s culinary gems
Bureau of Labor Statistics information for chef and head cook careers
National Restaurant Association fast facts on Alabama restaurants
Find Alabama Cooking & Culinary Schools Near You!
This list also contains online schools that accept students from Alabama.
Set your career in motion at Virginia College Online.
- Online
- Birmingham
- AAS - Culinary and Pastry Arts
- DIP-Culinary Arts
- DIP-Pastry Arts
Advance your career with our affordable, self-paced, career-focused distance education programs.
- Online
- Hotel/Restaurant Management
- Caterer
Earn Your Diploma from Home!
- Online
- Cooking and Catering
Kaplan University is focused on recognizing the achievements of military and veteran students and offers the flexibility of an online education.
- Online
- AAS in Business Administration - Hospitality Management
Your creativity is a big part of who you are and where you’re going. To take it, and your future, as far as you want, you need an education that’s focused on developing your talents and putting you on the path toward the creative career that stirs your imagination. A collaborative education at The Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur, a branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta, is all about the work, the students who create it, and the instructors who guide them.
The first step is to explore these areas of study, and think about where you fit in an industry that runs on ideas.
- Online
- Hotel & Restaurant Management (BS)
- Culinary Management (BS)
Earn your degree or diploma on your schedule and succeed at Ashworth College.
- Online
- Hotel/Restaurant Management
Find Culinary Schools in Alabama by City
Other Alabama Culinary Schools
| School Name | City or Town | Programs Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | Auburn | Hotel and Restaurant Management (BS-HRMT) |
| Jefferson State Community College | Birmingham | Baking/Pastry Program |
| Virginia College in Birmingham | Birmingham | Culinary and Pastry Arts |
| Faulkner State Community College | Gulf Shores | Culinary Arts |
| Wallace State Community College | Hanceville | Certificate in Culinary Arts |
| Alabama A & M University | Huntsville | Food Science Program |
| Community College of the Air Force | Maxwell-Gunter AFB | Restaurant, Hotel & Fitness Management |
| Bishop State Community College | Mobile | Certificate in Commercial Food Service |
| Trenholm State Technical College | Montgomery | Culinary Arts/Chef Training |
| Russell County High School | Seale | Culinary Arts And Hospitality |
| Shelton State Community College | Tuscaloosa | Culinary Arts |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa | Foods & Nutrition Studies |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee | Hospitality Services Management |
