Culinary Arts Schools in Arizona
Arizona might be landlocked, but the state’s food opportunities are anything but limited. Thanks to its proximity to the Pacific coastline along California and Mexico, fresh seafood is frequently on the menu. The state's Mexican and Native American influences guarantee a good variety of spicy and interesting foods – if you've never had Navajo fry bread, a chimichanga (which could potentially become the state's official food), or menudo, which originated in the bordering Mexican state of Sonora, you are in for a treat. As is to be expected, the highest number of top-notch restaurants can be found in large cities like Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson: Zagat's survey of top restaurants in America include 10 eateries in Arizona, including Mexican, French, American and steak restaurants. However, Arizona also has its smaller regional gems, including diners from seemingly past days off Route 66 in Kingman. Culinary schools and pastry and baking schools in Arizona are found in a variety of locations.
What You Need to Know About Arizona Culinary Schools
Just like many western states, a large portion of Arizonans work in the services industry, which includes the restaurant business. As of 2010, there were almost 8,500 eating and drinking places in the state. According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant jobs represent 11 percent of Arizona employment; this is expected to grow to 16 percent by 2022. And according to a 2012 Zagat Survey Summary, Arizonans eat out an average of 3.3 times a week. Frequent diners need chefs and other culinary professionals to prepare meals for them, making Arizona a good place to start a career in the culinary arts.
While a degree in culinary arts is not always a requirement to land a job in the restaurant business, it's always a wise choice to be as prepared as you can in today's competitive labor market. In terms of earnings, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean annual wage for Arizona head cooks and chefs of $46,440 as of May 2011. Have a look at culinary schools in Arizona and start working towards a fast-paced culinary career today.
Additional Information on Culinary Colleges in Arizona from Chef2chef.net
Hotel Management Schools in Arizona
Additional Resources and Information for Culinary Students
Zagat survey on recent dining trends
National Restaurant Association and Arizona’s restaurant sector
Bureau of Labor Statistics for Arizona chef and head cook employment wages
Browse Arizona Culinary Schools!
This list also contains online schools that accept students from Arizona.
Set your career in motion at Virginia College Online.
- Online
- AAS - Culinary and Pastry Arts
With an Art Institutes education, imagine what you could create.
- Tucson
- Phoenix
Advance your career with our affordable, self-paced, career-focused distance education programs.
- Online
- Hotel/Restaurant Management
- Caterer
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)
Train with professional chefs and earn your culinary diploma in 9 months.
- Scottsdale
- Diploma in Culinary Arts: Baking and Restaurant Management
Get hands-on training with Le Cordon Bleu Schools of North America.
- Online
Earn your degree or diploma on your schedule and succeed at Ashworth College.
- Online
- Hotel/Restaurant Management
Other Arizona Culinary Schools
| School Name | City or Town | Programs Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Central Arizona College | Coolidge | AAS Culinary Arts Degree |
| Coconino County Community College | Flagstaff | Hotel & Restaurant Management |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff | Hospitality Accounting |
| School of Hotel & Restaurant Management | Flagstaff | International Hospitality Management |
| Phoenix College | Phoenix | Culinary Studies/Food & Nutrition |
| Arizona Culinary Institute | Scottsdale | Culinary, Management |
| Scottsdale Community College | Scottsdale | Culinary Arts Degrees |
| Pima College Center for Training and Development | Tucson | Culinary and Food Industry Training Programs |
| Arizona Western College | Yuma | Culinary Arts |
