Culinary Schools in Dallas

Dallas, Texas is a multicultural hub, an intersection where traditional flavors of the Southwest converge with domestic and international culinary influences. Known for its big portions and inexpensive menus, the culinary scene in Da­­llas is slowly evolving and emerging, making it a go-to destination for aspiring chefs and culinary students.

Built upon the foundation of barbeque, Dallas is also widely known for both its authentic Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex fusion cuisine. However, the variety and diversity of the culinary scene is mirrored in the diversity of the neighborhoods themselves. From Plano to Irving, Arlington to Richardson, the myriad pockets of cultural culinary traditions translate into a foodie's dream:

• Neighborhood Services (New American)
• Tei-An (Japanese)
• Spoon Bar and Kitchen (Seafood)
• Pecan Lodge (Barbeque)
• Canne Rosso (Pizza)
• Mughlai (Indian)

The overall culinary arts industry in Texas is a behemoth, producing more than $42 billion in sales annually, according to the National Restaurant Association. The state is home to approximately 41,000 drinking and eating establishments that employ over 1.1 million individuals in a variety of roles and positions. The size of the industry, coupled with solid employment growth rates, should be attractive incentives to prospective students considering baking and pastry schools or culinary schools in Dallas.

Famous Dallas restaurants and chefs

In 2014, Dallas was well-represented with five restaurants and chefs named semifinalists for awards from the James Beard Foundation in the categories of Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Service, Outstanding Wine Service, and Best Chef Southwest. The 2014 semi-finalists from Dallas included the following:

• Casa Rubia (Best New Restaurant)
• Abacus (Outstanding Service)
• The Mansion Restaurant (Outstanding Service)
• Café on the Green at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas (Outstanding Wine Service)
• Matt McCallister of FT33 (Best Chef Southwest)
• John Tesar of Spoon Bar & Kitchen (Best Chef Southwest)
• David Uygur of Lucia (Best Chef Southwest)

Dallas is also home to numerous Wine Spectator award winning restaurants. Of those honors, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse is a Grand Award winner, the highest recognition from Wine Spectator. Only 74 restaurants in the country currently have that designation.

In 2014, the Dallas Morning News released a list of its rankings of the 10 best chefs in the Dallas Fort-Worth area. Recognized for their originality, creativity, excellence and consistent execution, these chefs are making a collective impact on the culinary scene in Dallas. The Chef of the Year was Stephan Pyles, founder and Executive Chef of two restaurants, Stampede 66 and San Salvaje. The other chefs making the cut included the following:

1. Scott Gottlich (Bijoux)
2. Omar Flores (Casa Rubia)
3. Matt McCallister (FT33)
4. Graham Dodds (Hibiscus)
5. David Uygar (Lucia)
6. Bruno Davaillon (The Mansion Restaurant)
7. Julian Barsotti (Nonna)
8. Brian Zenner (Oak)
9. Teiichi Sakuri (Tei-An)

Dallas culinary schools & career outlook

For individuals considering a career in the culinary industry, the first step typically starts with graduating from a culinary arts school. In Dallas, students can choose from a multitude of educational options in areas such as Culinary Management, Baking & Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality Management. Whether the goal is to become a chef de cuisine, pastry chef, restaurant manager, restaurateur, head chef or sous chef, earning a degree from a culinary institute or school can get the process underway.

At the end of 2014, Forbes ranked Dallas as the city with the most promising employment outlook, which is good news for prospective students. In fact, the culinary arts industry is projected to be the largest growing industry in the Dallas metroplex between 2012 and 2022, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Overall, the TWC projects 23.5 percent employment growth during that time, resulting in more than 21,000 new culinary jobs in the region.

At the local level in Dallas, some of the largest occupational groups include bartenders (6,320), restaurant managers (3,440), bakers (2,570), and chefs (1,110). Below is the average salary for those positions in the Dallas metropolitan area in 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• Food service managers: $52,260
• Chefs and head cooks: $50,990
• Bartenders: $23,200
• Bakers: $22,580

Chefs such as Stephan Pyles, David Uygar, and Matt McCallister continue to redefine culinary excellence in Dallas and develop new establishments. The city's sphere of influence in the culinary world will only continue to emerge, setting the stage for growing opportunities for graduates of culinary schools in Dallas. Take advantage of the great opportunities available in the area, and search through our list below to find out more about culinary schools in Dallas and nearby.

Sources

• Forbes, Restaurant Rankings, http://www.forbestravelguide.com/restaurant
• Forbes, Best and Worst Cities for Jobs, http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathryndill/2014/09/09/the-best-and-worst-cities-for-jobs-this-fall/
• Best Chefs, Dallas, https://www.bestchefsamerica.com/the-chefs
• National Restaurant Association, Texas, http://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/State-Statistics/2014/texas
• Projections Central, Texas, projectionscentral.com
• Dallas Morning News, Best Chefs in Dallas, http://res.dallasnews.com/interactives/dfw-chefs/
• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas, Occupational and Employment Wage Estimates, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tx.htm
• Wine Spectator, Awards, http://www.winespectator.com/restaurants/
• Forbes, Travel Guide Award Winners, http://blog.forbestravelguide.com/the-2014-forbes-travel-guide-star-award-winners
• Texas Workforce Commission, http://www.tracer2.com/publication.asp?PUBLICATIONID=805