Culinary School Info

[MegEliz2005]

Hi. I am a freshman at a community college in Mississippi. I am currently searching for the best culinary school to attend next fall. I started by looking around my area. The culinary program at my college isn't very good, so I looked into Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS, and Culinard, the culinary institute at Virginia College in Birmingham, AL. Does anyone have any info on whether or not these are good programs? I have also checked into Johnson and Wales, CIA, and Orlando Culinary. How do those schools compare? Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
-Meg-

[siserilla]

Originally Posted by MegEliz2005

Hi. I am a freshman at a community college in Mississippi. I am currently searching for the best culinary school to attend next fall. I started by looking around my area. The culinary program at my college isn't very good, so I looked into Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS, and Culinard, the culinary institute at Virginia College in Birmingham, AL. Does anyone have any info on whether or not these are good programs? I have also checked into Johnson and Wales, CIA, and Orlando Culinary. How do those schools compare? Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
-Meg-

I wouldn't recommend Orlando. I visited it and I really didn't get a good vibe from them. CIA is great as well as JWU, check into NECI too.

[Laprise]

Hi,

I can tell you by experience the school does not make the cook... But it will help you in finding a good better job. You are still going to have to learn your trade once you leave school.

Just read my book to find out more: " My daughter wants to be a chef!"
www.thechefinstead.ca/beachef.html

Stay in touch,

Laprise

[Suzanne]

Until recently, Sarah Labensky was the director of the Culinary Arts Insitute at Mississippi University for Women. She is a terrific educator and chef, and I think the textbooks she co-wrote, On Cooking and On Baking are way better than the CIA's texts, with much clearer explanations. She's not there anymore, I think, but from what I've read about the programs there, I'd expect the school to continue to be very, very good.

[MegEliz2005]

Originally Posted by Suzanne

Until recently, Sarah Labensky was the director of the Culinary Arts Insitute at Mississippi University for Women. She is a terrific educator and chef, and I think the textbooks she co-wrote, On Cooking and On Baking are way better than the CIA's texts, with much clearer explanations. She's not there anymore, I think, but from what I've read about the programs there, I'd expect the school to continue to be very, very good.

Thanks for the info, Suzanne! MUW is the school I'm most leaning toward right now. I thought that she had written a text, but I wasn't sure which! I was sad to learn that she had gone, but I met another instructor the last time I was on campus, and he seemed really knowledgeable and kind. I'm excited about where my career might take me, and I want the school for the best "spring board" for my future.