Culinary Arts and Cooking Schools in Kansas

For the student chef Kansas offers up an agricultural bounty—corn, beef, and wheat. But it’s also home to two key modern food industry pioneers: Pizza Hut and Harvey House.

In smaller towns the food scene is quaint and traditional – meat and potatoes. This is after all beef and corn country. But seek out the larger cities, like Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City and you’ll find a melting pot of cuisines from haute cuisine to eclectic and out of the way.

Similarly you’ll find the cooking schools as varied. Again, the larger and more competitive culinary arts programs are located in larger cities. The universities and four-year colleges offer Bachelors in management level hospitality and restaurant, while community and technical colleges specialize in fast-tracked career-driven Associates and diploma programs.

Kansas Culinary Scene

While you’re attending cooking school make it a point to sample the local Kansas culinary scene. Learn what local chefs have the most unique and talked about dishes, what seasonal ingredients are readily available, how they’re used and where you might envision yourself making your first mark on the industry.

Local and regional food and wine festivals are usually perfect events for getting a snapshot of the local “best of” restaurant fare, catching a heated chef or recipe competition and otherwise immersing yourself in the local culture. Here are a few popular regional festivals:

• Wichita Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cook-off
• Kansas City Hog Wild BBQ Festival
• Clyde Watermelon Festival

Tips for Choosing a Culinary School in Kansas

Consider making sure the cooking school you finally choose has the tools it takes to help you land on your feet in a good job. Even more crucial if you intend to seek employment outside Kansas or in a city or region of the country where entry- and mid-level chefs jobs are competitive.

• Internship, externship and/or apprenticeship opportunities
• On-site student run restaurant that serves a busy public
• Well-equipped training kitchens
• Career planning assistance
• Job placement success
• Professional and well-respected chef/instructors

Kansas Cooking Schools

American Institute of Baking – Manhattan is first and foremost a corporation and leader in baking and food technology. The Baking School, however, offers ultra-specialized courses for professionals interested in the working in the baking sector of the food service industry. Courses include Baking Science and Technology and a handful of professional certificates in professional baking specialties.

Kansas State Colleges, Community and Technical Colleges Offering Culinary, Restaurant Management, and/or Hospitality Degrees

Butler County Community College - El Dorado
Johnson County Community College - Overland Park
Kansas State University - Manhattan