Chef School Proving Ground: Nevada Culinary Institutes

Count them—two top-of-the-line culinary schools right in Las Vegas. What does this mean? You are entrenched in one of the hottest chef proving grounds in the country. This resort playground is the culinary epicenter for any budding new chef – no place better to cut your teeth in a high volume demanding pro kitchen.

Talk about being surrounded by some of the best culinary talent in the country. Immerse yourself in the exciting culinary world in and around Las Vegas. Sample the best restaurant fare, acquaint yourself with the most talked about chefs du jour and explore your career options first hand.

Choosing a Vegas Culinary School

The culinary schools provide you with targeted career degrees specifically geared to this high-impact, high-demand market—there really is nothing quite like the food and beverage industry in Vegas. Learn here to work here.

Choose from programs in culinary arts and pastry arts or culinary management or hospitality management. Expect to study longer for a management-heavy degree. Make sure the school you choose has ample tools to prepare you for immediate work in the industry:

• Internships
• Strong connections to the industry
• Student-run high volume restaurant
• State-of-the-art teaching kitchens
• Career assistance short-term and long-term
• Job placement

Negotiate better jobs and forge solid industry connections if you join a local chapter of a popular professional association, such as the American Culinary Federation’s local chapters-Chefs of Las Vegas or High Sierra Chefs. Leverage connections such as these for long-term networking, access to valuable job boards, access to educational events and industry conferences.

Salaries for chefs in Nevada vary expansively. Various factors that affect how much you can earn:

• Education
• Professional experience
• Location
• Type of establishment (restaurant, hotel, resort, institutional setting, etc)

You can bet that salaries are higher in hotspots like Vegas and Reno versus more suburban and less commercial cities and towns. A salary for a basic sous chef in Las Vegas is between $30,000 and $35,000. A chef of this stature is usually expected to have 2-3 years high volume kitchen experience plus proven supervisory and management skills.

List of Nevada Cooking Schools

International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes of Las Vegas gives you and a few select other student chefs everything you need to hit the ground running in a professional working kitchen. Get all the skills to prepare a mix of internationally inspired cuisines, including a solid foundation in classic French culinary technique. Degrees on the Las Vegas campus include: Bachelors Culinary Management, Bachelors Food and Beverage Management, Associates Baking and Pastry, and Associates Culinary Arts.

Las Vegas Culinary School – Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts College is modeled on the original in Paris, France. This world-class curriculum was designed to turn out only the most highly respected new chefs. Learn classic French cuisine from the ground up, kitchen brigade system and traditional cookery styles and methods. From there you add on traditional Western cuisines. Degrees include: Associates Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, and Certificate Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie and Baking.

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

Academy of Medical and Business Careers - Las Vegas
Community College of Southern Nevada - Las Vegas
Heritage College - Las Vegas
Sierra Nevada College - Incline Village
Truckee Meadows Community College – Reno
University of Nevada - Las Vegas-Reno