South Dakota Colleges for Student Chefs
South Dakota is heavily trafficked by tourists annually making for a thriving food service and hospitality industry. For culinary and hospitality students this is good news. Also good news: much less competition for good chef jobs in the state. Why? Compared to many other states, much of South Dakota remains quite remote. This is home of the Badlands, Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and the annual Sturgis Rally, destination for hundreds of thousands of devoted Harley Davidson fanatics every year.
Major cities Sioux Falls, Brookings, Rapid City, and Pierre all offer niches of culinary inventiveness ready to be tapped by student chefs.
Choosing a Culinary School Program
The schools you’ll find in SD include four-year colleges and universities, and community and technical colleges. Four year universities offer Bachelors and/or graduate degrees in majors such as culinary arts management, hospitality management, food technology, food sciences, food and nutrition studies, etc. Emphasis in university studies is on management and business. Degree programs common in community, tribal, and technical school culinary programs include Associates, Diplomas and Certificates in professional cooking, culinary or pastry arts, kitchen assistant, and institutional cook.
Career-driven schools should have certain requirements and facilities that prepare you adequately for a seamless transition to a good job:
- Chef internship, externship and/or apprenticeship opportunities locally, nationally or abroad
- Professionally-equipped teaching and demo kitchens
- Student-run restaurant
- Career guidance and job placement services
Education in the Local Cuisine
In addition to your culinary academic schedule make frequent forays into the local and regional food scene an absolute priority. Dine at the best reviewed eateries, study the bios of the most promising local chefs, discover the nuances of flavor and ingredients you cannot find anywhere else, and evaluate the viability of the local food service industry.
Regional food festivals that offer you colorful concentrations of entertainment and cuisine include:
- Taste of South Dakota, Sioux Falls
- South Dakota State University Festival of Cultures, Brookings
Getting a Food Service Job in SD or Beyond
When it comes time to compete for a job in South Dakota or beyond, use internship/apprenticeship experience to leverage local or national connections. Also valuable are student memberships in respected food service industry associations, like the American Culinary Federation. You’ll find a few regional chapters. Use professional associations and society memberships to forge connections with other professionals and students in the industry, gain access to private job postings, educational events, stay current with industry info, and attend national and regional conferences.
Salaries for South Dakota chefs vary based on a few key factors, including: education, professional experience, location, type of establishment and even your reputation. Average salary range for a sous chef in Sioux Falls is between $35,000 and $40,000.
South Dakota State Colleges, Community and Technical Colleges Offering Culinary, Restaurant Management, and/or Hospitality Degrees
Black Hills State University – Spearfish
Mitchell Technical Institute – Mitchell
National American University - Sioux Falls
Sinte Gleska University – Rosebud
South Dakota State University – Brookings