Study Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Hospitality in West Virginia
West Virginia has often been the butt of jokes for its “country” image and its historically lackluster economy. However, the culinary scene is booming and the state is rich in tourist attractions. In fact, one of the most prestigious conference centers is located in the Eastern part of the state. The historic Greenbrier, in White Sulphur Springs, is anything but “country” or backwoods. Quite the contrary this is one of the country’s top luxury resort hotels and defines refined dining.
Choosing a Culinary or Hospitality School in WV
The list of colleges and universities in the estate also indicates an in-demand food services industry. Choose from top rated 4-year colleges and universities, where you’ll likely find management level hospitality, hotel and restaurant management degrees, community and technical colleges that specialize in dishing concentrated practical skills essential to the regional marketplace and packaged in degree tracks like culinary arts Associates and certificates, baking and pastry arts Associates and certificates, and professional cook, institutional cook and more in diploma formats.
Most important are the quality of the school’s facilities and the various course requirements and services packaged with your cooking school degree. the following are earmarks of a school committed to preparing you fully for a competitive job, locally or nationally:
- Accomplished chef/instructors are invaluable sources for industry best practices as well as possible career connections
- Well-equipped teaching kitchens are vital to your survival outside school
- Internship, externship and/or chef apprenticeship opportunities ensure you learn in a variety of professional kitchen environments outside school
- Career guidance and job placement services help propel you seamlessly to a first job with growth potential.
Build Career Cred
Fuel your resume even more with a student membership in a professional industry association, such as the American Culinary Federation. Local chapters of the ACF are located in Charleston and Wheeling. Other professional food industry organizations that might benefit you:
- Research Chefs Association – Central Region
- West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association
- Women Chefs and Restaurateurs – national
Leverage memberships like these for private job postings, networking with closely related professionals, discounted admission to regional and national conferences and educational events.
Recipe for Success
As a requisite part of your culinary academic training make sure you explore the local culinary scene wherever you attend school. Charleston, Huntington, Wheeling, and Martinsburg comprise some of the larger metro areas and offer small clusters of inventive restaurants. Sample local fare, traditional dishes, learn the names of the most talked-about chefs, dissect their dishes, and become a regional culinary expert ready to take on a top restaurant as your first job out of school.
West Virginia State Colleges, Community and Technical Colleges Offering Culinary, Pastry, Restaurant Management, and/or Hospitality Degrees
Bluefield State College – Bluefield
Cabell County Career Technology Center – Huntington
Carver Career Center – Charleston
College of West Virginia – Beckley
Davis and Elkins College – Elkins
Fairmont State Community and Technical College – Fairmont
Glenville State College – Glenville
James Rumsey Technical Institute – Martinsburg
Marshall University – Huntington
Monongalia County Technical Education Center – Morgantown
Mountain State College – Parkersburg
Mountain State University – Beckley
Shepherd College – Shepherdstown
University of Charleston – Charleston
West Virginia Northern Community College – Wheeling
West Virginia Wesleyan College – Buckhannon