Culinary students can match their goals against four distinct schools
Las Vegas has become one of the top dining destinations in the country, and a growing number of people want to be part of that, with the help of one of the four postsecondary culinary schools in the valley.
Depending on the schools they choose, students could spend anywhere from $7,000 for an associate of arts in culinary arts management or baking and pastry arts at the College of Southern Nevada, to $50,288 for an associate in culinary arts or baking and pastry arts at The International Culinary School.
The difference? All of the programs have their own little niches. Some boast of smaller class sizes, which could be important to students needing more intensive instruction. Others enable students to stretch out their classes, which might be appealing to those who haven’t been in school for a while or who need to work while they’re in school. But as far as which best prepares students for a culinary career, it’s a matter of opinion.
When Gustav Mauler is looking for potential employees for his Spiedini restaurant at JW Marriott, he contacts Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas.
"We’re fortunate that I can, through the year, have students work with me," especially in his burgeoning catering business, Mauler said. "We get the same ones all the time. Once they’re done, we know their qualifications and it’s easier to judge."
But he said his choice of Le Cordon Bleu is mainly a matter of proximity, since the school is nearby. For pastry help, he might contact the College of Southern Nevada, "which has a fabulous food program."
And there are other paths to be taken by students interested in culinary careers. One is to start during high school, at Southern Nevada Vocational Technical Center. Other possibilities are the Culinary Training Academy (operated by the Culinary Union) and MGM-Mirage’s Culinary Development Apprenticeship Program.
But for those interested in postsecondary programs, here’s an overview:
COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
Three campuses and numerous centers
Programs: Offers associate of arts in culinary arts management, culinary arts, food and beverage management and pastry arts, and certificates in culinary arts, food and beverage management and pastry arts
Students in program: 600 last semester; averages between 500 and 600
Tuition: $7,000 for in-state student for associate of arts (plus books)
"Our students get jobs pretty readily because people know about the quality," said John Metcalfe, director of culinary arts for the college. "And we’re very hands-on. We try to train people for the industry. We don’t paint some really rosy picture that they’re going to have it really easy out there. We kind of train them about the real world."
Metcalfe added that classes are offered once a week for 14 to 16 weeks, mornings and evenings, so students can work while they’re in school. He said he has noticed more women entering the industry during the past couple of years, especially in the baking and pastry arts program.
THE INTERNATIONAL CULINARY SCHOOL
2350 Corporate Circle, Henderson
Programs: Offers associate degree in culinary arts or baking and pastry, bachelor’s degree in culinary management or food and beverage management
Students in program: 225 to 235
Tuition: $50,288 for an associate degree, $86,208 for a bachelor’s degree (plus books)
"We have smaller class sizes," said Philip Pinkney, academic director. "I don’t want to identify it as a boutique school, but it probably is."
Another benefit, he said, is that culinary students interact with those at the adjacent Art Institute of Las Vegas. Thus, a budding personal chef might be able to get help developing a business Web site from a Web-design student.
"I came from a background of a free-standing hospitality school," Pinkney said. "I see it can be so much more."
Pinkney said he hasn’t seen any trends as far as student body or curriculum, but is investigating doing more with sous vide, the increasingly popular technique of cooking food in vacuum-sealed packages at precise temperatures.
LE CORDON BLEU COLLEGE OF CULINARY ARTS LAS VEGAS
1451 Center Crossing Road
Programs: Offers culinary arts diploma and associate of occupational science degree, and patisserie and baking certificate
Students in program: 501
Tuition: $41,025 for culinary arts, $21,025 for patisserie and baking certificate (including books)
"Culinary programs typically have one of two focuses: hands-on production or management," said Chris Moderson, director of education. "Ours delivers both of those things simultaneously."
The school has a commitment to community service as well, he said, which "helps students practice their craft and give back to the community before they get a job."
Le Cordon Bleu students also make wine, through an arrangement with Grape Expectations in Henderson.
"They source the grapes for us," Moderson said. "Our students get to taste them and get a sense for what the options are. It’s just a really good experience for students to understand how wine is produced and why something pairs well with something else."
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Program: Bachelor of science in culinary arts management
Students in program: Average of 100 to 120
Tuition: $17,100 for in-state student (plus books)
"The students get the advantage of being in one of the most nationally and internationally recognized hotel colleges in the country," said Jean Hertzman, assistant professor and culinary arts program director. The management classes, she said, are particularly a draw. Hertzman said 60 percent of the culinary students are transfer students, some of whom have graduated from culinary schools such as the Culinary Institute of America or Johnson & Wales University.
"When they get here and start taking their management classes, they get to take classes with students from around the country," she said.
UNLV also offers a food-science class — "something the industry is really looking for, with more chefs going into being research chefs," she said, and is emphasizing more American regional and Asian cuisines "instead of everything being so caught up in the classic French and Continental cuisines." A goal is to incorporate sustainability into all culinary arts classes.
Most of the school representatives said enrollment is up or steady despite the economic downturn, because many people are retraining to prepare for second careers. And Moderson at Le Cordon Bleu said more financial aid options are available now than a year ago.
Christopher Johns, executive chef at the South Point, said what he looks for is "what the student has actually accomplished in the class. We ask questions on their knowledge of what they’ve learned, and also what they did before or during schooling."
"To me, it’s about the art of the interview and their work history — technical skills, life skills, flavor profiles, ability to really execute a dish," said Scott Farber, director of operations for Emeril’s Las Vegas. "So much of that you can’t get out of a resume. It’s that interview, the eye contact, the real-world experience."
And Johns and Farber had what may be bad news for students hoping that culinary school will immediately shoot them straight to the top.
"When they leave some of the classes, they’re ready for the industry, but not always for a position with the hotel," Johns said.
"A lot of the formal schooling," Farber said, "is more important when you’re looking at an executive position."
Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.
