Culinary Schools in Lake City FL

CULINARY SCHOOLS > FLORIDA > LAKE CITY

Looking for the best Culinary Schools in Lake City FL? The culinary industry offers many exciting positions such as being a Food Stylist, Nutritionist or even owning your own fun Bed & Breakfast business.



On a personal level, culinary schools are amazing for growing personal skills. An individual’s ability to create a meal not only offers self-rewarding benefits, but it also brings tremendous joy to those around you.

A chef or any other culinary arts professional can receive certification that displays to an employer that he or she has achieved a clear level of culinary proficiency. Besides certification, classroom and hand-on education, one furthermore needs a number of soft skills, or personal qualities, to achieve in this industry.

Lake City FL Culinary Schools






Virginia College-Jacksonville

5940 Beach Boulevard,
Jacksonville, Florida
66.06 miles away

Phone: (904) 520-7400

2-year or less, private program, 465 enrolled, 10 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Wiregrass Georgia Technical College

4089 Val Tech Rd,
Valdosta, Georgia
67.57 miles away

Phone: (229) 333-2100

2-year or less, public program, 4530 enrolled, 21 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Marion County Community Technical and Adult Education Center

1014 SW 7th Rd,
Ocala, Florida
71.82 miles away

Phone: (352) 671-7200

2-year or less, public program, 355 enrolled, 13 to 1 student to teacher ratio




ACFEF Apprenticeship Programs

180 Center Place Way St
Augustine, FL
74.18 miles away

Phone: (800) 624-9458

ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation designed to enhance professional growth for all current and future chefs and pastry chefs.




First Coast Technical College

2980 Collins Ave,
Saint Augustine, Florida
81.25 miles away

Phone: (904) 824-4401

2-year or less, public program, 399 enrolled, 7 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Withlacoochee Technical Institute

1201 W Main St,
Inverness, Florida
90.11 miles away

Phone: (352) 726-2430

2-year or less, public program, 359 enrolled, 15 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Lively Technical Center

500 N Appleyard Dr,
Tallahassee, Florida
101.26 miles away

Phone: (850) 487-7555

2-year or less, public program, 1316 enrolled, 21 to 1 student to teacher ratio




College of Coastal Georgia

One College Drive,
Brunswick, Georgia
104.01 miles away

Phone: (912) 279-5700

4-year primarily associate's, 3474 enrolled, 21 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Lake Technical Center

2001 Kurt Street,
Eustis, Florida
106.34 miles away

Phone: (352) 589-2250 x0

2-year or less, public program, 603 enrolled, 19 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Daytona State College

1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.,
Daytona Beach, Florida
116.66 miles away

Phone: (386) 506-3000

4-year primarily associate's, 16555 enrolled, 26 to 1 student to teacher ratio

Chef Cooking Schools & Programs

A chef can get basic certification that demonstrates to an employer that they have achieved a specific level of culinary proficiency, while classroom and hand-on instruction can elevate a culinary career to new heights. 44% of high level chefs have a culinary degree.


If you prefer to explore certification in the culinary field, the below certificates are highly regarded throughout the culinary industry. In order to obtain your certification, you may need to have some work experience in the field, take a written exam, and renewals may be required every few years.

Certification Name Certifying Organization
Certified Correctional Food Systems Manager American Correctional Food Service Association
Certified Chef de Cuisine American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Executive Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Master Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Personal Certified Executive Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Foodservice Professional Certification North American Assoc. of Food Equip. Manufacturers
ProChef Level III Certification The Culinary Institute of America
Certified Personal Chef United States Personal Chef Association
Certified Correctional Foodservice Professional American Correctional Food Service Association
Certified Culinary Administrator American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Executive Pastry Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Master Pastry Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Sous Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Working Pastry Chef American Culinary Federation, Inc.
Certified Decorator Retail Bakers of America
Certified Wedding Planner The Wedding Planning Institute


Baking and Pastry Schools

Specific culinary programs and schools are available that focus on baking and pastry creations. Such programs are quicker to complete and offer a very specialized and valuable skill set.

How Long Does Culinary School Take?

The time needed to finish a culinary degree will depend on the avenue taken. Professional culinary degrees can range from 2 to 4 years at top programs. There are shorter options that take a few months to a year for more specialized training that are more focused towards lower entry culinary jobs.


What Is The Cost of Culinary School?

The cost of a culinary degree depends on what a person is aiming to achieve in the culinary field. Some careers such as Food Scientists and Nutritionists require a degree to have success in their field. If the goal is to become an executive chef, an official degree from a known culinary program will be very valuable. On the other hand, someone can become a successful chef by starting in an entry level position and working their way up. Experience is important in the culinary field. It's important to understand and balance the formal education along with actual experience. These two factors play an important role in the assessment of cost and overall success of someone's culinary career.

The cost to attend a top culinary program can range around $20,000 to $50,000 per year. On the other hand, there is a lower cost path to a culinary degree via community colleges and technical schools. Costs typically range from $2,000 to $5,000. Public universities are also a good option but are more expensive, typically ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 in tuition per year.