Culinary Schools in Ridgecrest CA

CULINARY SCHOOLS > CALIFORNIA > RIDGECREST

Looking for the top Culinary Schools in Ridgecrest CA? 44% of those with culinary titles like Executive Chef, Head Cook, and Line Cook have a culinary degree.



The restaurant and food industry will continue to fuel U.S. employment in the year ahead for the reason that it is the nation’s 2nd largest private sector employer. This year, restaurant sales will reach a record of $683 billion, a 3.6% increase over the previous year. The restaurant industry will add jobs at a 2.8% pace increase, beating the 1.8% gain seen for the total U.S. employment.

A cook or any other culinary arts professional can obtain certification that tells an employer that he or she has achieved a particular level of culinary proficiency. Besides certification, school room and hand-on training, one furthermore needs a number of soft skills, or personal qualities, to achieve in this environment.

Ridgecrest CA Culinary Schools






University of Antelope Valley

44055 Sierra Highway,
Lancaster, California
62.26 miles away

Phone: (661) 726-1911 x125

4-year primarily associate's, 922 enrolled, 16 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Bakersfield College

1801 Panorama Dr,
Bakersfield, California
66.97 miles away

Phone: (661) 395-4011

2-year or less, public program, 17619 enrolled, 29 to 1 student to teacher ratio




College of the Canyons

26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd,
Santa Clarita, California
89.96 miles away

Phone: (661) 259-7800

2-year or less, public program, 14477 enrolled, 26 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Los Angeles Mission College

13356 Eldridge Avenue,
Sylmar, California
91.86 miles away

Phone: (818) 364-7600

2-year or less, public program, 10300 enrolled, 40 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Chaffey College

5885 Haven Ave,
Rancho Cucamonga, California
97.11 miles away

Phone: (909) 987-1737

2-year or less, public program, 18597 enrolled, 27 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Ecole de Cuisine Pasadena

45 North San Gabriel
Pasadena, CA
97.80 miles away

Phone: (818) 641-6899

Professional courses in culinary & baking/pastry arts. Includes 12-wk Professional Skills, 10-wk Meat, Poultry and Seafood Fabrication, 12-wk International, 8-wk Garde Manger, 4-wk American Regional. Professional development classes. From $950-$2,500




Pasadena City College

1570 E Colorado Blvd.,
Pasadena, California
98.09 miles away

Phone: (626) 585-7123

2-year or less, public program, 26057 enrolled, 27 to 1 student to teacher ratio




Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-Pasadena

530 East Colorado Boulevard,
Pasadena, California
98.33 miles away

Phone: (626) 229-1300

2-year or less, private program, 2719 enrolled, 32 to 1 student to teacher ratio




The Art Institute of California-Hollywood

5250 Lankershim Blvd,
North Hollywood, California
100.52 miles away

Phone: (818) 299-5100

4-year private program, 1780 enrolled, 16 to 1 student to teacher ratio




College of the Sequoias

915 S. Mooney Blvd
Visalia, CA
100.78 miles away

Phone: (559) 730-3717

11- to 13-unit certificate in Food Service, 28-unit certificate in Food Service Management, 20-unit certificate in Dietetic Service Supervisor, AS degree in Food Service Enrollment fee $12/unit for all students, non-resident tuition $118/unit

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.