How Do You Become a Chef and How Long Does it Take?

Culinary Arts students aspire to become chefs

Are you thinking about pursuing a career as a chef? Becoming a chef requires considerable training and dedication — and ICE’s curriculum teaches you the skills to become a cut above the rest! Let us guide you through the schooling and qualifications you need to fulfill your dream.

At the Institute of Culinary Education, we offer a Culinary Arts program that gives you the foundation for a successful culinary career in only eight months full-time to 12 months with evening, weekend or hybrid classes, including an externship with placement sites among the best kitchens in the world. From there, it’s all up to you!

Experience required to start? None.

CHEF TRAINING AT THE INSTITUTE OF CULINARY EDUCATION

ICE is a leader in culinary education, and our professional chef programs are taught by chef-instructors with world-class standards.

Our Culinary Arts program is unique in its globally inspired curriculum. Our students are cooking in the kitchen from day one, learning through hands-on experience. Chef-instructors guide you as you develop and practice essential culinary techniques, from knife skills and classic cooking methods to contemporary equipment and cutting-edge artistry. By graduation, you can have amassed the skills to pursue a successful culinary career, with the techniques to create any cuisine.

WHAT WE TEACH

  • Classic French techniques
  • Cuisines of China, Italy, India, Japan, Spain and Thailand
  • Knife skills
  • How to use diverse ingredients
  • Food safety and health codes
  • Fundamentals of Cooking
  • Seasonality, sustainability, nutrition
  • Menu planning
  • Menu and plating design
  • Pastry and baking
  • Buffet and high-volume cooking
  • Charcuterie
  • Fundamentals of wine and wine pairings
  • How to assess food costs and keys to running a restaurant
  • Culinary technology
  • Skills for consistency and refinement

LAUNCH YOUR CULINARY CAREER AS A CHEF AT ICE

Our chef-instructors guide you through the techniques used in top kitchens throughout the world and show you how specific dishes are created — all while giving you personalized attention.

This blog post was originally published by the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Explore your culinary education where the legacy lives on.