Get comprehensive and convenient online culinary school training, including foundational skills and techniques, with ICE's Culinary Arts & Food Operations diploma program.
Gain foundational, professional training in the techniques and art of cooking — all from the convenience of your kitchen. This 900-hour intensive culinary school curriculum offered by the Institute of Culinary Education explores the theory, science, technique, palate development and culinary business fundamentals vital to launching a professional career. A hands-on industry externship allows you to enhance your skills and gain practical cooking and baking experience.
There’s no need to put your life on hold to pursue your culinary passion. If you’re unable to relocate or attend in-person classes at an ICE campus in New York or Los Angeles, you can still earn an ICE diploma in Culinary Arts & Food Operations. Students in a growing number of states can now enroll in our online program featuring a customized curriculum full of culinary arts courses led by experienced Chef-Instructors.
*The externship portion of this program must be completed in person.
Program Name: Culinary Arts & Food Operations
Program Duration: 16 months
Weekly Virtual Classes: participate live or view on-demand
The online Culinary Arts & Food Operations diploma program has been expertly designed by our team of chefs and educators from ICE's New York and Los Angeles campuses. This unique program teaches students of all ages who are unable to attend on-campus culinary arts courses, the skills and experience needed for a variety of roles at restaurants, hotels and other food service settings.
In the online diploma program, you’ll receive lessons from 24 chef-instructors who bring a wealth of experience, subject matter expertise and passion to program. These chef-instructors come from all different backgrounds, including Adrienne Cheatham (formerly of Le Bernadin and Top Chef runner-up), Maria Loi (Women’s Award from the Women Together Foundation at the United Nations) and Chintan Pandya (2022 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef New York).
Our online approach to culinary arts education provides essential training in the foundational principles of culinary arts — the theory, science and techniques that form the basis for major cuisines. In addition, students will study the fundamentals of pastry and baking, as well as food service operations and hospitality management. A typical week includes cooking a variety of dishes and cuisines, assigned readings, instructional videos, individual or group projects and chef-led classes, which you can view live or on-demand.
Our carefully designed labs allow you to apply techniques covered in readings, videos and chef-led classes. You’ll be using recipes designed to develop your palate and reinforce the techniques that are at the core of cuisine. Some of the things we’ll teach in our online culinary classes include how to:
This new curriculum is structured so students get assessed on their learning path several times a week. Chef-Instructors provide individual feedback on each student's photos, videos and text submissions to support ongoing progress toward learning objectives and refinement of skills and techniques.
After your culinary arts courses, our career services team will help match you with a restaurant or food-related business to gain real-world experience. Students may have the opportunity to work under a restaurant manager, executive chef, head chef or sous chef. You'll put your culinary skills to the test, make connections in the industry and gain business knowledge you can use to launch your culinary career.
Past guest speakers have included (clockwise from top left): David Chang*, chef, restaurateur, TV host and author; Christina Tosi, Milkbar founder and chef; Thomas Keller*, chef and restaurateur, The French Laundry and Per Se, and Mashama Bailey*, executive chef of The Grey.
Experts from all over the nation visit ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles (in person and virtually) to lead professional development classes, demonstrations, lectures and events. These events are available to students and alumni for no additional charge. Culinary Arts & Food Operations online students can take advantage of these exclusive opportunities when they are available, to watch, interact with and ask questions of successful epicureans from various areas of the industry.
Upon successful completion of the online culinary school program, you’ll receive a diploma in Culinary Arts & Food Operations with the option to join our commencement ceremony in Los Angeles. You’ll also benefit from the ongoing support of our Career Services department, which has helped thousands of graduates secure jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry.
ICE is approved to offer online distance education to students in select states. The online Culinary Arts & Food Operations program is taught asynchronously, which means you are not required to login to a virtual course at a specified time.
Tuition includes all books and supplies, including a laptop, so you're fully equipped from day one. All online Culinary Arts & Food Operations program students are also eligible to take our popular Wine Essentials series on campus at no additional charge. Visit our Tuition and Discounts page for complete information on the cost for specific class dates.
The admissions process is the start of a lasting relationship with ICE. Your Admissions Representative will introduce you to the personal experience the culinary arts school is known for. Their mission is to understand your career goals and help you select the right program(s) to fit your needs and your interests.
Why Choose ICE
You know it's in you — the ambition to pursue a rewarding career in food. ICE is ready to help you find your culinary voice and achieve your culinary career dreams.
Learn about Career Services
Attending a well-established school like ICE has many benefits, including the vast professional network available to students from day one. With campus recruitment from top hospitality brands, regular ‘hot job’ emails, and ongoing support long after graduation, your Career Services team is here to help.
Resources:
Ready to take your interest in ICE further? Speak to an Admissions Representative about your personal goals, start your application or download our career brochure so you can access our program information anytime.
ICE’s Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations program contains 16 courses, offering students comprehensive training in the art and actual practice of cooking, all from the convenience of their own kitchen. The 63-week program is designed so students can attend classes on their own schedule each week. Expert chef-instructors from ICE’s Los Angeles and New York City campuses introduce students to the time-tested fundamentals of cooking, cuisines from around the globe and techniques from modern masters.
At ICE, we recognize that virtually all culinary and pastry arts occurs in locations that are also a business so we have included multiple business and operations courses in the online program. These important sessions will introduce you to skills and topics such as marketing, purchasing and staff management.
The final course in the program is an off-site externship at a location chosen by the student based on his or her career goals. ICE's Career Services advisors consider the student's career aspirations, skills, schedule and academic record, to ensure the most beneficial externship placement.
The program is constructed as follows:
This course is designed to familiarize students with best practices for success in our online program and in the restaurant industry. Topics include learning management system use, internet research and time management. We also introduce the tenets of professionalism and the expectations of the food service industry.
Most culinarians begin their training by learning how to pare and prepare greens and vegetables. After a comprehensive introduction to knife skills and food safety, students will use a range of methods for preparing vegetables, progressing from salads to complex vegetarian cuisine, to explore the techniques that underlie fine cooking.
This course is designed to acquaint students with the realities of a culinary business by exploring concept development from creativity to profitability. By surveying the industry, students explore many types of operations and analyze concepts, as well as research feasibility and location selection. Students should gain the knowledge required to develop and refine their ideas. This course also covers key aspects of menus, including planning, pricing, layout and design. Students prepare sample menus as a project.
The first in a series of three courses on protein-based cuisine, this poultry-based course will cover key techniques like sautéing, roasting, braising and grilling. Students will fabricate the essential cuts and prepare stocks and sauces that completely utilize each ingredient. The class will prepare dishes to practice each technique and build confidence and competence.
A working understanding of numbers is critically important to culinary success. The curriculum for this course focuses on the use of financial statements as a tool for cost control and decision-making. The course progresses from teaching students how to associate numbers with financial and logistical aspects of a foodservice business to an overview of budgets, industry standards and variation analysis. Case studies are used to provide real world examples.
Pork is one of the most versatile meats, providing diners with everything from sausage and chops, to ribs and medallions. All of these cuts offer the opportunity for students to advance their culinary skills while exploring new flavors and plating styles. Lamb is also featured in this comprehensive course.
People are the most important resource in any culinary business. This course focuses on the major functions of management communication, hiring practices, recruitment, training, discipline and staff organization.
In this final course on protein-based cuisine, students prepare grilled steak, braises and stews along with brown sauces and pan sauces aiming to deepen understanding of fundamental techniques. The class applies these methods to seafood, as students prepare dishes that highlight the special skills that these foods require.
Strategies for purchasing and control are vital for the success of any culinary operation. This course examines labor, beverage and food costs, and revenue control. Purchasing guidelines, inventory and control, employee-performance standards, productivity and scheduling, use of point-of-sale systems, computers, and new technology are also reviewed.
The skills taught in this course are not just for desserts – they can be used in savory cooking as well. From custards and pizza to biscuits and cakes, students prepare specialties that can be part of exciting entrees or memorable finales to the dining experience.
Effective communication is essential for success in all areas of food service, from management to menus. This course uses media, including reviews, blogs, tweets, videos and press releases, for students to explore the relationship between restaurants, communication and public relations.
Students explore important restaurant staples with an emphasis on lunch, brunch and breakfast specialties from biscuits and gravy to Eggs Benedict. There is also an extensive exploration of sandwiches, fresh and dry pasta, and sauces.
Great leadership goes beyond good management and permeates a culture. This course explores leadership variables and principles, the power of vision, the importance of ethics, the empowerment of people, understanding people, developing others, and performance management. Additionally, instructors help students identify their own leadership styles and how best to utilize them to maximize leadership through organizational change and team building.
In the panoply of global flavors, Asian flavors and techniques exert a growing influence on culinary arts around the world. Understanding how to use the herbs, spices, ingredients and methods that characterize these cuisines is a necessity in today’s food culture. This course acquaints students with the flavor profiles, specific techniques and essential dishes of Asia and the Americas.
Continuing the exploration of food from around the world, this course examines key dishes, ingredients, flavors and techniques from the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
This is the last course in the program where students have an opportunity to hone the skills they developed in a real-world setting. While ICE strongly recommends restaurant kitchen externships, students may request venues such as hotels, catering companies, corporate dining rooms or test kitchens in accordance with their professional goals.
"I just realized I’m never going to be happy unless I follow this passion inside me, which is to work in food."
