Can Instructors Teach 5-Star Restaurant Skills Online? Absolutely!

If you love cooking and your goal is to make a career out of your passion, enrolling in culinary school is a great start.

While we have campuses in vibrant, food-centric cities (New York and Los Angeles), the Institute of Culinary Education also offers an Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations diploma program, in which students can learn from the comfort of their own kitchens. You’re taught fundamental skills for beginning your journey in the food and hospitality industries — all while refining techniques and inspiring you to find your own culinary voice.

Is online culinary school right for you? Read about all of the advantages of our diploma program, which balances virtual learning with real-world experience, below.

The Benefits of Learning Culinary School Online

Instead of rearranging their lives in order to attend school, many students find it easy to fit online culinary school into their current lifestyles. The best part? The schedule is only one of the many benefits of online learning at ICE.

The Institute of Culinary Education's online diploma program offers several specific advantages for students, such as:

• Flexible scheduling: Through an online program with weekly lessons taken on their own time, busy students can find ways to balance school and personal or professional responsibilities that can't be put on hold.
• At-home learning: Online courses let you work from the comfort of your home, so you can avoid a commute to campus. While an onsite externship is a requirement to graduate from the Institute of Culinary Education’s program, students don't need to travel to campus during the bulk of their studies.
• Class selection: Students can participate in live or on-demand classes with interactive features, making it easier to show up for class and maintain consistent attendance. These courses are taught by dedicated, experienced chef-instructors who provide guidance tailored to the needs of each student.
• Comprehensive curriculum: Online programs cover in-depth material and offer high-quality educational opportunities in much the same way as our in-person culinary programs. At the Institute of Culinary Education, our curriculum is regularly reviewed and updated by the school's faculty, as well as subject-matter experts.
• Support is available: Attending an online program doesn't mean you're completely on your own. Chef-instructors, ICE's student affairs and career services teams are accessible to provide guidance along the way.

A Taste of Our Curriculum

The Institute of Culinary Education’s online programming is accessed through a learning portal with a user-friendly interface, making it simple to log on and locate your classes.

Depending on the program selected, students are taught crucial culinary skills such as:

• Fundamental culinary techniques
• How to work with different proteins and plant-based ingredients
• Pastry and baking skills
• Menu design

Our expert ICE chefs review each dish and give focused, constructive feedback to guide students as they move through the program. 

Turning Your Love of Food Into a Career

Through the coursework and externship, students are taught skills with real-world applications that help prepare them for future job opportunities in the culinary and hospitality fields. What's more, our curriculum also includes career-focused lessons to create a well-rounded mix of technical skills and professional knowledge.

This includes important lessons on the following:

• Finance - How to use financial statements to control costs and make sound business decisions
• Leadership - Principles that teach students how to take the lead in their specialty
• Human resources - How to evaluate employee performance to create a balanced, productive workplace
• Marketing - Effective communication and self-promotion strategies through social media and other outlets

Our Expert Chef-Instructors

Just like our in-person programs, the online options are taught by talented instructors who are dedicated to student growth and development. Our instructors bring years of experience from diverse backgrounds and a passion for teaching to the Institute of Culinary Education.

Our instructors include:

• Chef-Instructor Shawn Matijevich: The lead instructor of our online program, Chef Shawn began his career in the Navy as a chef who served meals to sailors. Since then, he's worked in fine dining and earned several awards and honors throughout his career.
• Chef-Instructor Bridget Vickers: Chef Bridget began her cake-decorating and recipe-developing career at Bristol Farms in Mission Viejo. Through her experience as executive pastry chef, she understands what it takes to excel in the industry. 
• Instructor Joy Meyer: Part of the Restaurant and Culinary Management faculty, Joy Meyer has more than 15 years of leadership experience in the industry. From budgeting principles to partnerships and promotions, she has a wealth of knowledge to share.

The school is also home to several lectures, demonstrations, and special events, hosted by visiting chefs and industry experts, to provide additional educational opportunities.

About The Institute of Culinary Education

With numerous awards and honors to its name, the Institute of Culinary Education has garnered a reputation for excellence. This reputation extends all the way down through the faculty and administration and alumni, many of whom also have received awards from prestigious organizations. For example, ICE alumna Mashama Bailey was recently named "Outstanding Chef" at the 2022 James Beard Foundation Awards.

As a graduate of ICE, you will join the ranks of more than 17,900 alumni, including some of the most prominent leaders in the industry.

Enroll in Our Online Culinary School Today

Are you ready to take the next step?

The Institute of Culinary Education's online culinary program is currently available to students in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming and Hawaii, and will continue to expand to additional states.

Apply online or request info about attending online culinary school today.