Culinary Schools in Florida

Working in the culinary industry in Florida means choosing from a diverse menu of options. You might work on a catering team at a resort or theme park, as a head chef at a fine dining establishment in Miami, or as a manager at an upper-end South Beach club.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that of 712,370 employed food preparation and serving workers in Florida in 2009, 6,200 were chefs and head cooks and 41,840 were supervisors or managers of food preparation and serving workers. Use training at Florida culinary schools to prepare for a competitive career in the culinary industry.

Higher Education at Florida Culinary Schools

The training you'll receive at culinary schools in Florida varies greatly by your career goals. Professional culinary institutes, trade schools, online schools, and vocational schools offer culinary training ranging from certification programs to two- or four-year degrees. Many culinary students choose to complete a basic course of study and then add on specific elements relating to their career goals, such as pastry making, hospitality management, or business. The American Culinary Federation accredits over 200 training programs nationwide.

Careers for Graduates of Culinary Schools in Florida

Take a look at mean annual wages for some popular culinary careers in Florida from 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For comparison, national wages are in parentheses:

• Chefs and head cooks: $48,610 ($44,240)
• First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers: $33,910 ($31,460)
• Cooks, restaurant: $24,000 ($23,110)
• Bartenders: $21,030 ($20,970)

Jobs for supervisors of food preparation and serving workers are expected to grow by 6 percent in the decade 2008-2018, with 55,400 new jobs entering the industry, according to the BLS. While no school can promise a certain salary or career with training, formal education is often an essential piece of your resume for certain competitive careers.