School and Ranking Information
Students who want to study culinary arts in Miami and the surrounding area can find about ten schools offering programs in this field. Based on the types of programs available and the degrees awarded in 2018-2019, the top three culinary arts schools in the Miami area are Johnson & Wales University in North Miami (JWU), William T. McFatter Technical Center in nearby Davie and Sheridan Technical Center in Hollywood.
- Winner: Johnson & Wales University in North Miami earned the number one position based on its location close to downtown Miami, more program options and a substantially higher number of conferred degrees.
- Runner-Up #1: William T. McFatter Technical Center offers a culinary arts certificate program. It awarded nearly 50 certificates in the 2018-2019 school year, which secures its second place spot.
- Runner-Up #2: Sheridan Tech offers certificate programs too, but takes third place because it had the fewest number of program graduates in 2018-2019. This school also had a lower graduation rate than the first runner-up.
School Comparison Chart
| Category | Johnson & Wales University - North Miami | William T. McFatter Technical Center | Sheridan Technical Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | North Miami, FL (9 miles from Miami) | Davie, FL (25 miles from Miami) | Hollywood, FL (18 miles from Miami) |
| School Type | 4-year, private not-for-profit | 2-year, public | 2-year, public |
| Undergraduate Tuition & Fees (2021-2022)* | $33,404 | $3,735 | $4,375 |
| Culinary Arts Program Levels Offered | Associate and bachelor's degrees | Certificate | Certificate |
| Culinary Arts Certificates and Degrees (All Levels) Awarded in 2020-2021* | 81 | 30 | 27 |
| Most Popular Culinary Arts Program (2020-2021)* | Associate degree | Certificate | Certificate |
| Undergraduate Graduation Rate (in 150% of normal program time)* | 52% (for students who entered in Fall 2013) | 63% (for students who entered in 2018-2019) | 69% (for students who entered in 2018-2019) |
| Noteworthy | Distinguished alumni chefs return to the school to be guest instructors through the Visiting Chef Series | Also offers culinary programs dedicated to pastry and cake decorating | Students can apply certificate credits towards a culinary management degree at Broward College |
Source: *National Center for Education Statistics
Johnson & Wales University - North Miami
- Has a college dedicated to culinary arts, with several concentrations available at the bachelor's degree level
- Students can compete in national and inter-campus competitions to test their skills
- One term of hands-on education and an internship is included in the associate degree program
Johnson and Wales University offers programs that are designed to prepare graduates for food-service careers in restaurants, hotels, resorts, spas and cruise lines. Students at this Miami campus come from more than 50 different countries around the world and have the chance to participate in study abroad programs to gain even more global hands-on experience.
JWU's associate degree program in culinary arts provides education in food preparation and production. Students can also further their education by enrolling in the culinary arts and food service management bachelor's degree program, which is a joint effort along with the Hospitality College to prepare students for careers at both the front and back of the restaurant. The main focus of this program is to provide students with culminating experiences with culinary arts, strategic management and hospitality operations. There is also a similar associate and bachelor's degree tandem available at JWU in baking and pastry arts.
William T. McFatter Technical Center
- Program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation
- Students get hands-on cooking practice throughout the program
- Culinary art students can benefit from a student-faculty ratio of 10:1, according to NCES
This technical center offers affordable career training while providing students with an intimate learning atmosphere, with 1,104 students in total as of fall 2018. In the same year, the NCES noted that there were approximately 143 total faculty members. The NCES also reported that 39% of all students received some sort of financial aid in the 2018-2019 year.
The commercial foods and culinary arts program at McFatter Tech mixes classroom and online activities with culinary arts procedures to prepare students for employment as cooks in restaurants, hotels and resorts. The program takes 12 months to complete for full-time students and can be entered into at the beginning of each quarter. Training is delivered via lectures, videos, demonstrations and online activities. Other available options are a 6-month baking and arts curriculum and a program for cake decorating and baking.
Sheridan Technical Center
- Program participants can earn industry-recognized and state-required ServSafe certification
- In addition to commercial foods and culinary arts, students can complete programs in bread making, cake decorating and garde manger
- The commercial foods and culinary arts program has earned accreditation from the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) Secondary Certification Committee
Sheridan Technical Center has been operating since the late '60s. The schools sits on almost 20 acres, and in 2021 housed 1,492
students, according to the NCES. In that year, the student-faculty ratio at this school was 12:1, below the national average for 2-year public schools. What's more, 63% of all students in 2020-2021 received some sort of financial aid.
Sheridan's 1,200-hour commercial foods and culinary arts program can be completed in approximately nine months for full-time students and 18 months for part-time students. Students participate in lab, classroom and online work. Topics include hot and cold foods, pastry and baking arts, nutrition, supervision, management, sanitation, safety and cost control. The school also offers a shorter 2-term program focused on commercial baking and pastry arts.