Arizona Culinary Institute

The Arizona Culinary Institute

Established in 2001, the Arizona Culinary Institute is located in Scottsdale, Arizona -- which is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area -- in the southwestern region of the United States. It was created to meet the area's need for a culinary school that focused on traditional French cooking methods. ACI's location in beautiful Scottsdale has views of the McDowell Mountains, which inspires creativity and promotes learning.

In as few as 9 months, aspiring culinary arts and hospitality professionals can complete the Culinary Arts, Baking, and Restaurant Management program at the Arizona Culinary Institute -- a premier culinary school.

Students learn in small classes that do not exceed 20 students and receive personalized instruction from a diverse team of talented chef instructors. They also spend 80% of their time in the cooking school's well-equipped and expertly designed kitchens gaining hands-on experience.

This winning combination ensures that students graduate with the skills, cooking experience, and professionalism needed to embark on outstanding careers in the culinary arts and hospitality fields.

Culinary Arts, Baking, and Restaurant Management Program Curriculum

Arizona Culinary Institute offers both day and evening programs in culinary arts, baking, and restaurant management. The 54.5-credit curriculum consists of 368 clock hours in the classroom, 434 clock hours in the kitchen, and 210 clock hours in an internship. Coursework can be completed in 30 weeks (day program) or 40 weeks (evening program).

Courses include "Basic Culinary Arts;" "Baking and Pastry;" "Saucier and Meat Fabrication;" and "Advanced Baking, Pastry, and Showpieces." "Management Wine and Spirits," "Career Development," and "Restaurant Operations" are also part of the curriculum.

Training at du Jour Restaurant

The final block of instruction involves working at du Jour Restaurant -- the student-run restaurant at the Arizona Culinary Institute. This "culinary laboratory" enables advanced students to learn chef training as well as other culinary and restaurant management skills.

Students work as teams in a state-of-the-art front line kitchen and rotate among various stations to prepare European, American, and international cuisines for the public.

Professional Experience From Culinary Internships

Students complete 6-week internships that allow them to put their coursework and hands-on experience to practice in a restaurant, resort, catering business, or other culinary setting. Their internships are in the positions in which they were trained such as cook, pastry cook, sous chef, chef, server, or food service manager. Although some internships are unpaid, many students obtain paid internships.

Also, ACI has a placement director who helps students select internship sites that reflect their career goals and interests.

Tuition and Costs at ACI

The tuition costs and program fees for attending the Arizona Culinary Institute also cover uniforms, cooking tools, textbooks, and supplemental student curriculum packets.

Financial Aid at Arizona Culinary Institute

Arizona Culinary Institute participates in federal financial aid programs such as Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and Federal Plus Loans.

ACI also awards scholarships to students who demonstrate academic excellence, have gained achievements in the culinary field, or have strong desires to become culinary professionals.

Additionally, Native Americans and veterans may be eligible for special funding. Furthermore, students are encouraged to seek private loans and outside scholarship opportunities if necessary.

Excellent Employment Outlook

Students graduate from ACI with the expert training and confidence that employers value. As a result, they are highly marketable in the competitive culinary industry.

In fact, ACI has averaged a nearly 95% placement rate for the past decade, even during economic downturns.

ACI's large network of contacts in the hospitality industry and its national database of prospective employers provide students with many employment opportunities. Furthermore, ACI offers current students and alumni job placement assistance.

Award-Winning Instructors

A team of accomplished instructors form the foundation of ACI and its Culinary Arts, Baking, and Restaurant Management program. They are award-winning chefs, seasoned professionals, talented culinary educators, and successful restaurateurs who know exactly what it takes to achieve success in the industry.

For example, Chef Tracy Dewitt is a 2-time gold medalist in the Food Network Challenge and a 6-time winner of the Crystal Apple Award for teaching excellence. In another example, Chef Santos Villarico -- bronze medalist in the Culinary Olympic -- is a classically-trained French culinary master who has more than 14 years of teaching experience.

Chef Randall Foote -- who has over 30 years of professional experience -- has opened 7 restaurants and is the chef and owner of Indigo Bakery & Bistro. Bruce Sandground, a graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, owns 2 restaurants and an RL Schreiber Spices distributorship.

Modern Facilities at ACI

Arizona Culinary Institute's 18,000 square foot facility provides an ideal environment for students to hone their culinary arts skills.

It has 5 professional kitchens that include top-of-the-line equipment from leading manufacturers such as Baxter, Cleveland, Epco, Hobart, Rondo, Rubbermaid, US Range, and Winston.The facility also includes classrooms, a library with an extensive collection, and a student break area.

Living and Learning in Scottsdale, Arizona

Sunshine 300 days of the year and 65-degree temperatures in the winter make Scottsdale an ideal location to live, work, and study.

Furthermore, the State of Arizona and the Scottsdale/Phoenix metropolitan area are known worldwide for their outstanding culinary offerings, including 5-star restaurants and resorts. Therefore, students have many outstanding internship and employment opportunities.

Students can also enjoy the region's exciting and eclectic nightlife, dining, shopping, entertainment, and cultural opportunities. Additionally, they have access to a variety of outdoor recreational options including biking, hiking, golfing, and horseback riding.