If you’re passionate about food and thrive in a hands-on environment, working in the culinary industry may be your calling. Our Classic Culinary Arts and Classic Pastry Arts programs will prepare you for a new career in just six months (or nine if you study at night). And to help you get started, we offer recent high school graduates* a 10% reduction off the cost of tuition.

But this is only a small part of what we can offer to recent high school graduates. Read on to see how The FCI can give you the knowledge and experience you need to make your mark in the culinary world.

Get Ahead of the Game
At The FCI, culinary and pastry students learn by doing, not sitting in a lecture hall. Our curriculum has you cooking or baking from day one, building technique through hands-on learning and cumulative practice. In less than a year, you’ll graduate with the skills employers look for. This means that while your friends are still working toward two- and four-year degrees, you’ll be working in the field, earning a salary and building your resume.

Small School, Big Education
One of the advantages of The FCI is our size. We're small, which means you get personal attention and instant feedback from your Chef-Instructors. With a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 or less, our classrooms provide a supportive learning environment to help students develop the confidence they need to succeed in the real world.

Plus, Classic Culinary Arts students get real-world work experience under their belts before they graduate when they spend the last part of the program cooking at our highly rated on-campus restaurant, L’Ecole. No other cooking school can lay claim to a restaurant as well-respected as ours. Those are serious credentials to compete with!

The FCI is also accredited by the ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges), which demonstrates our commitment to upholding the highest standards in culinary education.

Out of the Kitchen, Into the Fun
After class, you can expand your learning with a host of events designed just for students. Watch live demos in the International Culinary Theater with such culinary icons as Dean Jacques Pépin, alum David Chang, and cake designer Ron Ben-Israel. Activities—Supper Club outings, Wine Club tastings, and Forager Club excursions—are a fun way to meet other students while enhancing your education. Local volunteer opportunities exclusive to FCI students will give you exposure to the city’s culinary community.

At Home in the Center of the Culinary World
New York City is home to some of the world’s finest chefs and restaurants, not to mention cuisines and ingredients from around the world. Exposure to this vibrant food scene will extend your learning to your daily life as you train to become a highly skilled professional.

As a student of The FCI, you’ll have access to a number of affordable dormitories within comfortable proximity to the school. So you’re only a hop, skip, and a jump away. We can also help you secure housing in other areas of the city. Just ask for assistance and we’ll do everything we can to help.  

Our Reach is Far and Wide
Today’s culinary careers are more diverse than ever with countless career paths—from executive chef to chocolatier to cooking show producer. And none of these exciting fields are out of reach with an education from The FCI. We have relationships with employers across the globe, in top restaurants, bakeries, publishing companies, and more. And our 14,000 alumni working around the world can attest to the fact that employers are eager to hire candidates trained at The French Culinary Institute.

With so many options, finding your focus can be a challenge. But our Career Services department will help you every step of the way, from helping you find the right job to developing the skills every new graduate needs when it comes to resumes, interviewing, and networking. Our ongoing job placement services will be a valuable resource you can count on throughout your career and long after you graduate.

Take the Next Step
We’re here to help you prepare to make the most of your career. If you’re ready to pursue your dreams of working in the culinary industry, contact an Admission representative via email or call 1.888.324.2433 to schedule a tour. Your future is waiting! 

*To be eligible, students must be between the ages of 17 and 20 years old and hold a valid high school diploma dated within two years of their FCI start date. If you have been home schooled, contact your Admission representative to see if you qualify.

Looking for a summer cooking class to get your feet wet? Learn more about Cooking Camp for Teens, starting July 17, at the Recreational Division of The International Culinary Center.