My education at the Culinary Institute of America (Year One)

[Chimp]

I liked CCA. When I went (2000-2001), it was not affiliated with le cordon bleu, so I don't know what has changed.

The students and the chefs were quality people. Our schedule was much like what CSC described. Each class was two weeks long, meaning 10 classes. The program only lasted a year to a year and a half, whereas CIA was 3 years, I think. I don't know if CIA had longer classes, or more of them, or both, but it is definitely considered a superior education to CCA. My biggest gripes about CCA were the cost and the fact that there were no business classes (eg, food costs, labor, mgt). I know CIA has those. I don't know if CCA has changed this, but if not, this would be the biggest reason not to go. But if you don't want to own your own place and just want to better your cooking skills, CCA is good. Like I said, the chefs there are solid (charlie trotter went there...a proud dropout too!).

I dropped out b/c of money. I just didn't feel I was getting my money's worth. But that's not a slam on CCA. I don't know that I wld have felt I was anywhere. CIA is the best school, but it was even more expensive.