The Chef's Academy in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis sits in what is known as the Rust Belt or the Manufacturing Belt of the United States, where manufacturing was once king. Now, though, Indianapolis has a broader, diversified economy, with technology, healthcare, insurance, and other major sectors contributing.
The city is home to Harrison College’s Chef’s Academy, which provides an outstanding culinary education. Below is some basic information about the school and its programs.
Another top culinary school in Indianapolis you may want to learn more about is The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Indianapolis. It offers:
The Art of Cooking - Diploma
Baking & Pastry - Diploma
Culinary Arts - Associate Degree
Culinary Management - Bachelor Degree
The Chef's Academy
Harrison College
644 East Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Why Choose Harrison College's Chef's Academy?
The Chef’s Academy demands excellence and dedication of its students. In exchange, the Academy provides the best in culinary instruction and facilities. To complete a degree program, students take classes full-time (Monday through Friday) for seventy weeks. The Chef’s Academy develops and maintains relevant, industry-current culinary education to its students so they can immediately seek work in their field.
In addition, they use professional, fully equipped kitchens to learn the fundamentals of cooking, as well as more advanced techniques. The Chef’s Academy even offers classes for the community. These non-degree classes are a way for the chef in everyone to have a chance to shine. The faculty lends their expertise to the community, which benefits everyone. The Chef’s Academy is committed to the success of their students and of their communities.
Chef's Academy Programs
New Hospitality Restaurant Management Program
The Hospitality & Restaurant Management Bachelor Degree program is designed to develop the student's knowledge and skills to start a career path in the hospitality industry. By integrating the industry's preference for graduates to have both food service and hospitality talents, The Chef's Academy program includes strong management skills as part of their studies where they focus in problem solving, team building, and human resource management.
Students complete a 10-week internship midway through their program and an 8-week externship at the conclusion of their program covering both front and back of the house operations. These strategically placed experiences, combined with a balance of industry specific operational courses, the management component, and career relevant general studies, empowers students to realize their full potential and professional goals in the hospitality food service industry.
Culinary Arts
The Culinary Arts program is a rigorous course of study that prepares students for jobs as cooks, line cooks, and assistant pastry chefs. They can then advance into positions as sous chefs, head chefs, and pastry chefs.
Career advancement is unlimited in this exciting field, and The Chef’s Academy makes sure its students are prepared and ready to cook. The program focuses on practical food preparation skills, classic and international cuisine, food safety and sanitation, storeroom operations, nutrition, food selection, and purchasing.
Students receive extensive hands-on training in courses such as breakfast foods, stocks, soups, sauces, shellfish, meat, and poultry, baking fundamentals, hospitality, food service, wine and beverages, and food service math.
In addition, Academy students learn business and entrepreneurship principles, communication, and job search and interview skills. Every aspect of a burgeoning career is covered.
Pastry Arts
This program prepares students for opportunities as Pastry Cooks and Assistant Pastry Chefs, and begins their career path to achieving Pastry Chef status. Students are introduced to the art of making specialty breads, cakes, pies, pastry creams and French pastry, presented with skills in advanced decoration and design, and given an overview of the operation of a commercial kitchen and a bake shop. The program culminates in a 16-week externship offering students opportunities to apply their skills.
Faculty
Who better to teach future chefs than current chefs? The Chef’s Academy is committed to providing outstanding education, and part of that commitment is to seek out the very best instructors. The chef faculty has over 200 years of combined experience in the culinary field. The faculty has worked in diverse work settings, such as restaurants, hotels, resorts, country clubs, with catering companies, bakeries, and have worked as ice carvers and vegetable and fruit sculptors. Their experiences range from all over the world. The faculty chefs are eminently qualified as both instructors and professionals. Faculty members also take the time to individually instruct and encourage students.
Facilities
The Chef’s Academy is located in the midst of Indianapolis. The campus is self-contained in a 27,000 square foot building, which is fully equipped with professional, industry-current kitchens and classroom spaces. Kitchens are set up to allow students to work in professional settings so they’ll be prepared for whatever work situations they’ll encounter.
Accreditation
The Chef’s Academy is accredited through the Harrison College by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to qualifying students, who should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to determine eligibility for grants and loans. Harrison College financial aid representatives are happy to discuss individual circumstances with students.
About Indianapolis
Indianapolis has made great strides in diversifying its economy away from just manufacturing. It has become known as the Amateur Sports Capital of the World and the Racing Capital of the World because of its yearly hosting of the Grand Prix and the Indy 500. Both of these events draw about a quarter of a million fans each year, making them the single biggest sporting events of the year.
In addition, Indianapolis has become home to various business, including those involved in healthcare, insurance, and technology. The city has also started to become a destination for culture and the arts. With yearly festivals, Monument Circle, War Memorials, sporting events, and conventions, Indianapolis is an exciting city to live and to work.
What Do You Need To Know to Get Into Culinary School?
As the Reluctant Gourmet, I have never been to cooking school, but I keep telling myself it's never too late. The best way for you to learn more about becoming a chef is to visit my new Culinary School Resource Center. Here you will find articles, books, school resources and many other useful resources.
Also, try reading as much as you can about going to cooking school and what it is like to be a professional chef. One book I highly recommend to anyone thinking about culinary school is, The Making of A Chef, by Michael Ruhlman. It will really help you understand what you may be getting yourself into. For a complete list of Books For Cooks.
