On this page, we have compiled information about the best culinary and pastry schools in Iowa and the programs they offer.
The schools included in our list offer hands-on training programs that lead to certificates or associate degrees, preparing students for employment in restaurants and other places that serve food.
Before being ready for your first job as a chef, you have to learn a few skills, such as:
- Checking ingredients
- Following safety and sanitation standards
- Planning menus
- Inspecting supplies
- Monitor sanitation practices
- Ordering and maintaining an inventory of foods
- And more
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage reported by chefs and head cooks in Iowa was $46,180 as of May 2023, while bakers reportedly made $35,260 per year, on average.
Employment for chefs and head cooks across the United States is projected to grow 7 percent by 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
As more restaurants and dining places are expected to open, the demand for high-quality dishes will grow.
Employment for bakers in the United States is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034.
If you’re passionate about food, we encourage you to read our list and see what the culinary and baking schools in Iowa have to offer.
#1Des Moines Area Community College
About the School
Des Moines Area Community College offers a Culinary Arts program that provides students with industry-driven, hands-on, practical experience and knowledge.
Students can earn a degree or diploma in culinary arts, hospitality management, or baking.
Courses Offered
The following degrees and diplomas are available at DMACC:
- Culinary Arts, AAS
- Hospitality Management, Hotel Concentration, AAS
- Hospitality Management, Restaurant Concentration, AAS
- Baking Diploma
- Culinary Arts, Diploma
- Hospitality Business, Diploma,
- Hospitality Business, Restaurant Management, Diploma
The Baking Diploma includes courses such as:
- Sanitation & Safety
- Fundamentals of Baking
- Artisan Breads
- Intro to Hospitality Industry
- Plated Desserts
- Nutrition
- International Pastries
- And more
Culinary classes are also available for high school students who want to get a jump start on their college careers.
Contact Information
- Address: 2006 South Ankeny Boulevard, Ankeny, IA 50023
- Phone: 515-964-6200
- Website: https://www.dmacc.edu
#2Iowa Central
About the School
Iowa Central offers a Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Program that provides an Associate in Applied Science degree through Iowa Central Community College.
The program combines the important components of food preparation and culinary arts.
It also includes: nutrition, food safety and sanitation, baking, the art of cuisine, and food service management.
The program also provides an introduction to hospitality and restaurant management with applicable hands-on experience throughout the program.
Students also complete an on-the-job training practicum in an industry field of their choice to complete their well-rounded culinary program.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Food Safety and Sanitation
- Food Preparation
- Knife Skills
- Food Preparation
- Meat and Fish Fabrication
- Advanced Food Prep
- International Cuisine
- Culinary Math
- Intro to Hospitality
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: One Triton Circle, Fort Dodge, IA 50501
- Phone: 800-362-2793
- Website: https://www.iowacentral.edu
#3Western Iowa Tech Community College
About the School
Western Iowa Tech Community College offers a Culinary Arts program centered on American Culinary Federation program competencies.
Students in this program learn concepts and theories related to culinary arts and have the opportunity to practice these concepts in a state-of-the-art theory kitchen.
They gain working knowledge in sanitation and safety, knife skills, stocks and sauces, garde manger, cooking methods, front of house service, protein fabrication, beverage service, and ethnic world cuisine.
The program leads to an Associate of Applied Science and awards 64 credits.
In-state tuition and fees sum up to approximately $14,000.
Courses Offered
The program includes classes such as:
- Sanitation and Safety
- Knife Skills
- Garde Manger
- Culinary and Hospitality Seminar
- Fundamentals of Baking
- Nutrition
- Ingredient Identification
- Front of House
- Introduction to Business
- Menu Planning and Design
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 4647 Stone Avenue, Sioux City, Iowa 51106
- Phone: 712.274.8733
- Website: https://www.witcc.edu
#4Iowa State University
About the School
Iowa State University offers more than 100 majors, minors, and certificates that can be customized to maximize students’ impact in the world.
Programs are available at the following colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Design, Engineering, Health and Human Sciences, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Courses Offered
The Culinary Food Science program at Iowa State University focuses on how food is prepared by testing recipes and adjusting ingredients to optimize food products.
Students receive hands-on experience in food labs and test kitchens and develop practical culinary skills that set them apart in the industry.
The curriculum covers food chemistry, nutrition, and food microbiology, as well as food safety, sanitation, quantity food production, and fine dining management.
Students may also choose to further their education with a graduate degree, such as:
- Master of Food Science and Technology
- Master of Business Administration
Contact Information
- Address: Ames, IA 50011, United States
- Phone: 515-294-4111
- Website: https://www.iastate.edu
#5Iowa Western
About the School
Iowa Western offers a Culinary Arts: Culinary & Hospitality Management A.A.S. program designed for students intending to enter the workforce after finishing their two-year degree.
Iowa Western Community College is fully accredited as a post-secondary institution by the Higher Learning Commission.
Courses Offered
The following courses are included in the program:
- Sanitation and Safety
- Culinary Foundations
- Culinary Baking
- Quantity Food Production Lab
- Cakes and Chocolates
- Business and Financial Mathematics
- Dinning Service
- Nutrition and Wellness
- Breads and Pastries
- Culinary Capstone
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 2700 College Rd. Council Bluffs, IA 51503
- Phone: 712-325-3200
- Website: https://www.iwcc.edu
#6Kirkwood Community College
About the School
Kirkwood Community College offers culinary training for foodservice professionals.
The program is designed to educate and develop future leaders for the culinary profession.
The curriculum blends a combination of practical cooking experiences, foodservice knowledge, and business application.
Students also learn how to create menu items that are marketable and profitable.
They understand the balance between culinary and business operation realities.
Students also learn how to balance between culinary creativity and business operation realities.
Courses Offered
The curriculum covers skills such as:
- The care and use of an industry-standard range of professional knives
- Operate and safely control commercial food service equipment
- Utilize classical cooking methods
- Compare and assess both nutritional and food cost value
- Calculate and interpret the fundamental food service costs
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
- Phone: 319-398-5411
- Website: https://www.kirkwood.edu
#7Indian Hills Community College
About the School
Indian Hills Community College is ranked among the top 500 Community Colleges in the Nation.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1.
Courses Offered
The Culinary Arts program at Indian Hills Community College leads to an A.A.S. degree and prepares students to take on the fine dining restaurant, hotel, club, resort, or bakery of their choice.
The total cost for this program is approximately $22,000.
The program is 21 months long.
It is available at the Ottumwa main campus, and it starts in the fall term.
Indian Hills Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Contact Information
- Address: 525 Grandview Avenue, Ottumwa, Iowa 52501
- Phone: (641) 683-5111
- Website: https://www.indianhills.edu
#8Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College offers hands-on training that makes students career-ready from day one.
Courses Offered
The Culinary & Hospitality Management program is designed for students who want to turn their passion for food and hospitality into a thriving career.
This is a hands-on, industry-focused program that provides the skills, certifications, and experience needed for success in restaurants, hotels, catering services, and event planning.
The college has two state-of-the-art commercial kitchens where students train using industry-standard equipment.
Students are provided with comprehensive training in:
- Management and Leadership
- Customer Service
- Food Service Sanitation
- Menu Planning & Design
- Culinary Techniques & Food Preparation
- Business Planning & Purchasing
Contact Information
- Address: 525 Grandview Avenue, Ottumwa, Iowa 52501
- Phone: 800-242-5106
- Website: https://iowalakes.edu
#9Marshalltown Community College
About the School
Marshalltown Community College offers more than 55 academic programs students can choose from.
The programs are designed for students who want to earn an A.A. degree and transfer or go straight into the workforce.
Courses Offered
The Culinary program at Marshalltown Community College offers the following degrees:
Culinary Arts, Associate of Applied Science Degree- a two-year program
Liberal Arts Associate of Arts Degree- a program that can be completed in two years
A Culinary Arts Certificate is also available and includes the following classes:
- Sanitation and Safety
- Basic Food Preparation
- Food Fundamentals
- Knife Skills
- Practicum/Field experience
In total, the program includes 9-11 credits.
Contact Information
- Address: 1100 College Avenue, Iowa Falls, Iowa 50126
- Phone: 641-648-4611
- Website: https://www.iavalley.edu
#10The Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America offers a variety of online programs for students who are looking to upgrade their resumes and improve their career prospects.
The online degrees are designed for food industry professionals.
Master’s programs that include short residencies at the school’s California and New York campuses are available.
The bachelor’s program is delivered exclusively online.
Courses Offered
The Bachelor’s Degree is designed for CIA Associate Graduates Only.
Students need to have at least four years of full-time, progressive work experience after graduating from the institute’s associate degree program.
This gives them the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree without interrupting their work schedule.
Students get comprehensive food-specific skills.
They explore topics such as economics, sustainability of food systems, and key principles of business leadership.
Up to 30 transfer credits from a college other than CIA can be applied to complete the degree even faster.
Contact Information
- Address: 312 Pearl Parkway, Building 2, Suite 2102, San Antonio, TX 78215
- Phone: 800-CULINARY
- Website: https://www.ciachef.edu
Schools Summary Table
Culinary & Pastry Average Salary in Iowa
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$29K
|
|
|
$48K
|
|
|
$71K
|
Culinary & Pastry Salary by Metro Area in Iowa
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | 80 | $49,600 | $23.85 | $72,070 | $30,550 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 160 | $48,410 | $23.27 | $71,590 | $32,670 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 190 | $48,690 | $23.41 | $71,390 | $31,480 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 380 | $53,780 | $25.86 | $73,990 | $35,530 |
| Dubuque, IA | 50 | $49,320 | $23.71 | $71,460 | $29,860 |
| Iowa City, IA | 120 | $48,970 | $23.54 | $71,060 | $29,040 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 60 | $49,170 | $23.64 | $71,180 | $28,820 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 70 | $43,360 | $20.85 | $66,080 | $28,430 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
Final Thoughts
If you want to transform your passion for food into a rewarding career, the schools included in our list are designed to prepare you for a career in a restaurant, bakery, catering company, or other food-serving establishments.
Now that you have read our list of the best culinary and baking schools available to residents of Iowa, it’s time to continue the research and apply for the program that best fits your learning style and career aspirations.
