Home to a vibrant culinary scene, Minnesota is a great place to start a career as a cook, chef, or baker.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage reported by chefs and sous chefs in Minnesota was $60,510 as of May 2023.
Minnesota bakers reportedly earned $39,480 a year on average.
Before being ready for employment in a professional kitchen, you have to learn a few skills, such as:
- Know about food flavorings and seasoning
- How to use all basic culinary equipment
- How to produce food
- How to follow safety and sanitation rules
These skills and more can be learned by attending classes at a trade school or community college.
To help those interested in turning their passion for food into a real career, on this page, we have compiled information about the best culinary and baking schools in your state.
Many programs allow students to learn in real restaurants so they become job-ready immediately after graduation.
During their training, students are typically mentored by professional chefs with many years of experience in the field.
Program duration and costs vary depending on the credential you want to pursue.
So start by reading our list of the best Minnesota culinary and baking schools.
#1Hennepin Technical College
Hennepin Technical College offers hands-on training for tech careers.
Students learn from industry experts who know what it takes to succeed.
Courses Offered
The Culinary and Hospitality pathway includes the following programs:
- Baking & Pastry
- Culinary Arts
The Baking & Pastry program teaches the basics of becoming a pastry chef.
The courses include culinary arts skills like sanitation, baking techniques, and nutrition.
The program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation and ranks among the top 20 programs in the country.
In just two years, students may earn a Baking and Pastry Entrepreneur associate degree.
The Culinary Arts program covers topics such as food safety and sanitation, knife skills, ice carving, and international cuisine.
Students who complete the Culinary Arts program are eligible to pursue American Culinary Federation certification.
Contact Information
- Address: 9000 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
- Phone: (952) 995-1300
- Website: https://hennepintech.edu
#2Saint Paul College
About the School
Saint Paul College offers a Culinary Arts program that develops skills of cooking, baking, and pastry-making, and teaches about the business side of the food industry.
The following degree options are available:
- AAS
- Certificate
- Diploma
A 30-credit certificate costs between $7,855-$10,796.50
A 68-credit AAS program costs between $16,158-$22,825.40
A Culinary Arts Diploma includes 52 credits of program requirements and courses such as:
- Introduction to Gastronomy
- Culinary Mathematical Foundations
- Hospitality Practices and Perspectives
- Butchery and Charcuterie
- Retail Food Product Development
- High Volume Food Production
- Artisan Baking and Pastry
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 235 Marshall Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55102
- Phone: 651.846.1600
- Website: https://www.saintpaul.edu
#3Minnesota North College
About the School
Minnesota North College offers a Culinary Arts/Food Service Management program that leads to 35 credits.
The total costs for a Diploma are in the $8,000 range.
Minnesota North College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes:
- Introduction to Food Service
- Basic Food Production Principles
- Institutional Food Production
- Culinary Mathematics
- Quality Assurance
- Hotel Restaurant Food Production
- Advanced Culinary Skills
- Introduction to Communication
Contact Information
- Address: 1515 East 25th Street, Hibbing, MN 55746
- Phone: 218.403.9200
- Website: https://minnesotanorth.edu
#4St. Cloud Technical & Community College
About the School
St. Cloud Technical & Community College offers a Culinary Arts program that prepares students to be professional chefs, offering opportunities and possibilities for a lifetime career.
Courses Offered
The college offers the following degrees in culinary arts:
- Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science- a 66-credit program
- Culinary Arts Diploma- a 38-credit program
Students learn:
- Kitchen procedures and operations
- Fabrication of meat, poultry, seafood
- Menu planning
- Nutrition
- Food presentation
- Financial planning
- Customer relations
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 1540 Northway Drive, St. Cloud, MN 56303
- Phone: (800) 222-1009
- Website: https://sctcc.edu
#5Southwest Minnesota State University
About the School
Southwest Minnesota State University offers a Culinology program.
This program blends culinary arts and the science of food.
By completing a four-year program at the university, students prepare for careers as:
- Product development scientist
- Associate food scientist
- Research & Development chef
- R&D technologist/technician
- Quality assurance tech/manager
- Quality Engineer
Before graduation, Culinology students need to complete two internships.
The first internship is culinary-focused and begins at the end of their second year of studies.
The second internship will be in a food product development lab.
Contact Information
- Address: 1501 State St., Marshall, MN 56258
- Phone: 507-537-6462
- Website: https://www.smsu.edu
#6South Central College
South Central College offers a Culinary Arts program that has earned a stellar reputation for training food service managers, chefs, and cooks.
Courses Offered
The following awards/degrees are available:
- Culinary Arts AAS Degree
- Culinary Arts Diploma
A 55-credit Culinary Arts Diploma includes the following courses:
- Introduction to Foodservice
- Sanitation & Food Safety
- Culinary Math
- Culinary Fundamentals
- Butchery
- Garde Manger
- Baking
- Hospitality Nutrition
- Culinary Management
- Customer Service
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 1225 Third Street SW, Faribault, MN 55021
- Phone: 507-332-5800
- Website: https://southcentral.edu
#7Roosevelt Culinary Arts
About the School
Roosevelt Culinary Arts is an elective program at Roosevelt High, a public school located in the heart of South Minneapolis.
Along with its culinary arts program, Roosevelt has an impressive urban farming department and is part of the district’s renowned Farm to School program.
The program brings local, sustainable food made from scratch to Minneapolis public schools.
Two-semester-long classes are currently available to all students at Roosevelt High School:
- Culinary Arts Level 1
- Culinary Arts Level 2
Students learn:
- Practicing effective food safety
- Learning a wide variety of cooking techniques
- Planning meals and responsible grocery shopping
- Community meals planned, prepared, and served by students
- Analyzing issues of sustainability and food justice, and presenting on possible solutions
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 4029 28th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
- Phone: 612-430-3447
- Website: https://rooseveltculinaryarts.org
#8Hospitality Minnesota
About the School
Hospitality Minnesota offers ProStart- a two-year, industry-backed culinary arts and management program for high school students.
Minnesota is home to more than 13,000 ProStart students and 75 ProStart programs.
Students learn how to be an industry professional through hands-on work under the direction of a mentor.
ProStart uses a two-level curriculum that:
- Integrates practical skill sets
- Allows students to become familiar with restaurants and foodservice
- Exposes students to innovative career opportunities
- Provides students with tools and skills needed to become successful industry leaders
The program reaches approximately 214,000 students in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and the territories of Guam.
Contact Information
- Address: 121 S 8th Street, Suite #970, Minneapolis, MN 55402
- Phone: (651) 778-2400
- Website: https://www.hospitalityminnesota.com
#9Bemidji Career Academics
Bemidji Career Academics offers a Culinary Arts Academy that is a skill/attitude-based program designed to assist graduating students with knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience to help students work in the fast-paced field of culinary arts.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Ethnic Foods
- Foods for Today
- First Aid & CPR
- Foods for Today
- Health Food, Nutrition & Wellness or Baking 101
The combination of skills gained through this training is highly transferable to technical jobs in many sectors.
Program requirements include work experience:
- Work Seminar/Internship
- Real-world experience
Contact Information
- Phone: 218-444-1600 ext. 63305
- Website: https://bemidjicareeracademies.com
#10Institute of Culinary Education
About the School
The Institute of Culinary Education helps students launch their careers in culinary arts by offering classes in New York, Los Angeles, and online.
The campus features 38,000 square feet of space dedicated to learning, innovation, and creativity.
Courses Offered
The following diplomas and degrees are available online:
- Culinary Arts and Food Operations
- Health Centered Culinary Arts & Food Operations
- Baking and Pastry Arts & Food Operations
- Restaurant & Culinary Management
- Associate Degree: Culinary Arts & Food Operations
- Associate Degree: Baking and Pastry Arts & Food Operations
- And more
The Culinary Arts and Food Operations program provides students with comprehensive and convenient online culinary school training.
The 900-hour intensive culinary school curriculum explores the theory, science, technique, plate development, and culinary business fundamentals.
Contact Information
- Address: 225 Liberty Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10281
- Phone: (888) 354-CHEF
- Website: https://www.ice.edu
Schools Summary Table
Culinary & Pastry Average Salary in Minnesota
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$46K
|
|
|
$63K
|
|
|
$91K
|
Culinary & Pastry Salary by Metro Area in Minnesota
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | 90 | $56,870 | $27.34 | $81,830 | $32,700 |
| Mankato, MN | 30 | $55,970 | $26.91 | $77,530 | $45,250 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,210 | $65,260 | $31.38 | $92,970 | $48,490 |
| Rochester, MN | 80 | $65,980 | $31.72 | $95,200 | $46,430 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 40 | $52,150 | $25.07 | $72,550 | $42,660 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
Final Thoughts
If you want to build a rewarding career in the culinary field, Minnesota is home to a diverse restaurant industry.
Now that you have read our selection of the best culinary and baking schools in your state, it’s time to continue the research and apply for the program that best suits your learning style and career aspirations.
