If you enjoy cooking and you want to turn your passion for food into a rewarding career without spending four years in higher education, this page is for you.
Here we have compiled information about the best culinary and pastry schools in the state of Tennessee.
The schools included in our list offer hands-on certificate programs and associate degrees, preparing students for careers as station chefs, sous chefs, pastry chefs, restaurant managers, catering managers, and other food service specialist roles.
The programs focus on teaching skills such as: food preparation, culinary safety and sanitation, baking principles, contemporary cuisine, and more.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage reported by chefs and sous chefs in your state was $59,540 as of May 2023- higher than the national average for this profession, while bakers reportedly made $34,300 per year, on average.
Employment for chefs and head cooks across the United States is projected to grow 7 percent by 2034.
As more restaurants and dining places are expected to open, skilled cooks and chefs will be needed in order to prepare high-quality dishes.
Employment for bakers in the United States is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
You can start your journey towards a rewarding career in the culinary field by completing a certificate or degree program offered by one of the schools in our list.
Program duration ranges between a few months and a few years, depending on the credential you want to pursue.
Many schools offer flexible schedules, so students are able to keep their jobs while preparing for a new career.
#1Nashville State Community College
About the School
Nashville State Community College offers a Culinary Arts program that prepares students for careers as chefs or culinary professionals in the dynamic cooking and baking industry.
Students learn to prepare casual and upscale cuisine for full-service, buffet, banquet, à la carte, and bakery operations.
They earn their Culinary Arts A.A.S. or certificate and make their mark in a competitive, fun, and creative field.
The Technical Certificate can be completed in one year and costs approximately $4,700.
An Associate of Applied Science is also available and costs about $9,500.
Students who want to earn a Certificate take classes such as:
- Career Development for the Hospitality Industry
- Culinary Internship
- Culinary Math Skills
- Nutrition for Culinary Arts
- Advanced Baking and Pastry
- Food and Beverage Management
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 120 White Bridge Pk. Nashville, TN 37209
- Phone: (615) 353-3333
- Website: https://nscc.edu
#2Southwest Tennessee Community College
About the School
Southwest Tennessee Community College offers a Culinary Institute that provides cutting-edge kitchen, classroom, and catering services.
The modern, dedicated facility is located in the Fulton Building on the Macon Cove Campus.
Program objectives include:
- The ability to perform fundamental hospitality management skills
- Ability to identify Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points in the commercial kitchen environment
- Describe how hospitality supervisors recruit, interview, hire, and orient new employees
- Identify a wide array of career opportunities
Courses Offered
The Culinary Arts program includes courses such as:
- Sanitation and Safety
- Culinary Fundamentals
- Fundamentals of Baking
- Purchasing and Cost Control
- Professional Catering
- Culinary Internship
- Principles of Accounting
- Nutrition for Culinary Arts
- And more
In total, the program includes 60 credits.
Contact Information
- Address: 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN 38134
- Phone: 901-333-5000
- Website: https://catalog.southwest.tn.edu
#3The University of Tennessee Knoxville
About the School
The University of Tennessee Knoxville offers an in-person UT Culinary Certificate.
This is an eight-week intensive series of classes that total 200 hours and teach students about the foundations of culinary arts.
The program is recognized by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation as an approved program.
The fee for this program is approximately $6,250 and includes all required books and materials.
Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent and must be 18 years of age or older.
Students train in a fully equipped commercial kitchen but also in a special classroom designed for culinary education while learning from industry experts.
Contact Information
- Address: 600 Henley Street, Suite 211, Knoxville, TN 37996
- Phone: 865-974-0150
- Website: https://cpell.utk.edu
#4Motlow State
About the School
Motlow State offers a Hospitality Management degree and a Culinary Arts concentration.
Students can incorporate their creativity into their career and get paid to create culinary masterpieces.
Hospitality Management is a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree and teaches students about tourism, marketing, management, business, and maintaining industry regulations.
The concentration in Culinary Arts adds training in cost control, purchasing, cooking, baking, nutrition, and sanitation.
The school offers both on-campus and online class options, allowing students to build a schedule that works for them.
Classes are kept small so students can get to know their professors and their classmates.
Contact Information
- Address: 6015 Ledford Mill Rd. Tullahoma, TN 37388
- Phone: (800) 654-4877
- Website: https://www.motlow.edu
#5Chattanooga State Community College
About the School
Chattanooga State Community College offers a Culinary Arts concentration that helps students turn their passion for food into a career as a professional chef.
Courses cover everything from farm-to-table sourcing and baking to accounting and marketing, preparing students for every aspect of professional food service.
The curriculum includes:
- College Success Business
- Sanitation and Food Safety
- Culinary Fundamentals
- Culinary Fabrication
- Dining Room Service
- Supervision in the Hospitality Industry
- Fundamentals of Baking
- Farm to Table
- Nutrition for the Culinary Arts
- And more
The program includes 63 total hours.
Contact Information
- Address: 815 Delaware, Dayton, TN 37321
- Phone: 423-365-5010
- Website: https://chattanoogastate.edu
#6Nossi College of Art and Design
About the School
Nossi College of Art and Design helps students graduate job-ready with leadership skills that advance their creative careers.
Among many other educational paths, the college offers students the opportunity to earn an Associate in Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts degree.
Students can graduate in just two years and begin their career journeys.
The college has two professional-grade commercial kitchens with industry-standard equipment.
Courses Offered
The Culinary Arts pathway includes the following courses:
- Fundamental Culinary Techniques
- Introduction to Baking Basics
- Pastry Science
- American Cuisine
- Restaurant Technology and Cost Control
- International Cuisine
- Culinary Capstone
- Off-Premise Catering Management
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 590 Creative Way, Nashville, TN 37115
- Phone: 615-514-2787 (ARTS)
- Website: https://nossi.edu
#7Pellissippi State Community College
About the School
Pellissippi State Community College offers a Culinary Arts A.A.S. that offers students the opportunity to turn their passion for food into a professional skill set.
Students learn from experienced chefs and gain hands-on experience in:
- Kitchen techniques
- Food safety
- Kitchen management
The program prepares students for many culinary positions, including line cooks, bakers, chefs, and managing or owning their own restaurant.
The program includes courses on topics such as:
- Sanitation & Food Safety
- Professional Catering
- Culinary I
- Nutrition for Culinary Arts
The following concentrations are available:
- Culinary Arts/Baking & Pastry Arts Concentration
- Culinary Arts/Savory Cuisine Concentration
Contact Information
- Address: 10915 Hardin Valley Road, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville, TN 37933
- Phone: 865-694-6400
- Website: https://www.pstcc.edu
#8Tennessee College of Applied Technology
About the School
Tennessee College of Applied Technology offers a Culinary Arts program designed to train students to become Food Service Professionals.
The class covers topics such as:
- Proper Sanitation practices
- Customer service basics
- Food handling
- Menu preparation
- Food production techniques
The 12-month program costs approximately $5,160.
Textbook and supplies cost $340.
The following program credentials are available:
- Food Service Technician- 246-hour Certificate
- Food Production Technician- 1,086-hour Certificate
- Culinary Arts Technician- 1,296-hour Diploma
Contact Information
- Address: 355 Scott High Drive, Huntsville, TN 37756
- Phone: 423-663-4900
- Website: https://tcatoneida.edu
#9Walter State Community College
About the School
Walter State Community College hosts the Maples Institute for Culinary Arts.
The institute includes a 2,100 square foot kitchen, bake shop, demonstration kitchen, and dining rooms where students test their skills.
The institute is accredited by the American Culinary Federation.
The following areas of study are available:
- Business- Culinary Arts, A.A.S.
- Culinary Arts Technical Certificate
The Culinary Arts Technical Certificate- Hot Food Option includes courses on:
- Culinary Math Skills
- Saucier
- Sanitation and Food Safety
- Dining Room Service
- Fundamentals of Baking
- Garde Manger
- Purchasing and Cost Control
- And more.
- A Baking/Pastry option is also available.
Contact Information
- Address: 500 South Davy Crockett Parkway, Morristown, TN 37813-6899
- Phone: 423.585.2600
- Website: https://ws.edu
#10Cumberland University
About the School
Cumberland University offers a variety of undergraduate, transfer, graduate, and dual enrollment programs.
Located 25 miles east of Nashville in Lebanon, Tennessee, the university blends traditional liberal arts values with modern practice approaches through traditional undergraduate programs, graduate programs, and online options.
Courses Offered
Cumberland University offers the Cumberland Culinary Center.
The Center offers Food Safety Training designed for domestic kitchen users.
The class also meets the requirements for the CCC non-hazardous and formulated acid foods.
Contact Information
- Address: 1 Cumberland Square, Lebanon, TN 37087-3408
- Phone: 615-444-2562
- Website: https://www.cumberland.edu
Schools Summary Table
Culinary & Pastry Average Salary in Tennessee
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$40K
|
|
|
$62K
|
|
|
$87K
|
Culinary & Pastry Salary by Metro Area in Tennessee
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 190 | $57,410 | $27.60 | $84,520 | $31,200 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 70 | $50,070 | $24.07 | $81,460 | $24,940 |
| Jackson, TN | 40 | $56,220 | $27.03 | $83,560 | $37,000 |
| Johnson City, TN | 70 | $49,650 | $23.87 | $79,830 | $26,610 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 100 | $50,120 | $24.10 | $75,600 | $30,020 |
| Knoxville, TN | 440 | $58,500 | $28.12 | $83,870 | $42,520 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 430 | $62,180 | $29.89 | $87,720 | $39,210 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 1,110 | $68,230 | $32.81 | $96,460 | $49,590 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read our selection of the best culinary and baking schools in Tennessee, it’s time to choose the program that best suits you.
This is an important step, so take your time and make sure you choose a school that fits your budget and learning style.
