The French Culinary Institute The French Culinary Institute is a world-class culinary school that blends classic French techniques with American inventiveness in an exciting, fast-paced curriculum. With campuses in New York and California, we will train you for an exhilarating career in as few as six months. The International Culinary Center of New York Located in the heart of SoHo, The International Culinary Center of New York is a destination for anyone with a love of food and a desire to be inspired by talented chefs and innovators in the field. Here, aspiring chefs and amateurs alike enroll in a diverse array of programs, including The French Culinary Institute’s award-winning career programs and our flagship Italian program, the Italian Culinary Experience. Courses in wine studies, culinary technology, food journalism, and cake design offer in-depth study of a specialized area of knowledge. And for those pursuing a more casual route, amateur and recreational classes cover everything from bread baking to pasta making. Classic Culinary Arts In 600 hours, Classic Culinary Arts takes you from basic knife skills through training on every station on the line, providing you with real-world knowledge that will support you in any field of the culinary industry. Details & Schedule A lifetime of knowledge, in just a few months The culinary arts never stop evolving; they break new boundaries and unveil new standards for creativity and excellence. As a student at The French Culinary Institute, you can rest assured that you'll be at the forefront of this vibrant industry. With The FCI's exciting and fast-paced curriculum, it takes just six months by day, or nine by night, to acquire the knowledge it takes years to attain at other schools. Here at The FCI, we're all about personal attention, instant feedback, hands-on repetition, and inspiring reinforcement, so that each carefully planned lesson, over time, becomes an instinctive part of your permanent repertoire. Best of all, you'll do it all at our East Coast campus in New York City, which ranks among the best food cities. Attain the building blocks of Western cuisine In our Classic Culinary Arts program, you don't just learn French cooking; you'll be immersed in the classic cooking techniques that form the building blocks of Western cuisine. Your educators are chef-instructors who are passionate, accomplished leaders eager to share their expertise, and you'll enjoy the kind of hands-on experience, personal attention, and support that can really build your confidence and skills. And thanks to The FCI's unique Total ImmersionSM approach, you'll amass an incredible amount of knowledge and ability in a very short amount of time. Learn real-world skills in our award-winning restaurant In the first part of the program, you'll focus on learning new skills (and repeating them until they become second nature), and in the final two levels, you will move straight into the kitchen of our award-winning restaurant, L'Ecole, where you'll have the chance to apply your training in a real-world context. Your chef-instructors will oversee your work as you prepare a menu of seasonal, contemporary dishes for our discriminating restaurant guests, giving you valuable insight into how time management, team organization, menu composition, and plating are employed in a professional kitchen environment—before you graduate. It's a testament to the quality of The FCI's training that L'Ecole is a top-rated restaurant, with accolades from Zagat®, Michelin®, and Wine Spectator. Cooking on the line in L'Ecole truly distinguishes Classic Culinary Arts from other programs, and it will help set you apart in the weeks and months after graduation. Follow a curriculum shaped by culinary legends At the heart of The FCI are the industry icons who are our esteemed deans: chefs Jacques Pépin, André Soltner, and Alain Sailhac. Their experience and reputation are respected worldwide, and their exacting standards set a gold standard for excellence at the school. Hands-on teaching meets hands-on learning With 600 hours of training, The FCI's Classic Culinary Arts program combines both hands-on instruction and theory into one comprehensive program. Each class begins with a short lesson from your chef-instructor, who will outline terminology, relevant food history, the reasons behind various cooking techniques, and the rationale behind following procedures in a specific order. Before you make anything for the first time, your chef-instructors will demonstrate—providing instruction and showcasing the correct techniques—before you set out to make it yourself. This process enables you to quickly pick up what you have been taught and sets the stage for you to successfully create what has been shown. Concerned you won't be able to do it? You won't be on your own—your chef-instructors will be close at hand to provide direction and help as you practice on your own. Each level of the program has been organized to teach you the essentials of the culinary arts. The pace of the program accelerates as you progress through each level, and learning is cumulative and fast. Your coursework will include: knife skills stocks and sauces vegetables grains butchery poultry and game birds fish and shellfish meat and eggs pastry and desserts plating and menu design completion of the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification Graduate fully prepared to begin a new career The day you receive your Grand Diplôme is just the beginning. With the expertise you've gained—and the backing of The FCI's reputation and expanding alumni network—you'll have access to an exciting world of new opportunities in the culinary industry.