Program Specifics

180° Different

What makes the Cook Street 180° program different is simple. Other schools talk about cooking, we cook. From the minute you slip on your chef’s jacket, you will be totally immersed in the heart thumping world of the working kitchen. And it’s there you will touch, taste and prepare more food in weeks than other culinary students get to do in two years.

With a focus on the rich culinary traditions of Italy and France, your senses will come alive as you learn to prepare a wide variety of delectable dishes from scratch using only the finest and freshest ingredients around. It’s about building a solid foundation and expanding your palette – and your passions.

And with a maximum of eight students to one chef-instructor, we can ensure that you’ll get plenty of the personal interaction needed to guarantee that your culinary journey is a successful one.

Menu Based

Cooking is more than just combining ingredients - it’s about creating a sensual adventure. At Cook Street, you’ll learn the fundamental skills and techniques needed to plan and execute a gourmet meal, with each course working together in perfect harmony. Our goal is to help you cook up a symphony for the senses, every single day.

With an emphasis on classic European cuisine, our menu-based program is designed to best prepare you for the rigors of this rewarding industry. From properly preparing Foie Gras to the fine art of Fazzoletti to mastering delicate pastries, our students rotate through the different kitchen stations, practicing new skills and gaining valuable experience at every stop.

Five Months

Whether your goal is to become a personal chef, run a five-star restaurant, or open your own catering business, Cook Street’s accelerated course is an intense yet affordable way to achieve that dream in just months. Like we said before, you’ll prepare more food here in a matter of weeks than other culinary students do in two years.

Our fast-paced program features three months of advanced culinary arts training, followed by three weeks of concentrated wine education. Your studies will culminate in an exciting European Culinary Tour, where students travel to France and Italy to learn from great culinary masters and participate in intimate tours of everything from Parisian bakeries to Italian chocolate factories.

For those seeking further training, Cook Street offers additional electives such as a personal chef course and a paid apprenticeship program.

Wine

Fine wine can transform a dining experience from ordinary into extraordinary. Just as wine is a vital component in making each meal – and your senses – burst with life, the wine curriculum is an integral ingredient in Cook Street’s professional program.

Your wine education begins on day one at Cook Street, as you pair exquisite and exotic wines with each menu. Then, for the final three weeks of our program, the focus shifts solely to a rigorous wine education that has a unique scope from the bigger picture of the wine–food relationship, drilling down into the specific regions.

You’ll learn everything from the basic winemaking process to organoleptic evaluation. How to compare Old World versus New World wines. Add in enlightening, in-depth lessons on the primary wine regions of the world and their history, terroir and varietals and you’ll be one step closer to becoming an expert sommelier.

Cook. Eat. Critique.

Eat what you cook. Everyday. Talk about what you cook. Everyday. It’s about learning from your mistakes – and celebrating your culinary successes.

At the end of every session, you’ll sit down with your classmates and our chef-instructors to enjoy the fruits of your labor. These aren’t quiet affairs – they’re spirited, lively discussions among professionals about the joys of fine food and wine. Sharing – both ideas and food - is always encouraged here. Not only is this an enjoyable end to each lesson, it’s a practical way to study the subtle nuances of flavor, texture and meal presentation - all keys to becoming an instinctually superior chef.

A Culinary Journey

At Cook Street, your education will end where the great culinary traditions began – in France and Italy. Students will travel to Europe on a culinary odyssey where everything you’ve seen, heard, touched and tasted will take on a vivid new meaning as you study with many of Europe’s finest chefs.

It’s an intimate journey designed to inspire. You’ll sip fine wine at lush vineyards, tour fragrant olive oil producers and cheese dairies, shop at bustling markets and dine at romantic Parisian cafes. Highly sensory experiences like these can’t be taught in a classroom.

The European expedition is the ideal way to reinforce – and expand upon - the many skills you’ve acquired during your time at Cook Street. And it’s a potent illustration of what makes Cook Street 180° different.