Portland Culinary Arts School at the Oregon Culinary Institute
Become a Professional Chef in Portland, OR!
The Oregon Culinary Institute offers a fast-paced program designed to get students the training they need to compete as professionals in the rapidly growing culinary field. Located in Portland, Oregon, the Oregon Culinary Institute offers a top culinary education in city famous for its culinary traditions.
Attending culinary arts school is a great step forward in your career, and you've probably got some questions. Is there scholarship money available? How long will it take? Where do I start? Let us help you fill in the blanks to any questions you might have.
If you are interested in attending cooking school at the Oregon Culinary Institute we recommend you look at the information below and see if this school is the right fit. If it is, click on the "Request Free School Info" button, fill out the short questionnaire and a representative from the school will contact you to answer any additional questions about the school, costs, financial aid and how to apply.
Oregon Culinary Institute
1717 SW Madison
Portland, OR 97205
About the Oregon Culinary Institute
The culinary school is actually a subsidiary of Pioneer Pacific College, a private career college that has been offering technical and vocational training for over 25 years. It was founded in 1981 under the premise that the college would add and adapt training courses as the industry changed. This is why, as the demand for professionals trained in the culinary arts recently began to expand, the Oregon Culinary Institute was developed in 2006.
Hands-on skills training and job placement are the primary focus of the Oregon Culinary Institute. The school prides itself on knowing the industry well; the course developers know what executive chefs look for in their staff and adapt the educational structure to match it. Students spend most of their time in kitchen labs working with chef-instructors to ensure that basic technical skills are taught first and foremost.
There are three educational programs offered through the Oregon Culinary Institute: the Culinary Arts Diploma Program, the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, and the Baking and Pastry Certification Program. All classes are offered on a flexible, rotating schedule to allow students the freedom to combine working with attending school.
About the Culinary Arts Diploma Program
The Culinary Arts Diploma is awarded after an intensive 34-week course and 360-hour externship. Most of the students' time is spent in the kitchen facilities learning how to work in a commercial kitchen, although all instruction does come with theoretical framework training, as well. Courses include the fundamentals of cooking, restaurant practices, and skills training in all levels of cuisine.
About the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts Program
The Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts builds upon the skills taught in the Culinary Arts Diploma program. In addition to the 34 weeks of basic training and the required externship, students in this program take on an additional 30 weeks of classes in business and general education. These additional classes are spent at the student's choice of the Wilsonville, Clackamas, or Springfield Pioneer Pacific College campus. The result is an AAS degree that combines the best of culinary training with the kind of education needed to compete in the business side of restaurant ownership and management.
About the Baking and Pastry Certificate Program
The Baking and Pastry Certificate offers training in baking breads, food safety, pastry and dessert making, and skills for working in the food industry. The training is complemented by work in the school's restaurant, which is open to the public. This course also follows a flexible schedule, and even offers an occasional weekend program to accommodate a limited number of students.
Accreditation
As a part of Pioneer Pacific College, the Oregon Culinary Institute is fully accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. This includes recognition from the U.S. Department of Education and the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is offered to those who qualify. All students of the Oregon Culinary Institute have access to a financial aid officer, who can provide information and assistance on available aid opportunities and the various application processes. The school accepts most forms of federal and state assistance, and there are also payment plans and private loans available through the school's financial aid office.
Faculty
The faculty of the Oregon Culinary Institute is composed primarily of chef-instructors with experience in their fields. One-on-one support is stressed, as is the importance of being prepared to work in real-world kitchens. To this end, all instructors are chosen with the intent of better preparing students for post-graduation careers.
Facilities
The school's training facilities are located near the downtown Portland area. They include a total of three fully-equipped laboratories. These kitchen labs contain the same equipment and utensils found in today's leading restaurants and commercial food preparation businesses. The equipment is kept up-to-date with modern technological trends. The school also boasts a fine dining restaurant that seats 70. It is used to simulate restaurant situations – although it does offer a little something unique in its exhibition kitchen, where prospective diners view everything the students do! Additional features include a computer lab for practicing nutritional analysis, food purchasing, and menu planning.
Going to School in Portland, OR
Portland, Oregon is considered one of the fastest growing regions in the United States for the culinary arts. Due to its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, fresh seafood is available in abundance; the local restaurant scene indicates a love of this type of cuisine. Fresh produce and fine wines are also grown and created in the region. Open-air markets are common, and regional food festivals (including the Bite of Oregon) demonstrate the city's commitment to the culinary arts.
Incorporated in 1851, Portland is a city located near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. It's warm summers and rainy but temperate winters make it an ideal location for growing roses, and for more than a century Portland has been known as "The City of Roses".
With 28 breweries inside the city, Portland is well-known for its microbrewery beer. In fact, Portland is often said to be the home of the microbrew revolution in the United States. In addition to good drink, Portland was also deemed by the Food Network as a "Delicious Destination of the Year: A rising city with a fast-growing food scene" for 2007.
More Information
If you are interested in any of these programs and would like to find out more, please request information from the Oregon Culinary Institute - Portland, OR
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