Montana Culinary Schools

Montana is the perfect place for individuals who are enthusiasts of fresh and organic produce. This state has a solid agricultural base that comes with abundant yield such as grain and honey grown in the outskirts. While Montana is considered a fairly large state, it is rather sporadically populated with not more than one million residents.

Each year, an estimated number of 15 students complete the culinary arts program from two Montana culinary schools namely, The University of Montana and Flathead Valley Community College. Earning a degree or certificate in culinary arts is a remarkable step to move forward in your career. Culinary art is not limited to a specific course and food item. It would encompass dishes from bakery products to healthy, low fat dishes and include courses such as candy making, portion control and food storage.

Culinary Arts

Culinary schools in Montana offer Certificate Programs and Applied Science Degree. The objective of the Certificate Program is to equip students for beginner positions in the growing industry of food service. The aim of the program is to integrate practical learning experience with supplemental courses to equip the students for various employment opportunities in this discipline.

The objective of the Applied Science Degree programs is to merge the theory, instruction and application to equip students for beginner positions and management positions in the industry. The aims are to develop the range of learning to comprise more professional trainings, improve work selections and to guarantee graduates admissibility for recognition as a “certified culinarian” by accreditation issued by the American Culinary Federation.

The program for Culinary Arts offers students with beginner skills in the industry of culinary arts. The students obtain instruction and training in cooking and baking, and also theoretical details that showcase aptitude in the field. In addition, training for the program includes stewarding, storeroom, cost controls, menus, and table services. Upon accomplishment of the culinary arts program, the student is expected to

• Acquire knowledge and efficiently apply fundamental and advanced methodical skills in service and food preparation.
• Explicate and demonstrate the sanitation guidelines associated to handling of food.
• Comprehend the utilization, nutrition, storage, recognition and identification of products.
• Explain and describe standard terms and methods in cooking.
• Be equipped with the basic knowledge of the history, progression and worldwide diversity of culinary arts.
• Be an expert in the proper handling and upkeep of standard culinary equipment.
• Apply station managements and line organization.
• Get accustomed with outline, workflow and assembly of professional bakeshops and kitchens.
• Manage human resource approaches to boost motivation, efficiency and productivity.
• Demonstrate technical skills in accomplishing different elements of front of house operations specifically those that are connected customer relations and food and beverage service.
• Utilize essential methods of accounting for planning the budget, projection of sales and cost control.
• Cultivate a sense of professionalism, technical knowledge and management skills required to successfully operate a food service facility.

Culinary Career Outlook in Montana

Most students who obtained a degree in culinary arts program pursue a career as a chef. If you have plans to work in Montana after you finished the program, know that the employment opportunity in Montana is very good. The estimated number of chefs that are presently employed in Montana is over 4000 and it is foreseen to elevate by approximately 13 percent by the year 2018.

While there are just a couple of Montana Culinary Schools, it is fortunate that the number of school is inversely related to the employment opportunities. The state has a significant number of resorts, hotels, restaurants, delis, eateries and cafes that always have opening for personnel. The local tourism is supported by a couple of Montana’s well-known tourist destinations namely Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. The two facilities alone provide a number of culinary and hospitality jobs. In addition, Montana’s major city centers of Great Falls, Billings and Missoula also offer several openings for schools, establishments and other catering needs.

Employment compensation in the state’s culinary arts industry will depend on the job position/function, the degree of the responsibility. Usually the salary of chef or a restaurant manager ranges from $40000 – $45000, a caterer earns around $35000 and the bartender makes about $70000.

Montana University System’s Financial Aid Resources

While earning a degree or certificate in the culinary programs offered in Culinary Schools of Montana may be rewarding in terms of salary, training in a culinary school may be a costly endeavor. Because learning culinary arts can be expensive, a lot of students seek financial assistance to earn the degree or certificate. Fortunately, students have several financial assistance options from Montana University System which includes Grants, Loans, Scholarships, Tuition Waivers, Veterans Benefits, and Work Study.

List of Accredited Culinary Schools in Montana

University of Montana – this school has curriculum that is designed to equip the students for the culinary profession. University of Montana offers Applied Science Degree and Certificate program, aiming to prepare the students to land in a coveted position in the food industry. The school not only intends to teach the students on the various aspects of the food service industry but also provide the opportunity to apply the learned theories. The school will set up the chance for the student to get the holistic view of the culinary industry and the processes that are involved to run a food service and be successful in doing so. This aspect of the culinary arts program in University of Montana will give students an edge in the competitive world of culinary industry.

Flathead Valley Community College – the school offers an Associate degree of culinary arts. And the curriculum offered by Flathead Valley Community College provides its students with skills for entry level position in the food service industry. The courses included in the program will equip them with technical skills to land them in a career in culinary arts industry for positions like sous chef, chef de partie and head chef. The courses combine management and business lessons with hands on application.