For those who want to pursue a career in the culinary field, a culinary degree can be a step in that direction. But cooking schools and culinary institutions don’t have cheap programs on their menu, err, curriculum. The path to becoming a professional chef is undoubtedly a difficult and expensive path to take. The good thing is that there are several college scholarships for those who want to try to improve their culinary skills and become the masters of the kitchen.
The American Academy of Chefs is one of the most prolific organizations that has helped aspiring chefs earn their culinary degrees. Its flagship scholarship, the American Academy of Chefs Chair Scholarship, is awarded to students who are enrolled full-time in a culinary program and have shown promise in the field of culinary arts. Selection of recipients is made on a competitive basis and is spent directly to cover recipients’ college tuition costs.
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and GRI/Giacomo Bologna have partnered to fund the annual GRI/Giacomo Bologna scholarship. This particular college tuition scholarship is awarded to full-time culinary students who embark on an all-expenses-paid educational trip to Italy, where they have the opportunity to learn Italian winemaking and Italian cooking. Eligibility requirements involve full-time admission to an accredited culinary school, recommendation from accredited culinary professionals who can attest to the applicant’s culinary skills, and an essay on Italian viticulture.
There are a large number of culinary schools and institutions, as well as private organizations that fund scholarships and cover college tuition for culinary students. You can visit their campuses and see if they have a scholarship that fits your needs and financial description.