Alabama Culinary Arts Education
The state of Alabama is home to real ‘down home’ southern cooking. Those residing in Alabama who want to continue the rich traditions of southern cooking in America’s southern states are in a great area to earn their degree in the culinary arts. There are a great number of top rated culinary and cooking schools throughout the state of Alabama, in the heart of the southern cooking region. The cities of Birmingham and Auburn are full of culinary arts educational opportunities including cooking, pastry arts and catering. There is an abundance of highly specialized programs focused in a vast number of cooking styles in addition to southern.
There are few better places to become a skilled chef, where you can practice and learn in state of the art schools by day and enjoy the region’s best restaurants by night. Upon graduation, Alabama’s culinary artists enjoy some of the best and sought after jobs in the country.
Possibly find degree programs, schools and jobs in major cities in Alabama: Alabaster, Anniston, Athens, Auburn, Bessemer, Birmingham, Decatur Dothan, Enterprise, Florence, Gadsden, Hoover, Huntsville, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Mountain Brook, Northport, Opelika, Phoenix City, Prattville, Prichard, Tuscaloosa, Vestavia Hills.
Alabama Culinary Employment Outlook
The culinary arts industry in Alabama is closely tied with business growth as well as tourism. The large cities of Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville and Mobile attract some of the countries largest corporations and businesses, growing the area communities and in turn a need for more restaurants and other various eating and culinary establishments.
Likewise, Alabama’s brimming tourism industry has been growing as well. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the state began its reconstruction and focus on improvement for the Gulf Coast. Now, five years later, the Alabama coastline is full of life, including hotels, resorts, casinos and spas. The Alabama Gulf Coast is home to some of the state’s best restaurants, bars, cafes and night clubs. Moreover, the state’s mountain and river regions have also attracted thousands of visitors each year, making Alabama a certifiable tourism destination.
This environment makes Alabama ripe for a student interested in a culinary career. Jobs are growing each year in a variety of culinary fields. For those with a degree in a chosen field within the culinary arts, the future looks bright indeed.
Alabama Culinary Wages & Working Conditions
Wages for culinary professionals in Alabama are above average compared to the rest of the United States, as well as within the region. Within the state, the metropolitan areas as well as areas with the highest tourism value tend to offer the highest salaries. For the more entrepreneurial culinary professionals, Alabama’s growing tourism sector provides a hospitable environment for those who are looking to branch out into the hospitality and luxury restaurant, catering and food service businesses.
A list of average salaries for Alabama Culinary Arts is available below:
Position |
Annual Salary (2010) |
Executive Chef |
$53,000 |
Pastry Chef / Baker |
$48,000 |
Caterer |
$60,000 |
Restaurant Manager |
$52,000 |
Food & Beverage Director |
$62,000 |
