JCC Culinary Arts

I am wanting to pursue a culinary arts degree, and met with Sullivan today for the second time in 8 years. Once again, their prices seemed outrageous to me, and after reading all the related threads on this forum, as well as the old one, I see a lot of concurrence. I also felt very over-sold (again), which I find disturbing.

I read one post on the old forum about someone who switched to JCC, and I would like to hear from more people who have been through their program, or are familiar with it. The Sullivan counselor told me they didn't think JCC even had a culinary arts program anymore, but when they did, they had no labs, and only 1 kitchen. The person on the old forum said JCC recently built new labs, and have 40 burners! I'll be honest, if Sullivan is flat out lying, I would not even consider their program. If they're not up on their local competition, then that's simply unprofessional. Regardless, I'm hoping what I read about JCC is true, so if anyone has had experience with them in recent years, I would love to hear about it. I would also invite input on Sullivan experiences, although I believe I have ruled them out, unless there is not another local option.

Feel free to pm me if you would rather not post. TIA!!

BTW - I am not hoping to work in a restaurant at this point in my life (unless simply as an apprentice to get the experience), nor do I have false aspirations of becoming the next Food Network star.

Yes they have a culinary arts program:
http://www.jefferson.kctcs.edu/administ ... ulArts.pdf

Whoever told you that at Sullivan is FOS and lying like a rug! Nancy Russman is one of their instructors. I have seen her do demos and she is a great teacher.

The best thing you can do is keep your money in your pocket and get a job in a restaurant. Start as dish dog if you must but then take it all in and see if this is what you really want to do before you sink $30-40K on a degree. I have met some great chefs from culinary schools. Some from Sullivan but I have met some great chefs that started out the way I described above. No debt.
just my 2 cents.

The best thing you can do is keep your money in your pocket and get a job in a restaurant. Start as dish dog if you must but then take it all in and see if this is what you really want to do before you sink $30-40K on a degree. I have met some great chefs from culinary schools. Some from Sullivan but I have met some great chefs that started out the way I described above. No debt.
just my 2 cents.

I think she said this - " I am not hoping to work in a restaurant at this point in my life "

Sorry. Missed that part.

Sorry. Missed that part.

I'll be your dish dog Willie! Wait...been there...done that.....LOL. Stop in and see me sometime!

Thanks so much, Suzi! I have seen this before, but noticed that this site has not been updated for 5 years, which seems odd, especially if they recently revamped their kitchens. But if you have first hand knowledge and contacts, that is great! I called the admissions office last week to schedule an appt. with a counselor, but they have not called me back, which is a bit discouraging. I'd really like to find an alternative to Sullivan. Thanks for your post, and how are you doing, by the way?? I have yet to catch up since our Dallas trip, so if this is a redundant question, I apologize.

I should probably be more specific, or at least, as specific as I can.

I am in love with food and cooking, there's no other way to put it. It's been a growing love affair for me for the past 17 years. I worked in restaurants as a server, which was a role in which I always considered myself an agent between the kitchen and my guest.

Sorry. Missed that part.

I'll be your dish dog Willie! Wait...been there...done that.....LOL. Stop in and see me sometime!

Right on que- one of the great non "schooled" chefs I mention earlier. Dave the Man Clancy. Awesome chops and no edumication except the streets of San Francisco

I should probably be more specific, or at least, as specific as I can.

I am in love with food and cooking, there's no other way to put it. It's been a growing love affair for me for the past 17 years, and that's only the years I have counted. I grew up in what would be called a foodie family who lived in a small town in the 70/80's, making our own ethnic and unique cuisine, or driving 2 hours for lunch on a Sunday to taste some. I worked in restaurants as a server, which was a role in which I always considered myself an agent between the kitchen and my guests. I prided myself on recognizing thisI joined a food company thinking that being somehow connected to food would make me feel fulfilled, somehow. I have placed myself in a position that puts me closer to the stores, but I am still not 'on the plate'.

Each of us goes or doesn't go to culinary school for our own reasons, and learning in school, or learning in the BOH are decisions each must make. For me Culinary school was exactly what I wanted. And you know I posted a long answer on the other thread.

Sullivan did give me an excellent culinary education. I did not want to work in a restaurant and do not at this time. I have my own business and it is slammin'. And I am quite happy.

To add on a bit to the other thread, if you do decide to go to Sullivan with their pricing, and you do not have college credits to date, than at least go to a community college and get your basics out of the way. Take a couple of semesters of English, public speaking and math, so that you can transfer in all those basics. (And whatever oter general education classes you need.) Don't pay Sullivan prices for those classes.

And I thought of this later. I think there's a big difference in day and night pricing, so compare. I started days and only did one class at night at the very end. And somehow that seemed to change what I paid.

Also if you do pick Sullivan, take advantage of the Friday option. This is a day when there are no formal classes, but the labs are open and the chefs are generally available. You can work on stuff you missed, or go "off curriculum" and try things and get a chef critique. I would go in, raid the walkin and try new recipes that were in my head and get the chefs to critique. Several times another student and I just made a big lunch and invitied everyone into the kitchen. I also worked on things like making gumpaste flowers that were not a part of the normal curriculum.

There are a number of ways to "work" Sullivan so that you minimize your expenses and then get the most for your culinary school dollar.

When I was told that they had never granted a challenge test for a culinary lab and didn't even have one prepared, I asked to see the rule. Where's it written that I can't challenge a lab? No where. "Then prepare a test."

As always read the fine print and ask lots of questions.

My advice would be similar to Will Crawfords. Plenty of great chef's went to work in a kitchen enroute to success. Mario Batali did. What you want is to be a chef, how you get there might not be exactly what you want. Then again you said you want a degree. Do you want a degree or to be a chef? As many have said, degree does not exactly equal chef and vice versa. Many with degrees end up finding themselves washing dishes, exactly what they thought the degree was going to eliminate.


You also have to think, Sullivan wants your money. That's all. I would question whether they are in for your best interests.

I think that as an education consumer, you have to look after your own best interests. That's why I've been posting all my tips on minimizing tuition costs if you go to culinary school.

I think that as an education consumer, you have to look after your own best interests. That's why I've been posting all my tips on minimizing tuition costs if you go to culinary school.

Yes maam, you seem to have great advice towards the school route, especially Sullivan. I think it would behoove this person to listen to you because it seems that this person wants to go to school, since I have never been to a culinary art school, I can't help.

Hi Kim!

When I was at JCC - quite a few years ago, before the upgrades - most of the folk I met in the Culinary program were there because it is cheaper and were hoping to transfer to a "better" school. I have seen the new space and it looks great to me, but I am a not a chef, just a old fry cook and pizza maker with a kitchen the size a walk-in closet. As I said, I have seen Nancy Russman do demos and if the rest of the staff had half her energy, they have a great program. I am considering taking some classes there myself, I already have all the general education classes listed. Just waiting to see how PT goes.

I am doing OK. The surgeon said my L4 L5 disc was shaped like an L and I pinched 2 nerves - no half measures for me! My left leg is still weak and my range of motion is not great. I take PT 3 days a week, and it is slower than I want, but I am taking it a day at a time. I am hoping to get back on light duty until I am 100% after I see the doc in June! Though I have to say, going from 12 to 16 hour workdays and the rest of my busy life to almost a full stop is HARD!