10 Best Culinary Schools in Miami for Future Chefs

Miami has no single best culinary school. The right choice depends on your budget, how fast you want to work in a kitchen, and whether you need a degree. Public technical colleges cost about $3,000 to $4,500 for Florida residents. Degree programs and private schools cost much more.

This guide covers 10 schools in Miami Dade and nearby Broward County. Each entry lists the credential, length, cost, facilities, and accreditation, based on the school’s own published materials.

Prices change often, so confirm every figure with admissions before you apply.

How We Compared Miami Culinary Schools

Six factors decide whether a culinary program is worth the money. Each school below is scored on the same six, using the school’s own brochure, catalog, or program page.

Explore Also: Top Montessori Schools in Miami

1. Miami Culinary Institute (Miami Dade College): Best for a College Degree Downtown

The Miami Culinary Institute (MCI) is the culinary school of Miami Dade College (MDC).

It offers a two year Associate in Science in Culinary Arts Management and a shorter college credit certificate. Both run from the Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami.

• Credentials: Associate in Science (AS) in Culinary Arts Management, plus a Culinary Arts Management Operations college credit certificate. Certificate credits can apply toward the AS.
• Cost: Florida residents pay $82.78 per credit in tuition, or $118.22 per credit with fees. Non residents pay $331.11 and $402.51. MDC lists about $18,644 in additional lab fees for the AS and about $11,450 for the certificate.
• Facilities: A dedicated building on the Wolfson Campus. Free tours run on Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 9202.
• Coursework: Culinary theory, baking, international cuisines, garde manger, purchasing, cost control, and nutrition. Students can sit the ServSafe Florida food safety exam.
• Accreditation: The program pages do not state program level accreditation. Ask admissions about ACF status.

MCI has hosted chef Ferran Adrià two years in a row, and graduates have found work or internships in Miami, New York, Atlanta, Spain, and France.

2. Lindsey Hopkins Technical College: Best Low Cost Certificate Near Downtown

Lindsey Hopkins Technical College offers a 1,200 clock hour Commercial Foods and Culinary Arts certificate.

A Florida resident pays about $3,072 in tuition, which makes it one of the cheapest paths into a professional kitchen in Miami.

• Location: 750 NW 20th Street, Miami.
• Length and schedule: 1,200 hours in four 300 hour modules: Food Preparation, Cook Restaurant, Chef and Head Cook, and Food Service Management. Classes run Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., which is roughly 40 weeks at that pace.
• Cost: $2.56 per hour for Florida residents and $10.25 for non residents, about $3,072 and $12,300 for the full program. Fees add $20 per trimester for applications, $5 per trimester for ID, and $10.50 for liability insurance. Books, kits, and uniforms are extra.
• Facilities: The brochure does not describe the kitchens. Book a campus tour before you enroll.
• Accreditation: Council on Occupational Education.
• Admission: Age 16 or older, not enrolled in a K through 12 program, and a counselor interview. Financial aid is available through FAFSA.

3. Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College: Best for Evening Classes

Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College teaches the same 1,200 hour Professional Culinary Arts and Hospitality program at the same public price.

It is the only Miami Dade option here with a published evening schedule, which suits students who work during the day.

• Location: 18180 SW 122nd Avenue, Miami.
• Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or Monday to Thursday, 5:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Cost: $2.56 per hour for residents (about $3,072 total) and $10.25 for non residents (about $12,300). A $100 material fee, a $20 application fee per trimester, a $5 ID fee per trimester, and $10.50 liability insurance apply.
• Structure: Students earn a certificate at each completion point, so you can stop after 300 hours with a Food Preparation credential and return later.
• Facilities: The program page does not describe the kitchens.
• Also offered: A separate Baking and Pastry Arts program.

Florida chefs and head cooks earn an average of $29.32 per hour, or $60,900 per year.

4. Sheridan Technical College: Best for ACF Accredited Training at a Public Price

Sheridan Technical College in Hollywood lists program accreditation from the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, at a public price.

The 12 month program costs a Florida resident about $4,507 including fees and books.

• Location: 5400 Sheridan Street, Hollywood, in Broward County.
• Length and schedule: 1,200 hours, full time, Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Enrollment opens five times a year.
• Cost: Tuition and registration total $3,795. Books and supplies add $633, and industry credentials add $79.
• Credentials: Prepares students for the ServSafe and Certified Culinarian exams.
• Facilities: The flyer lists a $300 lab fee but does not describe the kitchens.
• Accreditation: American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (program) and the Council on Occupational Education (institution).

The flyer covers the 2024 to 2025 year, so check current dates and prices.

5. William T. McFatter Technical College: Best for Hybrid Learning in Davie

William T. McFatter Technical College in Davie combines kitchen labs with online coursework.

Its 12 month culinary program is hybrid, with a Florida resident total near $4,385 on the most recent flyer found.

• Location: 6500 Nova Drive, Davie, in Broward County.
• Format: 1,200 hours with five start dates a year. Full time day students attend kitchen labs Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., plus 90 minutes online. Evening and part time schedules also exist.
• Cost: Tuition of $3,360 for residents and $13,440 for non residents, plus $375 in fees and $650 for books. The resident total is $4,385 and the non resident total is $14,465.
• Facilities: Full production commercial kitchens in Building 6 on the main campus. The 2026 catalog places the program in the Culinary Arts Building.
• Accreditation: The 2026 catalog lists the American Culinary Education Foundation Accrediting Commission and the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation.
• Also offered: A 600 hour Baking and Pastry Arts program for about $2,609.

That flyer is dated July 2018. Sheridan and Atlantic list the same $3,360 tuition in newer flyers, so expect similar pricing, but confirm it.

6. Atlantic Technical College: Best for Stacking Credits Toward a Degree

Atlantic Technical College in Coconut Creek offers a 1,200 hour culinary certificate with ACF Education Foundation accreditation.

Students who enroll in a Florida College System degree within two years can earn college credit for it.

• Location: 4700 Coconut Creek Parkway, Coconut Creek, in Broward County. A second campus sits at 1701 NW 23rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale.
• Format: About 12 months full time, Monday to Friday, 7:05 a.m. to 2:35 p.m., in person only. Starts run in August, October, January, and March.
• Cost: Tuition of $3,360 plus lab, registration, activity, and testing fees, for an estimated $3,795. Books, uniforms, and tools are extra.
• Credentials: ServSafe Food Safety Manager certification.
• Facilities: The flyer does not describe the kitchens.

This is the farthest school on the list from downtown Miami, so it fits students who already live in northern Broward.

7. Broward College: Best for an Associate Degree Built on a Technical Certificate

Broward College offers a 60 credit Associate in Science in Culinary Arts Management.

It awards 33 of those credits for finishing the culinary program at Atlantic, McFatter, or Sheridan Technical College, so only 27 credits are college coursework.

• Location: Hospitality courses are held only at the A. Hugh Adams Central Campus. General education courses are offered at every Broward College location.
• Structure: 27 college credits in composition, math, economics, accounting or financial management, humanities, science, and speech, plus 33 articulated technical credits.
• Cost: The catalog lists no tuition figure. The program is financial aid eligible, and scholarships may be available.
• Accreditation: Not stated on the catalog page.

This route lets you earn the certificate first and add the degree later.

8. Mariano Moreno Culinary Institute: Best for Bilingual Classes and a Student Restaurant

Mariano Moreno Culinary Institute (MMCI) runs morning classes in Spanish and evening classes in English on Coral Way in Miami.
It operates its own restaurant, L’Ecole, and is accredited by ACCET, a national accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

• Location: 2135 Coral Way, Miami.
• Credentials: A 12 month Certificate in Culinary Arts and a 24 month Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Culinary Arts. Pâtisserie and baking versions are also offered.
• Schedule: Morning, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Spanish). Evening, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (English).
• Cost: The school’s tuition page lists $18,000 for the certificate and $48,750 for the A.A.S., plus $1,800 and $4,800 for books and supplies. That page is based on the 2019 to 2020 year, so call admissions for current rates.
• Facilities: L’Ecole restaurant and culinary lab classrooms. In the second semester, students complete an externship at a hotel, restaurant, country club, resort, casino, spa, or food service provider.
• Certification: Graduates of the A.A.S. may take American Culinary Federation exams in cooking and baking.

9. Florida Education Institute: Best for Hands On Training in Coral Gables

Florida Education Institute (FEI) offers a Culinary Arts diploma and a Culinary and Hospitality Management A.A.S.

The associate degree runs 75 weeks in a hybrid format, with kitchen training at an extension campus in Coral Gables.

• Location: Main campus at 5818 SW 8th Street, Miami. Culinary labs are at the Extension Campus, 2151 S LeJeune Road, Coral Gables.
• Credentials: Culinary Arts diploma, Culinary and Hospitality Management A.A.S., and pastry and baking programs. All programs are quarter credit programs. FEI says it has no clock hour programs.
• Facilities: Culinary students practice in labs the catalog describes as similar to those found in the industry.
• Cost: FEI does not publish tuition for these programs. Advisors give figures one on one, and financial aid, scholarships, and payment plans are available to those who qualify.
• Accreditation: Council on Occupational Education.

Ask for a written cost breakdown, including books, uniforms, and kits, before you sign an enrollment agreement.

10. FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality: Best for a Bachelor’s Degree in Restaurant Management

Florida International University (FIU) offers a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management with a Restaurant and Culinary Management track.

It is a management degree, not a kitchen skills program, and it is offered fully online.

• Credits: 120.
• Cost: $235.57 per credit for Florida residents and $690.19 for non residents, before fees. That works out to about $28,268 in state and $82,823 out of state in tuition alone.
• Requirements: 1,000 hours of industry work and a 300 hour advanced internship.
• Start dates: August 24, 2026 and January 11, 2027.
• Facilities: The program page lists no teaching kitchens. It mentions hands on experience at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, which the Chaplin School supports.

Pick FIU if you want to run restaurants, hotels, or events. Pick one of the schools above if you want to cook.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest culinary school in Miami?

Lindsey Hopkins, Robert Morgan, and Miami Lakes charge the same $2.56 per hour, about $3,072 for 1,200 hours before fees. Fees add under $200 depending on the school and the number of trimesters, and books, kits, and uniforms cost extra. Non residents pay $10.25 per hour, about $12,300.

How long does it take to finish culinary school in Miami?

A technical college certificate takes about 12 to 14 months full time. A 600 hour baking and pastry program at McFatter takes six months. An associate degree takes about two years, and Florida Education Institute lists 75 weeks for its A.A.S. A bachelor’s degree at FIU requires 120 credits.

Can I use technical college credits toward a degree?

Yes. Broward College awards 33 credits toward its AS in Culinary Arts Management for finishing the culinary program at Atlantic, McFatter, or Sheridan. MDC’s college credit certificate also applies toward its AS in Culinary Arts Management.

Do I need a culinary degree to become a chef?

No. Many cooks start with a certificate or on the job training and move up. A degree helps if you want management roles in hotels or large restaurant groups. Florida chefs and head cooks average $60,900 per year.

Conclusion

For most students, a public technical college is the practical start. Lindsey Hopkins, Robert Morgan, and Miami Lakes give you 1,200 hours of kitchen training for about $3,072 in tuition. Sheridan adds ACF accreditation for a small premium.

If you want a degree, the best route is a Broward certificate followed by Broward College’s 60 credit AS, or the Miami Culinary Institute at MDC.

Choose Mariano Moreno if you want a private school with evening classes in English and a working restaurant. Choose FIU if your goal is restaurant management rather than line cooking.

Whichever school you pick, visit the kitchens, ask about ACF status, and get the full cost in writing.