Plant-Based Cooking Schools Might Just Be the Future of Culinary Education
Plant-based eating is more than just a fad — it’s a movement that has transformed the way that people eat over the past few decades.
As people and the foodservice industry gravitate toward more nutritious, inclusive, and delicious dining options, there continues to be a growing demand for plant-based culinary schools. In fact, the global plant-based food market size is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.82%, reaching a value of $22.27 billion by 2029.* Additionally, plant-based foods have surpassed total foods in both dollar and unit sales for the past three years before 2022.†
Novices and experienced chefs alike can enjoy learning the fundamentals and methods of plant-based recipes, basic ingredients to have on hand in a plant-based kitchen, meal composition, seasonal menu planning, cultural plant-based cuisine, food safety, allergen awareness, and traditional ingredient substitutions.
LEARN THE SKILLS YOU MAY NEED TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWING PLANT-BASED NUTRITION MARKET
Escoffier’s plant-based culinary programs are designed to prepare students for real-world experience working in the food industry.
PROFESSIONALISM
Demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of the foodservice industry including, but not limited to, food safety and sanitation, care and use of tools, effective communication, and respect for the uniform.
TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
Use culinary and pastry tools, techniques, and ingredients to craft plant-based recipes that are inclusive, creative, and relevant in today’s food culture.
farm to table® & sustainability
Support the importance of using local ingredients with a focus on nutritional benefits, sustainability, ethics, and biodiversity.
BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
Apply business principles in the management of commercial foodservice operations.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
All Programs Include an In-Person Industry Externship
You can gain hands-on experience in the industry
Experience a day in the life of an Escoffier extern
Lesson Examples
Get a glimpse of the many lessons taught in our plant-based courses
Plant-based business planning
Explore the fundamentals of capturing and vetting a business idea, pitching to investors, and bootstrapping on your own in your kitchen.
Receive feedback from a Chef Instructor with industry experience.
Plant-based menu design
Explore different types of menus for both meals and beverages, including visual design and item selection.
Students have the opportunity to explore financial factors that influence planning a successful menu and pricing.
Plant-based ingredients & seasonality
Discuss how to preserve ingredients to capture their peak flavor.
Understand how to integrate these ingredients into an entire menu.
Execute plant-based dishes that highlight seasonal produce.
Plant-based creativity
Follow proven recipes and methods that are fundamental building blocks for students who hope to someday become a chef.
Understand time-honored techniques to create new dishes and experiences by drawing on cultural influences and ethnic or personal background.
What's Your Ideal Culinary Career? Get Our Guide!
We’ve compiled a checklist of all of the essential questions into one handy guide: career options, culinary interest surveys, educational opportunities, and more.
Get Our Culinary Career Guide
Programs
Our plant-based culinary programs combine theory with real-world application
Purchasing and Cost Control*
Foodservice Management*
Entrepreneurship
*These courses are offered through the online programs only. The Boulder, Colorado campus Plant-Based Cuisine Diploma offers a longer Restaurant Operations course instead.
ONLINE PLANT-BASED CULINARY ARTS DIPLOMA
Build a new career creating delicious and nutritious meals with vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and plant proteins to lead the way in today’s food culture.
Our most affordable* and convenient plant-based program
100% online program with hands-on industry externship
Option to enroll in Associate Degree online program upon graduation with fully earned credit transfer
*Consider your situation and resources to determine what is affordable and on budget, for you.
EXPLORE COURSES
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations I
In this course, students will be introduced to food safety and sanitation practices in order to prevent foodborne illnesses. They will also be presented with information about food allergens, levels of severity, and measures a chef can take to keep guests safe and included.
Additionally, this course will introduce students to the professional plant-based kitchen by familiarizing them with not only traditional culinary tools, utensils, and equipment but also those unique to the plant-based kitchen. They will practice knife safety, cutting techniques, standard measurements and conversions, and basic cooking techniques. But perhaps most importantly, students will classify foods into their food groups to understand basic recipe structures and begin modifying traditional recipes with plant-based substitutions. These concepts will be echoed throughout the entirety of the program.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations II
In this course, students will continue their plant-based education with the creation of stocks and soups, which will be leveraged in future plant-based dishes. Students will also prepare a variety of legumes and grains that introduce new techniques and flavors to their culinary palate.
Menu Design
This course explores different types of menus (including both food menus and beverage menus) and their applications. The course covers all aspects of menu planning and design, ranging from visual design to price analysis to making use of available resources. The menu is both a financial tool and a communication tool, and students learn about its uses as both.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations III
In the final foundations course, students will apply skills and knowledge gained in prior foundations to the preparation of stews. Students will also prepare a variety of plant-based proteins using the appropriate techniques for each. Finally, students will combine all their fundamental culinary skills and apply them to the theory of meal composition. They will design and prepare balanced dishes focusing on meal composition, flavor profiles, and depth of flavor.
Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry I
In this course, students will be presented with ways to create plant-based frozen desserts as well as techniques to prevent them from freezing solid or becoming gritty in the freezer. They will also prepare fruit based and raw desserts, cookies, bars, and confections using a variety of ingredients such as cream-based sauces, puddings, fillings, nuts, and seeds to name a few. Additionally, students will be introduced to techniques for replacing traditional baking ingredients with plant-based alternatives and how to build flavor in their plant-based pastry dishes.
Purchasing and Cost Control
Three out of five foodservice operations fail within five years of opening, often due to money mismanagement. This course gives students the skills to not only keep their restaurant in business but to also turn a profit. This course introduces students to purchasing, receiving, inventory management and menu pricing. In this course, students learn how to minimize costs and maintain a full range of customer services. The course progresses from the fundamentals of culinary math into an overview of storeroom operations, inventory, portion control, as purchased and edible portions, ingredient conversions, and recipe costing.
Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry II
Students will expand upon content learned in Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry I. They will continue their awareness of flavor balance as they use ingredients like fruit purees, for example, to enhance the taste and texture of their plant-based desserts. Students will prepare a variety of plant-based pastries such as cakes, breads, muffins, breakfast foods, truffles, ganache and more! They will also work with yeast allowing them an opportunity to practice folding, rolling, twisting, and cutting dough as they create classic forms that are enriched by seasonings and toppings. Finally, students will modify recipes to accommodate gluten-free diets.
Seasonal Plant-Based Cuisine
This course explores seasonal plant-based cooking using ingredients available during spring, early summer, mid-summer, late summer, fall, and winter. Students will explore ways to find and select seasonally fresh vegetables at supermarkets, farmer’s markets, and the like and how to optimally cook them for the best dining results. Students will also be introduced to the benefits of Farm to Table® cooking and the importance of sustainability practices as they relate to culinary outcomes.
Foodservice Management
This course covers the different types of commercial foodservice operations, and how to manage each using the principles of good service. Students study the hierarchy of management in food service, and the skill needed to succeed as a manager: training employees, motivating them, disciplining them, and creating a safe and positive work environment. The course also explores how to act responsibly and make decisions that benefit the company.
Plant-Based Approaches to Wellness
In Plant-Based Approaches to Wellness, students will examine philosophies of wellness unique to plant-based eating such as Whole Food Plant-Based, Raw, Ayurveda, and Macro. Students will also look at trending diets and how to prepare dishes within a plant-based culinary framework. Moreover, they will explore various ingredient substitutions to accommodate allergy restrictions.
Cultural Influences I
Students will begin their culinary journey around the world in this Cultural Influences I course. They will be exposed to the traditions, customs, and ingredients unique to specific countries such as Japan, Italy, Greece, India, France, and Vietnam. Students will apply the skills that they have cultivated throughout this program to prepare culturally authentic plant-based dishes.
Entrepreneurship
This course is a culmination course in entrepreneurship. This course covers such topics as business planning, pricing, credit management, government regulation, and legal concerns. Business ethics and the crucial role and importance of management and leadership are also covered.
Cultural Influences II
Students will continue their cultural culinary journey in Cultural Influences II. They will be exposed to the traditions, customs, and ingredients unique to specific countries such as Lebanon, Thailand, Spain, Mexico, Morocco, and the United States. Students will apply the skills that they have cultivated throughout this program to prepare culturally authentic plant-based dishes.
Externship I
This course provides opportunities for real life experiences in an operational restaurant or related business and builds on the skills and techniques covered in previous courses. In the course, students apply the skills they have learned in practical ways to real-world situations. Students gain hands-on experience in the kitchen that mirrors their future work in the industry while developing necessary career skills. Immersion in a work environment also allows students to develop industry contacts and build working relationships.
PLANT-BASED CUISINE DIPLOMA AT OUR BOULDER, COLORADO CAMPUS
Launch a career focused on creating plant-based cuisines and helping others live healthier lifestyles.
Attend our campus in beautiful Boulder, Colorado
Complete the program in just 42 weeks
Option to enroll in Associate Degree online program upon graduation with fully-earned credit transfer
EXPLORE COURSES
Restaurant Operations
Three out of five restaurants fail within five years of opening, often due to money mismanagement; this course gives students the skills to not only keep their restaurant in business but also turn a profit. In this course, students study the hierarchy of management in food service, and the skills needed to succeed as a manager: training employees, motivating them, disciplining them, and creating a safe and positive work environment.
This course explores different types of menus (including both food menus and beverage menus) and their applications. Aspects of menu planning and design, ranging from visual design to price analysis to making use of available resources are covered. The menu is both a financial tool and a communication tool, and students learn about its uses as both. Students are introduced to accounting and managing budgets, especially as it relates to the hospitality industry. Students learn how to minimize costs and maintain a full range of customer services.
This course covers such topics as business planning, pricing, credit management, government regulation, and legal concerns. Business ethics and the crucial role and importance of management and leadership are also covered. For the final project for this course, the student will complete and present a business plan for a foodservice operation.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations I
In this course, students will be introduced to food safety and sanitation practices in order to prevent foodborne illnesses. They will also be presented with information about food allergens, levels of severity, and measures a chef can take to keep guests safe and included.
Additionally, this course will introduce students to the professional plant-based kitchen by familiarizing them with not only traditional culinary tools, utensils, and equipment but also those unique to the plant-based kitchen. They will practice knife safety, cutting techniques, standard measurements and conversions, and basic cooking techniques. But perhaps most importantly, students will classify foods into their food groups to understand basic recipe structures and begin modifying traditional recipes with plant-based substitutions. These concepts will be echoed throughout the entirety of the program.
Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry I
In this course, students will be presented with ways to create plant-based frozen desserts as well as techniques to prevent them from freezing solid or becoming gritty in the freezer. They will also prepare fruit based and raw desserts, cookies, bars, and confections using a variety of ingredients such as cream-based sauces, puddings, fillings, nuts, and seeds to name a few. Additionally, students will be introduced to techniques for replacing traditional baking ingredients with plant-based alternatives and how to build flavor in their plant-based pastry dishes.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations II
In this course, students will continue their plant-based education with the creation of stocks and soups, which will be leveraged in future plant-based dishes. Students will also prepare a variety of legumes and grains that introduce new techniques and flavors to their culinary palate.
Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry II
Students will expand upon content learned in Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry I. They will continue their awareness of flavor balance as they use ingredients like fruit purees, for example, to enhance the taste and texture of their plant-based desserts. Students will prepare a variety of plant-based pastries such as cakes, breads, muffins, breakfast foods, truffles, ganache and more! They will also work with yeast allowing them an opportunity to practice folding, rolling, twisting, and cutting dough as they create classic forms that are enriched by seasonings and toppings. Finally, students will modify recipes to accommodate gluten-free diets.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations III
In the final foundations course, students will apply skills and knowledge gained in prior foundations to the preparation of stews. Students will also prepare a variety of plant-based proteins using the appropriate techniques for each. Finally, students will combine all their fundamental culinary skills and apply them to the theory of meal composition. They will design and prepare balanced dishes focusing on meal composition, flavor profiles, and depth of flavor.
Entrepreneurship
This course is a culmination course in entrepreneurship. This course covers such topics as business planning, pricing, credit management, government regulation, and legal concerns. Business ethics and the crucial role and importance of management and leadership are also covered.
Plant-Based Approaches to Wellness
In Plant-Based Approaches to Wellness, students will examine philosophies of wellness unique to plant-based eating such as Whole Food Plant-Based, Raw, Ayurveda, and Macro. Students will also look at trending diets and how to prepare dishes within a plant-based culinary framework. Moreover, they will explore various ingredient substitutions to accommodate allergy restrictions.
Cultural Influences I
Students will begin their culinary journey around the world in this Cultural Influences I course. They will be exposed to the traditions, customs, and ingredients unique to specific countries such as Japan, Italy, Greece, India, France, and Vietnam. Students will apply the skills that they have cultivated throughout this program to prepare culturally authentic plant-based dishes.
Seasonal Plant-Based Cuisine
This course explores seasonal plant-based cooking using ingredients available during spring, early summer, mid-summer, late summer, fall, and winter. Students will explore ways to find and select seasonally fresh vegetables at supermarkets, farmer’s markets, and the like and how to optimally cook them for the best dining results. Students will also be introduced to the benefits of Farm to Table® cooking and the importance of sustainability practices as they relate to culinary outcomes.
Cultural Influences II
Students will continue their cultural culinary journey in Cultural Influences II. They will be exposed to the traditions, customs, and ingredients unique to specific countries such as Lebanon, Thailand, Spain, Mexico, Morocco, and the United States. Students will apply the skills that they have cultivated throughout this program to prepare culturally authentic plant-based dishes.
Externship I
This course provides opportunities for real life experiences in an operational restaurant or related business and builds on the skills and techniques covered in previous courses. In the course, students apply the skills they have learned in practical ways to real-world situations. Students gain hands-on experience in the kitchen that mirrors their future work in the industry while developing necessary career skills. Immersion in a work environment also allows students to develop industry contacts and build working relationships.
ONLINE ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN PLANT-BASED CULINARY ARTS
Our Most Complete Plant-Based Program From the Convenience of Your Own Kitchen
Go a step beyond the plant-based diploma program with additional knowledge and business skills for your career.
100% online program with two industry externships for hands-on training
Includes training in plant-based knowledge and business
Apply earned credits from the plant-based diploma program
Gain a Professional Edge with a Plant-Based Associate Degree
Differentiate yourself in the industry as a professional committed to their craft. According to the New York Times, culinary school may be the fastest and most-efficient way of entering the culinary industry, given how it has grown in complexity.*
Escoffier’s Plant-Based Associate Degree Program includes all of the objectives of the Diploma Program, plus:
Use managerial accounting and cost control methods in business operations.
the role of food
Discuss the role of food and its contribution and influence over history, culture, religion, economics, and politics.
psychological principles
Apply psychological principles to the workplace.
EXPLORE COURSES
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations I
In this course, students will be introduced to food safety and sanitation practices in order to prevent foodborne illnesses. They will also be presented with information about food allergens, levels of severity, and measures a chef can take to keep guests safe and included.
Additionally, this course will introduce students to the professional plant-based kitchen by familiarizing them with not only traditional culinary tools, utensils, and equipment but also those unique to the plant-based kitchen. They will practice knife safety, cutting techniques, standard measurements and conversions, and basic cooking techniques. But perhaps most importantly, students will classify foods into their food groups to understand basic recipe structures and begin modifying traditional recipes with plant-based substitutions. These concepts will be echoed throughout the entirety of the program.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations II
In this course, students will continue their plant-based education with the creation of stocks and soups, which will be leveraged in future plant-based dishes. Students will also prepare a variety of legumes and grains that introduce new techniques and flavors to their culinary palate.
Menu Design
This course explores different types of menus (including both food menus and beverage menus) and their applications. The course covers all aspects of menu planning and design, ranging from visual design to price analysis to making use of available resources. The menu is both a financial tool and a communication tool, and students learn about its uses as both.
Plant-Based Culinary Foundations III
In the final foundations course, students will apply skills and knowledge gained in prior foundations to the preparation of stews. Students will also prepare a variety of plant-based proteins using the appropriate techniques for each. Finally, students will combine all their fundamental culinary skills and apply them to the theory of meal composition. They will design and prepare balanced dishes focusing on meal composition, flavor profiles, and depth of flavor.
Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry I
In this course, students will be presented with ways to create plant-based frozen desserts as well as techniques to prevent them from freezing solid or becoming gritty in the freezer. They will also prepare fruit based and raw desserts, cookies, bars, and confections using a variety of ingredients such as cream-based sauces, puddings, fillings, nuts, and seeds to name a few. Additionally, students will be introduced to techniques for replacing traditional baking ingredients with plant-based alternatives and how to build flavor in their plant-based pastry dishes.
Purchasing and Cost Control
Three out of five foodservice operations fail within five years of opening, often due to money mismanagement. This course gives students the skills to not only keep their restaurant in business but to also turn a profit. This course introduces students to purchasing, receiving, inventory management and menu pricing. In this course, students learn how to minimize costs and maintain a full range of customer services. The course progresses from the fundamentals of culinary math into an overview of storeroom operations, inventory, portion control, as purchased and edible portions, ingredient conversions, and recipe costing.
Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry II
Students will expand upon content learned in Foundations of Plant-Based Pastry I. They will continue their awareness of flavor balance as they use ingredients like fruit purees, for example, to enhance the taste and texture of their plant-based desserts. Students will prepare a variety of plant-based pastries such as cakes, breads, muffins, breakfast foods, truffles, ganache and more! They will also work with yeast allowing them an opportunity to practice folding, rolling, twisting, and cutting dough as they create classic forms that are enriched by seasonings and toppings. Finally, students will modify recipes to accommodate gluten-free diets.
Seasonal Plant-Based Cuisine
This course explores seasonal plant-based cooking using ingredients available during spring, early summer, mid-summer, late summer, fall, and winter. Students will explore ways to find and select seasonally fresh vegetables at supermarkets, farmer’s markets, and the like and how to optimally cook them for the best dining results. Students will also be introduced to the benefits of Farm to Table® cooking and the importance of sustainability practices as they relate to culinary outcomes.
Foodservice Management
This course covers the different types of commercial foodservice operations, and how to manage each using the principles of good service. Students study the hierarchy of management in food service, and the skill needed to succeed as a manager: training employees, motivating them, disciplining them, and creating a safe and positive work environment. The course also explores how to act responsibly and make decisions that benefit the company.
Plant-Based Approaches to Wellness
In Plant-Based Approaches to Wellness, students will examine philosophies of wellness unique to plant-based eating such as Whole Food Plant-Based, Raw, Ayurveda, and Macro. Students will also look at trending diets and how to prepare dishes within a plant-based culinary framework. Moreover, they will explore various ingredient substitutions to accommodate allergy restrictions.
Cultural Influences I
Students will begin their culinary journey around the world in this Cultural Influences I course. They will be exposed to the traditions, customs, and ingredients unique to specific countries such as Japan, Italy, Greece, India, France, and Vietnam. Students will apply the skills that they have cultivated throughout this program to prepare culturally authentic plant-based dishes.
Entrepreneurship
This course is a culmination course in entrepreneurship. This course covers such topics as business planning, pricing, credit management, government regulation, and legal concerns. Business ethics and the crucial role and importance of management and leadership are also covered.
Cultural Influences II
Students will continue their cultural culinary journey in Cultural Influences II. They will be exposed to the traditions, customs, and ingredients unique to specific countries such as Lebanon, Thailand, Spain, Mexico, Morocco, and the United States. Students will apply the skills that they have cultivated throughout this program to prepare culturally authentic plant-based dishes.
Business and Professional Communications
The Business and Professional Communications course emphasizes the principles and practical application of effective professional communication behaviors within professional, business, and organizational contexts. In addition to identifying the importance of effective communication skills to the hospitality industry, communication styles and effective listening methods are addressed. Listening skills, verbal and nonverbal communication, conflict resolution, cultural differences in communication, and debate techniques are also covered.
World History and Culture from the Culinary Perspective
Throughout history, food has done more than just provide nourishment. From prehistoric times to the present day, food and the pursuit of it has had a transformative role in human history. Food has impacted society organization, industrial development, military conflict, and economic expansion. As epicure and gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin stated, “Gastronomy governs the whole of the human man.” This course examines the role of food and its contribution and influence over history, culture, religion, economics, and politics.
The Science of Nutrition
This course covers the basic principles of nutrition, emphasizing nutrients, food sources, and their role in growth, development, and overall health. Contemporary and global nutritional issues are also discussed.
Food Service Math and Accounting
All foodservice managers, regardless of the type of foodservice business with which they are involved, must understand and manage the costs associated with operating their businesses. Foodservice Math & Accounting introduces students to managerial accounting and cost control concepts and explains their applications to specific operations within the hospitality industry. Emphasis is placed on how to administer accounting procedures to minimize costs and maintain a full range of customer services.
After a summary of the fundamentals of culinary math, an overview of basic business cost control functions are covered including expenses, revenue, food, beverage, labor, and other controllable and noncontrollable costs. Income statements and profit analysis are covered as well.
Introduction to Psychology in the Workplace
The goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict, and influence behavior and mental processes. With these goals in mind, students will study the scientific process and learn to explain psychological phenomena. They will learn about how those phenomena fit into major psychological theories, and how to practically apply the ideas of psychology.
Externship I
This course provides opportunities for real life experiences in an operational restaurant or related business and builds on the skills and techniques covered in previous courses. In the course, students apply the skills they have learned in practical ways to real-world situations. Students gain hands-on experience in the kitchen that mirrors their future work in the industry while developing necessary career skills. Immersion in a work environment also allows students to develop industry contacts and build working relationships.
Externship II
This course provides additional opportunities for real life experiences in an operational restaurant or related business and builds on the skills and techniques covered in previous courses.
More Details
Accredited and Respected Worldwide
The reputation of the institution where you earn your degree or diploma is an important measure of value. Escoffier is recognized industry-wide as a leader in culinary education. The Boulder, Colorado campus develops and delivers Escoffier’s online programs. It is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET) and is approved and regulated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Division of Private Occupational Schools.
I saw that Escoffier is the number one culinary school around the world, and they had an online program. I just love my classes. I love the Escoffier advisors; they are amazing. The chefs have incredible experiences, and they are so willing to share it."*
Maria Rodriguez
Plant-Based Culinary Arts Student
*This information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors such as geographical region or previous experience.
Meet Your Plant-Based Chef Instructors
You have a dream…a dream to perfect your craft of creating plant-based entrees, appetizers, and desserts that delight diners while upholding values of nutrition, health, and protecting the environment.
But how do you get from where you are now to realizing that dream? You know that hard work and commitment lies ahead. That’s why you need Escoffier Chef Instructors in your corner. As your coaches and mentors, their job is to hold you to the highest and best version of yourself that you can be…to stretch your creativity, and help you move beyond whatever limitations you ever thought you might have.
Director of Education Stephanie Michalak White
Does The Online Format Really Work for the Culinary Arts?
Yes, online culinary school really does work. With more than 8,500 students enrolled during the Fall 2022 in online programs at our accredited culinary arts institution, Escoffier continues to lead in online culinary education.*
The online programs at Escoffier allow students to develop the same skills as ground campus students, but you complete the program in your own kitchen.”
LUKE SHAFFER
Escoffier Chef Instructor
Escoffier’s Online Culinary Learning Model Explained
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts pioneered the online learning model for the culinary arts. Here’s how it works:
Step 1:
learn
Read assigned texts, watch technique videos, do additional research and complete knowledge checks.
Step 2:
DISCUSS
Participate in discussion boards with your classmates and instructors about topics related to your coursework, the industry, and more. Join live lessons held virtually each week for a real classroom experience.
Step 3:
EXPERIENCE
It’s cooking time! Execute your practical assignments, documenting the process along the way through a production sheet and taking photos when instructed to.
The Plant-Based Online Programs Toolkit
The Plant-Based Online Programs Toolkit includes knives, sharpening steel, uniform, and other basics. These are the fundamental tools you’ll use throughout your career as you begin to create plant-based dishes. Under the guidance of expert chef instruction, you’ll move ever closer to mastery of your craft.
Cost & Time
Your options to help you afford pursuing a career in plant-based culinary arts
Most Escoffier students use federal financial aid to help pay for culinary school.* Financial Aid is available to students who apply and qualify.
Federal financial aid is available to students who apply and qualify. Get our student aid guide, or speak with a financial aid representative to learn more.
†The total program cost listed above encompasses tuition, tool kit, uniform, a non-refundable application fee,
and an optional non-refundable technology fee if you do not already have a computer. As textbooks are delivered electronically,
the cost of books used in the program and available online to the students are included in the tuition cost.
For more cost details, refer to our catalog.
††Total program cost includes tuition, uniforms (non-refundable), toolkit, and an optional non-refundable technology fee.The cost of books is not included. Students may choose to purchase books when enrolling. For more cost details, see the catalog.
*Prospective students enrolling from July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 will receive an application fee waiver. The purpose of this waiver is to assist prospective students in the enrollment process by providing them with an opportunity to reallocate their resources toward other educational or personal needs.
How Much Per Month?
For all students, the average amount of aid awarded in the form of federal student loans in 2022-23 was $7,663, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Be sure to check with an Escoffier financial aid representative to understand what costs, loans, and loan repayments might be for your specific situation.
In other words, you typically don’t have to pay for your tuition all at once: most Escoffier students qualify for financial aid, which can include a combination of Pell grants and student loans.
Most Escoffier students who entered postsecondary education for the first time received some financial assistance in 2022-23 (for those who applied and qualified).*
Plant-based cooking creates infinite possibilities for today’s professionals
Plant-based diets are growing rapidly around the world. Here are just a few of the entry-level careers you might pursue with your diploma or degree:
EXAMPLE Job Titles
Line cook
Head cook
Personal cook
Culinary assistant
Caterer
Example Employers
Health-focused restaurants
Health resorts or spas
Plant-based packaged goods
Hospitality employers
You might also explore self-employment opportunities in menu development, catering, as a personal chef, and more!
Some Escoffier graduates have found jobs with top employers like these:
EXPLORE CAREERS AND EXTERNSHIPS IN OUR CAREER CENTER WITH THE HELP OF OUR CAREER SERVICES SPECIALISTS
Get “insider knowledge” on how you can uncover career opportunities with our employer partners.
Career Planning
Get clear on your goals and understand career options. Use your externship to explore and experiment.
Resume and Portfolio Assistance
Build a resume and portfolio that catches the attention of employers in the niche where you’d like to work.
Interview Preparation
We can help you practice your interview skills to be ready for questions that come your way.
During the forecast period between 2023 and 2029, BlueWeave projects the global plant-based food market size to grow at a significant compound annual growth rate of 11.82%, reaching a value of $22.27 billion by 2029.*
To enroll at Escoffier and get started in the plant-based culinary arts degree or diploma program, you must show proof of a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED). You do not need any specific work experience, nor do you have to take the ACT or SAT to be admitted to any program at Escoffier. For more information, see our catalog.
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Get a step-by-step guide to enrolling at Escoffier.
The Timeless Tradition of Classic French Cuisine Meets Modern Plant-Based Cooking
Widely regarded as the founder of modern cooking, the legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier established the basic culinary principles taught by nearly all culinary institutions today. One of those traditions was to implore chefs to consistently innovate techniques, methodologies, and foods.
People who do not accept the new grow old very quickly.”
Auguste Escoffier
I've had such an amazing experience. The things we learn hands-on and in the reading, lectures, and the live classes... GOLD. I'm even informing my vegan friends things, ideas, concepts, and techniques they didn't know about.*
Sophia San Roman
Plant-Based Culinary Arts Student
*This information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors such as geographical region or previous experience.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions about our plant-based programs
What does plant-based mean?
The term plant-based refers to foods that are primarily made of plants, which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, oils, nuts, and seeds. First developed in the 1980s, the goal of the plant-based diet was to make the health benefits of a vegetable-focused diet more accessible — without completely eliminating the consumption of all animal products.
What can I do with a Plant-Based Culinary Arts degree?
A degree or diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts at Escoffier may provide you with the knowledge and tools to pursue some of the following plant-based careers:
Plant-based cook or chef: Chefs that have a plant-based focus may create dishes that highlight vegetables, such as salads and grain bowls, but they may also create dishes with meat and dairy alternatives.
Plant-based restaurant owner:Plant-based restaurants have gained popularity in the last few years, with famous places like New York City’s Dirt Candy dominating headlines, making owning a plant-based restaurant a potentially lucrative career choice.
Plant-based blogger or writer: Share your views or recipes with the world as a plant-based blogger or food writer.
Plant-based personal or private chef: While many people may be interested in a plant-based diet, they might opt to hire a personal chef who prepares meals either in the clients’ home, or at an approved commercial kitchen site. A personal chef may also offer delivery to clients’ homes.
Plant-based food truck owner: With their smaller menus, food trucks may be perfectly positioned for specialty cuisines.
Plant-based recipe developer: Plant-based recipes often call for many substitutions, and this can be a great way to have a creative career in developing original recipes.
Plant-based baker: Because cakes, muffins, and cupcakes usually contain eggs and milk, plant-based bakers work to create clever baking substitutes.
Chef Instructor: Chef instructors are experts in their field and possess not just the essential plant-based knowledge, but also the ability to teach it to future culinarians.
Health coach: With a plant-based degree, you may be able to help your clients make smart choices for their health that also result in delicious meals.
Plant-based research chef: Research chefs explore innovative veggie-based ingredients and figure out how to combine them in new ways.
What is the difference between plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan cooking?
It can be easy to confuse these diets, as they all largely focus on eating plant-based ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of each of these terms and how they differ:
Vegan cooking: Vegan recipes do not include the use of any animal products, including dairy, meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. The breadth and depth of this varies, however. For example, there is some debate about whether honey fits into a vegan diet, and it is recommended in this case to err on the side of caution to avoid cooking with honey. Some vegans also choose to avoid eating foods that have been processed with animal products, such as refined white sugar and certain types of wine.
Vegetarian cooking: Cooking for a vegetarian diet has slightly fewer restrictions than a vegan diet. While vegetarians do not eat any animal flesh including meat, fish, or poultry, they can differ from vegans in that many vegetarians choose to eat animal byproducts that don’t involve the slaughter of animals. Examples include eggs, dairy products, and honey.
Plant-based cooking: As mentioned above, a plant-based diet focuses on using ingredients that come from plants and eliminating or limiting ingredients from animals. However, plant-based cooking techniques are less restrictive than those of vegan and vegetarian cooking because they can include the use of animal products depending on how an individual chooses to follow the diet.
Can you go to culinary school as a vegan or vegetarian?
Absolutely! As the demand for plant-based diets has continued to grow, so has the demand for professionals who are educated in these diets. Check out our Guide to Culinary School for Vegans and Vegetarians to learn more about how Escoffier supports students that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Can I study plant-based culinary arts online?
Yes! Escoffier offers an online degree or diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts, which can provide you with the skills necessary to start a career in plant-based cooking.
As far as the time commitment for online students, approximately 15-22 hours per week is spent on school related activities, depending on the program, credentials, and personal pace. Online programs can be especially flexible for working students, entrepreneurs, and busy parents. Check out these benefits to online culinary school classes to learn the different ways that online learning can fit into your individual lifestyle.
Along with the absence of commute times, the ability to complete coursework on your own time provided you meet deadlines, and the freedom to use your own kitchen, our online programs are extremely personalized, as every student can receive customized feedback on assignments from a Chef Instructor. This type of remote environment also allows students to network and collaborate with students from all across the country.
How do I become a vegan chef?
A vegan chef is a culinary professional that creates dishes that are free of animal products. The demand for experts in this area continues to grow. According to Plant Based News, “veganism is no longer niche,” citing a 123% rise in vegan-specific job roles over the course of a 2020 study. While there’s not a universal roadmap for becoming a vegan chef, there are a few steps that may benefit you in pursuing this career path:
Get an education in plant-based cuisine from an accredited institution.
Hone your skills with real world experience and work your way up the kitchen hierarchy.
Continue to earn additional culinary credentials and certifications to improve your professional portfolio.
Escoffier’s online degree or diplomas in Plant-Based Culinary Arts are designed to provide students with the necessary foundations to understand plant-based theory and cultivate their skills alongside Chef Instructors and like-minded peers. To become a culinary professional, it’s also important to learn how to apply your skills outside the classroom. Escoffier helps students to find externships that are relevant to their course of study and allow them to develop and practice their skills in a real-world setting.
We understand that the idea of applying for federal financial aid can be daunting, so we have also created this step-by-step FAFSA® Guide for Culinary School to make the process for applying for financial aid as fast and simple as possible.
Here’s a breakdown of the typical steps that students take to receive financial aid:
Reach out to the Admissions team at Escoffier to let them know your interest in attending.
Create your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) on the government’s student aid website.
The FAFSA® gives you your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) to assist the school to determine your financial need.
Apply for scholarships, grants, and loans.
In terms of timing, the annual student FAFSA® form is usually released on October 1st for the following academic year. Students have through the following June to submit their application. For example, a student attending school in the 2023-2024 school year could submit their FAFSA® anytime between October 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.
To find scholarship options that might be right for you, the best place to start is by reviewing the scholarship opportunities outlined in our essential guide to culinary school scholarships. We cover information such as the difference between merit-based, need-based, competition-based, personal circumstance, and location-specific scholarships and other valuable forms of financial aid.
By visiting our scholarships page, you can also discover school-specific scholarships and other resources. For example, the Escoffier Scholarship Foundation raises funds and awards scholarships to students who apply, qualify, and demonstrate their financial need. To get more information about the financing options available, you can contact our financial aid team to begin the process.
Is your school accredited? Why is that important to my plant-based culinary education?
Yes! Escoffier is the only U.S.-accredited institution offering 100% online degrees and diplomas with hands-on industry externships.* To fulfill this accreditation, Escoffier has designed an entire curriculum, as well as dedicated faculty that supports online learning. This is especially important to note since Escoffier’s Plant-Based programs are available 100% online with a hands-on industry externship. The campus in Boulder, Colorado, also offers the Plant-Based Cuisine Diploma, but start dates may vary.
So why is accreditation a critical requirement when it comes to schools for plant-based culinary arts? For one, applying to an accredited school can mean access to financial aid. In most cases, only accredited institutions can extend this type of financial support.
Secondly, employers in the plant-based culinary arts field may often look for accredited schools on resumes. An accreditation usually means the coursework is relevant, high-quality, and meets defined educational standards. Employers may also recognize that graduates who come from an accredited school are usually prepared to enter the workforce—therefore, they might not have to use additional monetary resources when hiring a new employee.
Another huge perk to studying at an accredited school is working alongside professional Chef Instructors who go through Escoffier’s vetting process and are extremely knowledgeable in the field of plant-based culinary arts. Escoffier has over 120 professional Chef Instructors dedicated to mentoring students and helping them step into their dream careers.
Lastly, accredited schools usually want you to succeed, since it’s a direct reflection of their staff and curriculum. This is exactly why all students enrolled at Escoffier must complete an externship—an opportunity where students can put classroom knowledge into action and may make impactful connections for future employment.
*Our Boulder, CO campus is the only accredited institution in the United States to offer both fully online diploma and degree programs with culinary classes and hands-on industry externships. We are accredited by ACCET – A Partnership for Quality®. ACCET is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
How do I apply to Escoffier’s Plant-Based Culinary Arts programs?
Applying to Escoffier’s Plant-Based programs is a fast and easy process—roughly taking about 10 minutes to complete online. Students can also contact our Admissions Department to apply.
Here are some details you’ll need to provide during the application process:
Your location and demographics
Emergency contact information
Program of interest
Proof of high school graduation
Valid driver’s license, passport, or photo I.D.
Once you wrap up, you’ll be asked to finish and review your application and pay the $25 application fee. Upon completion, you’ll also receive an Enrollment Agreement packet via DocuSign.
After you finish the entire application, an admissions representative will contact you directly to go over the next steps in the process. At this time, you can also speak with Escoffier’s Financial Aid department to evaluate all of the available financing options. Financial aid is available to all those who apply and qualify, and most of our students rely on financing their education.
In regard to application deadlines, it’s important to note that applications are accepted on an ongoing basis for upcoming class terms. Students who complete and submit all admission requirements and financial planning documents will have a preference for their start date, and the time of day they prefer classes if attending a ground campus and program.
More Plant-Based Resources
Check out these Escoffier resources to further expand your knowledge on plant-based topics.
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