Associate Degree in 
Culinary Arts

Success in the culinary arts takes more than talent. It takes pride and passion — and it takes hands-on training in a fast-paced, demanding environment. 

You’ll find all of that at Monroe University’s Culinary Institute of New York (CINY). Like all of CINY’s programs, the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts is fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), but that’s just the beginning. The training we offer, both in the classroom and in the kitchen, will prepare you to work at the highest levels of the industry. 

Whatever your dreams might be — opening a restaurant, running a catering company, or creating unforgettable menus at hotels and exotic resorts — CINY’s Culinary Arts program is the first step toward achieving them.

It’s not just that CINY is located just 25 minutes from one of the greatest culinary cities in the world. It’s not just that our students received personalized instruction from an award-winning faculty of ACF-certified chefs — and it’s not just that our students train in kitchen facilities that simulate those found in the most modern restaurants and hotels. 

CINY stands apart for all of those reasons and more. Niche, Chef’s Pencil, and more have named CINY one of the top culinary schools in the country. The ACF and the Société Culinaire Philanthropique have both recognized our programs with multiple medals for excellence.

Candidates for an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts must meet the following general admissions requirements: 

• Applicants must possess either a high school graduation credential or high school equivalency diploma, or a recognized college associate degree or higher as listed in the transfer admissions policy.
• Applicants must also submit a completed application for admission, as well as a personal statement or essay.

Applicants also participate in a pre-admission interview.

Learn more about how to apply to Monroe University.

How Much Does a Culinary Arts Degree Cost?

Like our culinary training, Monroe University boasts a financial aid office that is dedicated to working with each and every student to deliver the maximum possible financial aid package: a combination of grants, scholarships, and loans, all on top of our already-affordable tuition and fees. It’s why U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks us as one of the Best Value Schools in Regional Universities North.

We also offer several specialized scholarships for CINY students, including:

• The SKILL (SkillsUSA) Scholarship: We offer both full and partial scholarships to students who have shown exemplary promise in their high school culinary program and have completed the SkillsUSA program. 
• The Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Scholarship: Every year, we award scholarships to academically qualified high school students who have placed in nationwide culinary competitions, based on recommendations by the C-CAP Executive Board.
• The ProStart (PROS) Scholarship:  Graduating high school students who have been exemplary in their high school culinary programs and completed the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement might be eligible for full or partial scholarships. 
• America’s Best High School Chef Prizes: All qualified entries to CINY’s America’s Best High School Chef (ABHSC) competition receive at least a partial scholarship. The first place winner receives a full scholarship!

Learn more about financial aid opportunities.

Because of our ACFEF (American Culinary Federation Education Foundation) accreditation, our Culinary Arts graduates automatically meet the requirements to become ACF Certified Culinarians (CCs). That means you’ll be ready to hit the ground running the moment you complete your AAS degree. 

You’ll follow in the footsteps of culinary professionals who proudly represent CINY out in the world, in positions that include:

• Chef de partie
• Personal chef
• Assistant garde manger chef
• Junior sous chef 
• Caterer 
• Assistant kitchen manager 
• Steward 
• Line cook 

While becoming an executive chef takes years of professional experience, with an AAS in Culinary Arts, you’ll be ahead of the curve. And when opportunity knocks on the kitchen door, you’ll be ready.

More than 80% of our AAS graduates transition into the Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management program at CINY, which opens doors to further career opportunities in the hospitality industry including: 

• Food and beverage manager 
• Food service manager
• Restaurant manager

There are more than 23,000 restaurants in the New York City metro area.They know CINY’s reputation — because they know the quality of our graduates. 

Before they complete their degree, Culinary Arts majors complete an internship at CINY’s acclaimed student-run restaurant, The Dining Lab. The New York Times calls The Dining Lab “the little kitchen that could.” Westchester Magazine dubbed us “Westchester’s Best Kept Secret.”

At The Dining Lab, Culinary Arts students put everything they’ve learned into practice, providing an à la carte menu and fine dining service to the most important judges of all: the dining public. Students get to build their professional résumés with real-world experience, even as they earn credit toward their degrees. 

Culinary students also get to compete in the annual ACF Student Team National Championship Tournament. For years, the CINY team has won the honor of Northeast Regional Champion. In 2022 we took first prize in the ACF National Championship. Through the years, our culinary teams have won more than 1000 competition medals. As a Culinary Arts major, you can help us grow that number even more. 

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