Behind the glass doors of an historic brick building at 1484 State Street in Salt Lake City resides a finely appointed kitchen of stainless steel. It is within these capacious confines—located just northwest of Salt Lake Community College's South Campus—that the glorious world of food awaits the eager professional and the curious amateur alike. It is here that students from within and without the Beehive State receive their instruction. This is the Park City Culinary Institute.
Since its founding in 2014, the Park City Culinary Institute has been committed to offering incomparable cooking instruction by award-winning chefs that anyone—and we mean anyone—can attend. This is a particular point of pride for Laurie Moldawer, the Institute's founder and director.
"Most people assume culinary school is not for them," observed Moldawer. "Either they're too old, or they have another job and don't want to work in a restaurant. It's not a 2-year college, like other culinary schools. It doesn't require $25k to $100k of tuition. It doesn't have to be full-time, either."
Moldawer is adamant that whatever your age, experience level, or availability, the Institute will have options to fit your needs through either a campus or online setting, with flexible schedules and financing plans for those with limited funds or limited time.
And judging from the varied graduate testimonials found on the Institute's website and reviews found elsewhere, their approach seems to have made an impact.
"I was shocked to admit," graduate Amy Roskelley wrote in one testimonial, "the things I learned in the online cooking course have been a game changer!"
Julie Patterson, in a separate review on Google, had this to say of her Culinary Institute experience: "This program was one of the most rewarding and meaningful educational experiences of my life. If you are considering attending culinary school, I can guarantee that this program will benefit you regardless of your reason to attend. If you are not considering attending culinary school, then I suggest you do."
Whether for recreational purposes or for professional training, Park City Culinary Institute students will develop their technique through a skill-based curriculum that favors hands-on guidance and personalized attention through smaller class sizes. Here, you will learn the same artistry that is taught in more traditional trade schools at a fraction of the time and price.
A glance at the courses that are offered within the Institute's program should give you some idea of what they are all about:
Professional Certificate in the Culinary Arts (192 total hours): Learn the fundamentals of both cooking and baking, how to perfect a pastry as well as how to compose cuisine. Here you will be guided through the world of food science, how to handle and use a knife, and how to build flavors. Whether sweet or savory, you'll be making an international banquet before you know it. ($9,990 on-campus/$7,990 online)
Cuisine Certificate (96 total hours): Working with various meats and seafood, you will be able to create quality dishes with their accompanying sauces, vegetables and grains. Neither egg nor potato, nor even the hors d'oeuvre will ever intimidate you again. ($6,840 on-campus/$4,460 online)
Pastry & Baking Certificate (96 total hours): Running the scrumptious spectrum of sweets, pastries, and baked goods, you will become a veritable doyen of dessert and a virtuoso of victuals. Through this course, you will find that you have a real knack for bagels and challah as well as pies, macarons, cakes, and so much more. ($6,260 on-campus/$4,460 online)
Indeed, the certification courses have been crucial for the many professional chefs and home cooks that have passed through the Institute's doors.
"I attended [the] cuisine program in 2018," wrote Institute graduate Oscar Jimenez. "I had no kitchen experience and was scared to death. As of today, I am officially the Sous Chef of Stratford Proper!"
Additionally with these courses, occasional field trips are often scheduled for students to visit farms, artisanal shops and established restaurants and to make specialty items like cheese and chocolate. These trips will vary depending on the season and host availability.
As a Best of State winner in the category of Culinary Education—as well as a frequent winner in City Weekly's own "Best of Utah" awards—the Park City Culinary Institute's courses have already garnered much praise and appreciation from the public in the years that it has operated. For those "21 and above" types, it has even recently added a "Craft Mixology and Mocktails Certificate" course for those who are either considering a path into bartending, or just want to mix and stir with the best of them.
If these quality certification courses seem too much of a commitment at first, the Park City Culinary Institute also offers recreational cooking classes on baking, cooking, and holiday-centric items. Keep yourself posted on these one-off events at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/park-city-culinary-institute-17184511392.
Jess Winkler—who received her certification from the Culinary Institute in cuisine and pastries—spoke highly of these cooking classes in an online review.
"I've come for date night and with groups of friends," Winkler added, "They [the Culinary Institute] curate beautiful menus for corporate team building events."
For those attending the on-campus certification courses, a kit containing all necessary equipment will be issued along with a kitchen uniform. Interested persons can apply in 15 minutes for their tailored experience at https://parkcityculinaryinstitute.com.
Exult, food enthusiasts, and rejoice, restaurateurs! The gateway to new careers and hidden talents awaits you behind the Culinary Institute's glass doors.
