If you are thinking of taking a professional bread baking course you’re probably overwhelmed as there is a lot to consider! Questions such as “Which one is the best baking college?”, “what will I learn in each course”, and “is this the right baking course for me? And, whilst I don’t have the answers to all of those questions, use this list of professional bread baking courses in the US to help your selection.
You may have a local culinary school where you could also learn the art of bread baking. These courses may be great, however, the ones compiled in this list are written and performed by bread baking specialists. You can guarantee you are being taught the best and most modern recipes, skills and theories to become a professional baker of the future.
Is a professional baking course right for me?
If are looking to carve yourself out in the baking industry you have two options; 1) Find a bakery that offers apprenticeships or full training, 2) Enroll in a professional bread baking course.
Whilst the first option will pay you whilst you learn. It can be a hard task to find a learning environment where you’ll learn everything you need to know about baking bread and pastry. By taking a professional bread baking course you’ll learn more about the science behind the process in bread baking (not hearsay), patisserie and products and techniques from a range of baking cultures. You are not limited to the range of products that one bakery produces.
If you are serious about becoming a professional baker, bakery owner or recipe developer, I recommend the recognised education route if you can afford to do so.
It doesn’t mean that you can’t have a successful career if you don’t go to baking college. It’ll just take a bit more motivation to fill any gaps in your knowledge.
At the bottom of the page, you’ll notice that I’ve also curated a list of short professional baking courses. These mini-courses are designed to support you in starting up a bakery business, learning new baking styles or mastering patisserie. There are a selection of baking books that explain the science behind baking bread which supplement any of the courses on this page.
Professional bread baking courses
These courses require a lot of commitment and can cost lots, so selecting the right one is important. This is post is a collection of the most popular baking courses in the US and the areas that they specialise.
San Francisco Baking Institute
SFBI is a world-renowned bakery specialist. They have trained many bakers for some of the most prestigious bakeries in the US. The fully fitted artisan bakery set-up contains every tool you’ll need to be an artisan baker. Their bread and viennoiserie training series is a 12-week course that teaches the science and skills required to make bread. It also explains sourdough, viennoiserie and bakery business essentials.
Institute of Culinary Education
The ICE professional bread baking course was developed by Chef Sim Cass, one of the founding bakers of New York City’s acclaimed Balthazar Bakery and one of the pioneers of the modern bread baking movement. It’s an eight-week course based in New York designed for current food professionals, career changers or beginners in artisan bread baking. You’ll cover lots of different bread styles and topics at a rapid pace.
Le Cordon Bleu
The world-renowned Cordon Bleu cookery training school offers one of the most recognised qualifications in catering. Choose Le Grand Diplôme for a full culinary qualification. Or specialise with Diplôme de Boulangerie or Diplôme de Pâtisserie.
Central Piedmont Community College – Mecklenburg County, Charlotte
You can achieve an associate in applied science degree by taking Baking and Pastry Arts at Central Piedmont Community College. The degree covers the fundamentals of bread baking, sourdough, patisserie and all areas of skills found in artisan bakeries. The challenge will be remembering it all as you’ll be taught so much!
Chef Eric Crowley’s Culinary Classroom LA, CA
The 10-week master baking certification program hosted by Eric Crowley is an intensive professional bakery course in Los Angeles. In this short course, you will touch base on all of the skills you will need to get a job as a baker.
Mini-courses
These training providers offer bakery training in a professional environment. You’ll get loads of knowledge and the ability to ask your trainer questions to integrate the recipes into your baking style.
San Francisco baking institute
SFBI provide lots of baking courses to top up your skills. If you are a baker looking to set up your own bakery business they offer consultations to help you. They have worked with many big names in the US. Course topics include:
- Artisan bread
- Sourdough
- Viennoiserie
- Bagels & pretzels
- Bread introductory courses
The French Pastry School
The French Pastry Schools’ online introduction to pastry arts is a great way to learn bread and pastry skills at home. The short guides and recipes delve into each topic in detail allowing you to take your skills to the next level.
King Arthur Baking School
King Arthur was originally just a flour mill but is now the leading all-in-one solution for all baking needs. They offer several short courses in bread and pastry making which you can book and attend online or in their baking school in Vermont and Washington.
Artisan Bread School
The Artisan Bread School, operated by Carl Shavitz, tours the world with his 5-day baking classes. If you are lucky enough for him to visit near you expect to be amazed by his artisan baking knowledge.
Reading books for new professionals
Next steps after taking your course
Once you’ve completed your qualifications, you’ll be pleased to know that in recent years, there are plenty of openings for everyone. Surfing through job websites like Jooble, you can always find a perfect position for you to start your career as a baker.
Ending thoughts
Hopefully, you’ve found the perfect course for your needs, if so let me know. I wish you all the best in your career. If you’ve been to one of the listed bakery schools, let others know how you found it and, if I’ve missed any schools, let me know that too! You can do all of these things in the comment section below.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and wish to treat me to a coffee, you can by following the link below – Thanks x
Hi, I’m Gareth Busby, a baking coach, head baker and bread-baking fanatic! My aim is to use science, techniques and 15 years of baking experience to help you become a better baker.
