CASA - The Chef Apprentice School of the Arts

CASA, the Chef Apprentice Studio of the Arts, is a career training program. It does not run one-night cooking classes. Its Gourmet Chef Program pairs each mentee with a professional chef for private lessons in a commercial kitchen, often while the restaurant is closed or slow. The Nashville page lists three locations: 401 Union St and 424 Church St downtown, and 37 Rutledge St.

The curriculum has 20 courses. They run from knife skills and the five mother sauces to potato cookery, charcuterie and garde manger, and ServSafe food handler training. Between sessions, mentees cook along at home with CASA's video series and can book time with a second mentor who works remotely. Near the end comes an externship cooking for customers in a working restaurant. Mentees also pitch a food business idea to investors.

It suits career changers and aspiring cooks who want real kitchen experience and industry contacts without paying for years in a classroom. CASA says it is selective about who it accepts. Costs are set for each person with a mentee advisor.