Can I take a single cooking class?

Very rarely. Enrolling at Paragon means joining the full nine-course program, though the school says to ask about rare exceptions.

How much does it cost?

Total tuition is $29,999 for all nine courses, which can be spread over one to three years.

Do I need cooking experience?

No. The school accepts people with no training at all, as long as they are serious about cooking.

How many hours a week are classes?

One course is 8 hours a week (about a three-year plan), two courses is 16 hours, and a full-time load of three courses is 24 hours. Classes run Monday through Thursday.

Culinary college · Colorado Springs

Paragon Culinary School

Colorado Springs career culinary academy with a nine-course, part-time diploma program

Ranked #9 of 13 cooking schools in Colorado Springs

About Paragon Culinary School

Paragon Culinary School is a private career academy, not a recreational class studio. Master Chef Victor Matthews, a former United States Culinary Ambassador and ACF Chef of the Year, opened it in 2004. Students enroll in a full program of nine courses, run three trimesters a year, with starts in August, November and March. Single classes are very rare.

The schedule is built around jobs and families. Classes meet Monday through Thursday. One course per trimester means 8 hours a week over about three years. Doubling up is 16 hours a week, and a full load of three courses is 24 hours. Every instructor needs at least ten years in their field. Teaching covers foundations and world cuisine, baking and pastry, wine and service, ice carving, fruit sculpting and restaurant management.

No prior training is needed, but the school wants students set on a kitchen career. Total tuition is $29,999. There is no federal student aid, though the school offers in-house payment plans and accepts a variety of military benefits. The school is at 505 Popes Bluff Trail.

Good to know

Classes meet Monday through Thursday. Schedules change each trimester.
New students start three times a year: August, November and March.
Prospective students schedule an interview and tour before enrolling.
There is no federal student aid, but in-house payment plans are available.
Scholarships are available for high school students through FCCLA, ProStart, Early Colleges and Explorers.