Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts, Hospitality, & Tourism Management | NSCC

The Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts is the culinary program of Nashville State Community College. It is based on the Southeast campus at 5248 Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch. This is career training, not a night out. Students enroll in a one-year technical certificate or a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree. The A.A.S. is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation.

Coursework covers cooking, baking, food preparation, kitchen operations, nutrition, sanitation, cost control and hospitality management. The degree adds business, computer and liberal arts courses. Students buy their own knives and chef's clothing for the production kitchen. Tuition and fees run about $4,726 for the certificate and about $9,490 for the degree.

The program partners with Nashville employers such as Music City Center, Sysco Nashville and Vanderbilt University Dining Services. Student Marcio Florez won the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef South Regional Competition with "Meat and Three," a dish mixing Southern and Peruvian flavors. It suits people aiming for work as chefs, pastry professionals or kitchen managers. Hobby cooks after a single evening class should look elsewhere.