Hospitality Resources
For Colorado high school students. Updated March 2019; send inquiries to Kari Bereczky.
The hospitality industry is full of opportunities for high school students and questions such as;
- Where to begin?
- What opportunities are out there?
- Do I need to go to college?
- Are there other pathways?
- Does my school have a CTE department?
- Does it offer Family and Consumer Science classes? What are they?
- Do they offer ProStart? What is Prostart? What are the benefits?
Your training can begin as early as high school. There are hospitality programs at Colorado community colleges and four-year universities. Here are a variety of resources to explore if you are interested in a career in the hospitality or tourism industry.
Ted Talk: Thomas Keller the Reach of a Restaurant
Chef Keller talks about connecting and building relationships with customers in the hospitality industry.
- Career Opportunities Colorado Restaurant Industry at a Glance
- Hospitality and Tourism Careers
High School Opportunities
Your hospitality training can begin in high school. Several high schools offer a culinary class through their Career and Technical Department. Look through the following links, then speak with your high school counselor to see if you can enroll in these classes. You may also earn college credit through ProStart classes offered at area high schools and vocational institutions.
- Family and Consumer Science Classes
- Colorado FCCLA
- What is ProStart?
- Colorado ProStart-Video
- Cherry Creek Innovation Campus-Opening August 2019, offering ProStart and ACF Apprenticeship programs.
After High School
The following links can help you find a program that will best suit your needs and career goals. Programs range from a four-year bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management to a free ACF Apprenticeship Program.
- Colorado Post Secondary Culinary and Hospitality Programs [complete list[
- Johnson and Wales University Denver campus
- Metropolitan State University Restaurant Management, Brewery Operations
- Colorado Mountain College Hospitality Management
- Front Range Community College Hospitality Management
- Pueblo Community College
- American Culinary Federation Apprenticeship Program Professional on-the-job culinary training program
How to Pay for Everything?!
Culinary school can be expensive. Check the following links to help find the money. Help can be found through grants, scholarships, and loans.
- Scholarship opportunities Scholarships
- Fastweb Culinary Arts Scholarships Search various scholarship opportunities
- Culinary College Scholarships Culinary scholarships
FASFA.gov Free federal financial aid application website
Industry News
- Nations Restaurant NewsStay up to date with the latest in restaurant news through the Nation’s Restaurant News website.
- National Restaurant Association Restaurant industry business association. The annual show in Chicago in May.
A list of apps for culinary students
Books
Books can serve as a resource or inspiration. This small list of culinary books is essential to those who study food.
- La Gastrominique The Culinary Encyclopedia
- Escoffier The Classic Cookbook
- Food Lovers Companion Food Dictionary
- The Joy of Cooking The classic all-purpose cookbook for the home chef and cooks of all abilities
- On Cooking The textbook that I used in Culinary School that is being updated and used today
Websites
- New York Times Food Food articles, recipes, and extensive videosTasty My favorite recipes and videos are he. re Tasty produces excellent video tutorials for cooks at all levels. They’re entertaining, visually appealing, and most of all educational.
Food Field Trips to Explore in Colorado
Here are some local flavors to be explored.
Celestial Seasonings Free tea tastings and tours
Hammonds Candy Free factory tour and tasting
Colorado Farmers Markets Links to all of the Colorado Farmers Markets to buy locally grown produce