I would like documented proof on the Culinary school that has the
lowest student to teacher ratio for the past 10 years. I know we make
the statement we have the lowest student teacher ratio. I have never
seen a detailed list our finding to dispute our claim. I believe no
school has a lower student teacher ratio. I cannot find any research
to proof our claim is incorrect. In the United States, we have the
lowest, but in the world?

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Request for Question Clarification by cath-ga on 15 Dec 2003 09:02 PST

Hello richardglen,

as I make an attempt at your question it would help to know what 
your teacher/student ratio is. That way, if I find something
lower, I can let you know. Do you care to tell me the name
of your school, or at least the location? That way I won't
come back saying, "Aha! So and so is the same as you!" when
so and so is actually you. Thanks, cath-ga

---

Request for Question Clarification by cath-ga on 15 Dec 2003 10:27 PST

Hi again,

What would you consider "documented proof?" If someone is advertising
a particular ratio on their website, is that sufficient for you? 
Also, I believe I can find out something on current ratios. But
going back ten years is probably not possible. If I can provide
you with a website listing the current lowest ratio, will that
be OK? Thanks, cath-ga

---

Clarification of Question by richardglen-ga on 15 Dec 2003 10:31 PST

NEw England Culinary Institute has the lowest student teacher ratio of
7 to 1. Please confirm the claim is true. I know of no school that can
dispute our claim.

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Clarification of Question by richardglen-ga on 15 Dec 2003 10:36 PST

I consider documented proof, an outside source other than New England
Culinary Institute who makes the same claim. USA today, Wallstreet,
the Department of Education. Our website shows the 7 to 1, it is true.
However, our there any other culinary schools who can meet our claim?
Forget the ten years. Is the claim true today?

Dear richardglen,

Thanks very much for your question! It is to your credit that you 
have attempted to verify your claims about your student-teacher 
ratio. Your New England Culinary Institute does indeed have one 
of the lowest teacher-student ratios in the industry. However, 
a claim to be THE lowest may have to be qualified a little. 

In searching the Internet, there are a few listings
in Shaw's Guide to  Career Cooking and Wine Schools,
and on Petersons Culinary Schools.com that equal or beat 7:1.
I know these are not the independent sources you mentioned,
but I think they are the best we will find, since many of
the schools are not ?college credit? courses. Their 
accreditation depends on the same self-reporting that
the guides use. Newspapers and journals are also going
to depend on self-reporting in cases like this.

One school close to you that has a lower ratio is
Boston University Culinary Arts: The ratio according to 
the Shaw Guide is 6:1. I e-mailed Rebecca Alssid, the 
director of that program to confirm that the Shaw Guide 
was correct, and she wrote back:

?We have a ratio of 1 chef to 12 students and we always 
have an additional chef-instructor on hand so that the ratio 
is always 1 to 6 or 2 to 12.?

Rebecca Alssid
Director of Special Programs
Boston University Culinary Arts
808 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Phone: 617-353-9852
Fax: 617-353-4130
E-mail: ralssid@bu.edu

Anna  Doyle, Assistant Director of Life Long Learning at 
Boston University,  which includes the Culinary Arts school,  
told me on the phone that BU accepts just 12 students per 
semester in the culinary program, and they go through the 
program together. Each class has a two chefs on hand, so a 
6 to 1 ratio.

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/BostonUniversityCulinaryArts/?ci=195.653079&pi=4&q=1

There?s also a very small program in France, with 6:1 ratio:

Robert Reynolds Apprenticeship in France
222 SE 18th Ave.Portland, Oregon 97214 
USAPhone: 503-233-1934E-mail: rowbear@attglobal.net

They have a 6-1 Ratio according to the Shaw Guide. Reynold?s 
website indicates he accepts 6 students at a time and he?s the 
chef-teacher.

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/RobertReynolds/?ci=244.672081&pi=1&q=1

I also found in the Shaw Guide a program in Italy with a 7:1 ratio:

Slow Food?Master Italian Cooking Program

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/SlowFoodMasterItalianCookingProgram/


In Ireland, you may have heard of the Ballymaloe Cookery School.
The Shaw Guide lists them with a 7-1 ratio.

Ballymaloe Cookery School
Shanagarry, Midleton, Co Cork, Ireland
Phone ## 353 (0) 21 4646785
Fax:## 353 (0) 21 4646 909
Email: enquiries@ballymaloe-cookery-school.ie

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/BallymaloeCookerySchool/?ci=242.672081&pi=1&q=1

http://www.ballymaloe-cookery-school.ie

The Culinary School of the Rockies in Boulder, CO only advertises
an 8-1 ratio. However, since 1996, they have never exceeded a 7 to 1 
ratio, according to Director of Professional Programs, Chef Andy
Floyd. Sometimes they have had fewer than 7 to 1.  They only
?guarantee?
8 to 1, because there are 16 spaces and two teachers. But since the 
school's inception, there have never been 16 students.

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/CulinarySchooloftheRockies/?ci=239.672081&pi=1&q=1


There?s also a pastry school near you with a 6:1 ratio. Not in the
same category, I know:

Delphin's Gourmandise School of Pastry
Located in Marblehead, north of Boston

http://www.delphins.com/index.php


Also, not in the same category as you, I know but you might
be interested to know the United States Personal Chef Institute claims 
a student teacher ratio of 4:1.

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/UnitedStatesPersonalChefInstitute/


The School of Natural Cookery, featuring vegetarian and whole foods,
in Boulder, CO has very low ratios.


Student:Teacher Ratio 4-8:1 according to the Shaw Guide. This may 
?average? to at least 7-1.

The CEO of the School of Natural Cookery e-mailed me:

?The student teacher ratio varies from 1 ? 8 (10) in lecture to 
1 : 1 in the Personal Chef Training. Cooking lab sessions are 
1: 5 at the most. You can view this in our catalog for 
verification, or speak to a graduate.?

Above e-mail is from Joanne Saltzman.
 
http://www.naturalcookery.com/

As a former television reporter, I know the key is to carefully word
your assertions to make sure they are true. You may want to say 
?We have the lowest student-teacher ratio of any leading (or large, 
or full-service, or independent) culinary school.? Or something along 
those lines. You might also use the words ?class size? instead of ratios 
if that is more flattering, yet still accurate. In any case, you can 
certainly claim to best Le Cordon Bleu.

Although Le Cordon Bleu claims to be the worldwide leader
in culinary education, it makes no claim to have the lowest 
student teacher ratios. The teacher-student ratios at the schools 
range from 10-16:1

Le Cordon Bleu, London
Student:Teacher Ratio	10:1
	
Le Cordon Bleu, Sydney
Faculty-student ratio: 1:12.?
http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/LeCordonBleuLondon/

Le Cordon Bleu, Ottawa  1:16
http://www.culinaryschools.com/schools/352.html

I know this is not the result you were hoping to get, but I hope the
evidence I gathered is sufficient to show that a blanket claim of
?lowest in the world? would not be accurate. (Remember I was only
searching sites in English, too.)If anything is unclear
in my answer, please don?t hesitate to push the ?Clarify Answer?
button before you rate me. Sincerely, cath-ga

Here are some resources that may interest you:

Shaw Guides ? A Guide to Career Cooking and Wine Schools

http://cookingcareer.shawguides.com/

Culinary Schools.Com by Peterson:
http://www.culinaryschools.com/

Cooking Schools Worldwide Website at:
http://www.cookingschoolguide.com/index.htm

2001 Culinary School Guide
http://www.rimag.com/1901/images/2001_culinary_school_gude.pdf


If you want the latest info in book form, you can buy the
Petersons Culinary Schools 2003 (Culinary Schools, 2003)
by Authors: Petersons , Petersons Publishing Released: 
January, 2003 ISBN: 0768908175 Paperback 

or

The Guide to Cooking Schools 2003: Cooking Schools, Courses, 
Vacations, Apprenticeships and Wine Programs Throughout the 
World (Guide to Cooking Schools) 
by Authors: ShawGuides Inc , Dorlene Kaplan 
Released: 11 September, 2002 
ISBN: 0945834306 
Paperback

search strategy:

culinary school lowest student teacher ratio
culinary school 6 to 1 student teacher ratio
culinary school 7 to 1 student teacher ratio
?culinary institute? + ?7 to 1 student teacher ratio ?
?culinary institute? + ?6 to 1 student teacher ratio?
cooking school + 7 to 1 student teacher ratio
cooking school + 6 to 1 student teacher ratio
?small classes? + culinary school

On the Shaw Guide site:
small class size
student teacher ratio