Culinary Schools in British Columbia

British Columbia is the most visited province in Canada. As home to Vancouver, a top city for hockey and movie production, as well as Victoria and Whistler, tourists flock to this province for the many activities, the bustling entertainment industry and to treat themselves to the diverse array of culinary arts. The province's specialties include seafood straight from the Pacific Ocean, as well as an array of meat, dairy and agricultural products sourced from the region's many farms.

Because of the high demand for hospitality in British Columbia, there are a large number of culinary programs that help train people to succeed in this thriving industry. The job market is good, as the hospitality industry has continued to remain strong. Some of the top-rated culinary programs, including Le Cordon Bleu and the Arts Institute, offer a culinary education to people who want to get a good start to their career in this vibrant province. The average salary of an executive chef in British Columbia is $17.47 per hour. Experienced and educated chefs have the potential to earn more.

Some of the top names in the world of culinary arts have come out of British Columbia. These include Hidekazu Tojo, who is one of the top sushi chefs, Dale MacKay, who won a television cooking competition, and Umberto Menghi, who is a bestselling author of cookbooks and an award-winning chef. These names show the potential that this job market has for up-and-coming chefs.

If you want to get started in a province that is a hotspot for cooking talent, attend one of the culinary schools in the area.

British Columbia is ranked as the 5th largest in terms of total area and the 3rd most populous province in Canada. The province is bordered by Alberta, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories of Canada, and Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Washington of the United States. With a total area of 364,765 square miles, the geographical features of British Columbia include rivers, mountains, forests, valleys, meadows, and prairies.

Colleges

If you are thinking of coming to British Columbia for your education in the culinary arts, you should check out Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, Cascade Culinary Arts School, Vancouver Culinary Arts and Design School, College of the Rockies, North Island College, The School of Northwest Culinary Arts, and Thompson Rivers University.

Climate

Bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia’s coastal areas experience mild, rainy oceanic climate. In the most populated areas of British Columbia, the annual mean temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius. In the North and the Interior, the winters can be severe. In Prince George, the average overnight low in January is about -14 degrees Celsius.

Local Culture

As British Columbia has a large population of immigrants, the local culture is always evolving, and different towns and cities will have their own unique cultural heritage. There are many cultural activities within the province such as fairs, festivals, art exhibitions, literary readings, live theatre, dance, concerts, and lectures.

Population

British Columbia has a total population of 4.4 million in 2011. The largest ethnic groups in the province are English, Scottish, Canadian, Irish, German, Chinese, French, East Indian, and Ukrainian.

Largest Cities

The largest cities in British Columbia are Vancouver, Victoria, Kamloops, Kelowna, Abbotsford, Prince George, Fort St. John, and Vernon.

Festivals and Fairs

Canadian National BBQ Championships, Okanagan Summer Wine Festival, Feast of Fields, Penticton Peach Festival, Slow Food Cycle Sunday