It's Time

Earn a Culinary Arts Certificate in 14 Weeks

Re-Opening in April

The Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute (formerly Cookology21) will be open in April for our full-time 14 week program, and in May for our 24 Week evening program. The curriculum will be taught in-person with a few online learning lectures.

Custom Payment Plans Available

Refund for Weeks Unable to Complete

Externship Placement

Job Placement

As a production kitchen we are eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccination per Virginia's Phase 1B status. We expect to have at least 90% of staff fully vaccinated before a new semester begins. We will still follow CDC guidelines for mask wearing and social distancing. Class is conducted under a 30 foot hood providing maximum ventilation. A PCR Covid-19 test will be mandatory for all students prior, and potentially during, the semester to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

MCAI is happy to announce that we are now offering payment plans for tuition. Weekly and monthly payments can be made and you can start the course now and finish it within two years, paying as you go.

We are certified to operate in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV).

Click here to learn more about the curriculum.

Financial Aid REsources

Sallie Mae Trade Loan

Financial Aid Research

Sallie Mae Trade Loan

Sallie Mae offers career and trade student loans up to 100% of all school-certified expenses.

This includes tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, travel, and a computer.

You’ll need to pay for this loan while you are in school, unlike many times when an in-school deferment is available.

Student Loan Hero

Financial Aid Research

Sallie Mae Trade Loan

Once you’ve maxed out your options for trade school grants and scholarships, student loans can fill a gap in funding. Here’s how to get trade school loans to pay for your education.

Financial Aid Research

Research Financial Aid - SCHEV's website provides information on financial aid for private schools like MCAI.

Check out their recommendations to find grants, scholarships and loans: FastWeb and FinAid.

14 WEEK PROGRAM BEGINS APRIL 26

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

DAYTIME

100% IN-PERSON

12 Weeks of Instruction - 2 Weeks Off = 14 Weeks

10 PARTICIPANTS MAX

MONDAY - FRIDAY 9AM - 5PM

COST: $15,500 for all 2021 Session

Semester Dates 2021 & 2022

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

2021

SUMMER SESSION 2021: Monday, June 7- Friday, September 10
FALL SESSION 2021: Monday, August 16 - Nov. 19

2022

WINTER SESSION 2022: Monday, Jan 3 - Friday, April 8 (TBD Days/Weeks Off)
SPRING SESSION 2022: Monday, April 11 - Friday, July 15 (TBD Days/Weeks Off)
SUMMER SESSION 2022: Monday, May 23 - Friday, August 26 (TBD Days/Weeks Off)
FALL SESSION 2022: Monday, August 29 - Friday, Dec. 2 (Thanksgiving Week Off & TBD Second Week)

24 Week evening/SATURDAY program begins May 10

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

EVENINGS & SATURDAYS

100% IN-PERSON

22 Weeks of Instruction - 2 Weeks off = 24 Weeks

10 PARTICIPANTS MAX

SATURDAYS 10AM - 5PM, MONDAY - THURSDAY 6PM-10PM

COST: $17,700 for 2021 Session; $19,000 for all other sessions

Semester Dates 2021 & 2022

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

2021 SESSION : Saturday, May 27 - Thursday, September 9, 2021 (TBD Weeks Off)
2021 - 2022 SESSION: Saturday, July 31 - Thursday, January 13, 2022 (Thanksgiving & Xmas Holiday Weeks Off)
2022 SESSION: Saturday, January 24, 2022 - Thursday, July 7 (TBD Weeks Off)
2022 - 2023 SESSION: TBD

Culinary Arts Certificate

Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute (MCAI), is a private postsecondary school putting a 21st century spin on culinary education. Our program was put under a microscope by the Commonwealth of Virginia by an organization called The State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV). SCHEV protects you, the student, and gives you a voice if you have any issues with MCAI. It also makes sure that our refund policy is locked tight and the same for each person. If any issues arise you are protected.

Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute strives to take a modern gastronomic approach to culinary education.

We are open to anyone looking to pave a new career path.

During each class you learn every dish, not just part of the dish that is assigned. Sounds like common sense right? I mean this is what you think you are paying for when you attend culinary school, but at all major culinary schools you learn the French way, which means you could walk out of culinary school not knowing how to make hollandaise sauce because it was assigned to someone else. WE DO NOT DO THIS. If it's on our curriculum, you will learn how to do it. There is no "luck of the draw" learning. This is just one of the ways MCAI is different.

The second differentiator is timing--short comprehensive program will get you working in the industry faster, or starting your business sooner. It's smarter education not harder.

The third differentiator is that our tuition is affordable, and even if you have to get a student loan you will not being paying it off for the next 10 - 20 years.

With the 14 or 24 week programs we offer, we aim to educate our students so that they can reach their creative goals, appreciate the true meaning of hospitality, understand the business complexities of food, wine, spirits and service, and compete for a place on the line.

MCAI achieves this by:

+ Small class sizes to ensure personal instruction
+ Flexible instruction offering daytime and evening classes.
+ Certificate of Completion
+ Teaching with modern or “21st century” gastronomic techniques, tools and ingredients
+ Using online content for study and practice
+ Giving students a realistic expectation of life after graduation
+ Continuous development through student, faculty, and staff feedback

WE HAVE PAYMENT PLANS TOO!

We changed our name from Cookology21 because it was too close to our recreational school's name, Cookology, and people were getting it confused.

Who is right for this program?

Have you ever dreamed about opening a food service business? This program is for the doers not the dreamers. It's a program designed to kick start your food service ideas, candy shop, cupcakery, or if you have a desire to become a personal chef to the stars. The sky is the limit.

Chefs & Cooks

Want to make your education complete? Longing to go to culinary school but can't afford it or find the time? We've got you covered.

Have you always wanted to go to culinary school?

Want to change professions? Are you looking to start a catering company or small food service company? Or maybe just want to have the satisfaction of a culinary education? Wherever you are, start right here!

Press Room

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

Check out our latest features and articles HERE

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

Our recreational school has been in business for 12 years. We are in two locations: Dulles Town Center & Ballston Quarter but temporarily closed due to C-19. We are offering virtual classes for adults & kids via our new website

www.cookology.live

What Does SCHEV Mean?

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

What Does SCHEV Mean?

The goal of the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV), is "to advocate and promote the development and operation of an educationally and economically sound, vigorous, progressive, and coordinated system of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia...Read More.

It's Time

Earn a Culinary Arts Certificate in 14 Weeks

Re-Opening in April

Financial Aid REsources

Sallie Mae Trade Loan

Financial Aid Research

Sallie Mae Trade Loan

Student Loan Hero

Financial Aid Research

Sallie Mae Trade Loan

Financial Aid Research

Financial Aid Research

Financial Aid Research

Let's Get Started

14 WEEK PROGRAM BEGINS APRIL 26

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

Semester Dates 2021 & 2022

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

14 WEEK Full-Time, DAYTIME Program

24 Week evening/SATURDAY program begins May 10

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

Semester Dates 2021 & 2022

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

24 WEEK: EVENING & SATURDAY IN-PERSON

Schedule a walk-through

Single In-Person OR Virtual Tours

Culinary Arts Certificate

Join Our Mailing List

Who is right for this program?

Chefs & Cooks

Have you always wanted to go to culinary school?

more

Press Room

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

What Does SCHEV Mean?

Cookology Recreational Culinary School

What Does SCHEV Mean?

Certified to Operate in Virginia by SCHEV