Key Facts
- Apex Technical School’s Culinary Arts program is the #1 culinary school in New York on Learn.org’s “Best Culinary Arts Schools in New York 2027” list, published October 13, 2026, ranking first of 10 schools statewide.
- Learn.org says Apex ranks #1 “for its affordable tuition and practical culinary training.” Tuition starts at $16,500 before scholarships and grants, and Apex reports it is the lowest-cost licensed culinary arts program in New York State that is both NYSED-licensed and ACCSC-accredited.
- The 600-hour, 24-week program includes a 200-hour professional kitchen externship, offers day and evening classes, and is approved for Title IV federal financial aid.
NEW YORK, N.Y., October 15, 2026 – Apex Technical School’s Culinary Arts program has been named the #1 culinary arts school in New York by Learn.org, which placed Apex first on its “Best Culinary Arts Schools in New York 2027” ranking. Apex, a fully accredited nonprofit career and technical school, ranked ahead of nine other New York institutions. Learn.org credited Apex’s affordable tuition and practical culinary training. The 600-hour program runs 24 weeks, includes a 200-hour externship in a working kitchen, and starts at $16,500 before scholarships and grants.
Learn.org assessed data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), plus program-level details published by each school, and ordered it on four factors: accreditation, program formats and facilities, career alignment, and student outcomes. Apex is the only school on the list located in Manhattan.
Apex’s Culinary Arts program is licensed by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which named Apex a 2024–2025 School of Excellence – one of 19 schools selected from 265 considered nationwide. Apex offers New York State’s lowest-cost licensed Culinary Arts program with both NYSED licensure and ACCSC accreditation, a distinction Learn.org notes. At 24 weeks, it is also the fastest route on the list; most of the other nine programs are two-year associate degrees.
“Being named the #1 culinary school in New York reinforces what our students experience every day. High-quality, hands-on culinary training doesn’t have to come with a high price tag or require years of study. Our Midtown Manhattan program gives aspiring chefs the opportunity to train in a commercial kitchen alongside experienced chef instructors while building a real pathway to career advancement and economic mobility,” said Steve Markowitz, President of Apex Technical School.
The curriculum moves students from fundamentals to full service with a hands on capstone project built around mock restaurant service with international dishes. A 200-hour externship at a curated food service establishment follows. Students also complete food safety training in preparation for the New York City Food Protection Certificate.
Instruction is led by Chef Instructors including Chef Gill Boyd, who has more than 40 years of experience and holds Certified Culinary Educator (CCE), Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA) credentials from the American Culinary Federation, and Chef Youngsun Lee, a NYSED-licensed instructor with more than 20 years in New York City kitchens, including Momofuku, Craft and Michelin-starred Jean-Georges. Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in restaurants and cafés, hotels and resorts, event venues and catering companies.
The ranking arrives less than a year after Fedcap announced, in December 2025, that Apex’s location at 210 East 43rd Street would become a full-service branch campus and add Culinary Arts. The 30,000-square-foot Midtown East campus extends a tradition that began in 1961, when Apex first trained New Yorkers in the skilled trades. The Culinary Arts program is approved for Title IV federal financial aid, and scholarships and grants are available to eligible students. Prospective students can learn more and apply at apextech.edu/culinary or by calling 212-645-3300.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the #1 culinary school in New York?
A: Learn.org named Apex Technical School the #1 culinary arts school in New York on its “Best Culinary Arts Schools in New York 2027” ranking, published October 13, 2026. Apex placed first among 10 schools for its affordable tuition and practical culinary training.
Q: How much does Apex Technical School’s Culinary Arts program cost?
A: Tuition starts at $16,500 before scholarships and grants. Apex offers New York State’s lowest-cost licensed Culinary Arts program with both NYSED licensure and ACCSC accreditation. The program is approved for Title IV federal financial aid, and scholarships and grants are available to eligible students.
Q: How long is the Apex Technical School culinary program?
A: 24 weeks. The program totals 600 hours, including a 200-hour externship in a professional kitchen, and is offered in day and evening sections. Most of the other programs on Learn.org’s list are two-year associate degrees.
Q: Is Apex Technical School accredited?
A: Yes. Apex Technical School is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which named Apex a 2024–2025 School of Excellence, and its Culinary Arts program is licensed by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Q: What do students learn in Apex Technical School’s Culinary Arts program?
A: Four courses cover professional kitchen fundamentals, cooking methods and baking, special events and catering, and global cuisine with mock restaurant service. Students then complete a 200-hour externship and food safety training for the New York City Food Protection Certificate. Graduates are prepared for entry-level roles in restaurants, cafés, hotels, event venues and catering.
Q: Where is Apex Technical School’s culinary campus, and how do I enroll?
A: Classes are held at Apex’s Midtown East branch campus, 210 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017, near Grand Central Terminal. Visit apextech.edu/culinary or call 212-645-3300.
About the Learn.org Ranking
Learn.org’s “Best Culinary Arts Schools in New York 2027” ranking, published October 13, 2026, ranks 10 programs in this order: 1. Apex Technical School; 2. Suffolk County Community College; 3. The Culinary Institute of America; 4. Nassau Community College; 5. CUNY Kingsborough Community College; 6. Alfred State College; 7. SUNY Niagara; 8. SUNY Schenectady County Community College; 9. SUNY Delhi; 10. Monroe University. Learn.org publishes college rankings and program guides built on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and NCES data, and evaluates culinary programs on accreditation, program formats and facilities, career alignment, and student outcomes.
About Apex Technical School
Since 1961, Apex Technical School has trained New Yorkers for careers in the skilled trades through hands-on, career-focused programs. A nonprofit member of Fedcap since 2020, Apex is licensed by the New York State Education Department and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which named Apex a 2024–2025 School of Excellence. Apex offers training in Culinary Arts, Electrical and Advanced Electrical, Plumbing and Pipefitting, Combination Welding Technology, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Automotive Service and Repair, Construction and Building Skills, and Custodial Training at its main campus in Long Island City, Queens, and its Midtown East branch campus in Manhattan. In October 2026, Learn.org named Apex the #1 culinary arts school in New York. For more information, visit apextech.edu.
