Teaching the next generation of Alabama seafood chefs
When you think of colleges in Alabama, the first thing that comes to mind might have something to do with football, elephants and tigers—but something else is cooking. Or actually, someone else is cooking.
Alabama has a national reputation for amazing food, and colleges throughout the state offer culinary programs and degrees to continue the legacy. But these aren’t just your typical college courses. From Alabama’s first and only four-year Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts degree at University of North Alabama (UNA) to Auburn’s new 1856 Culinary Residence, chefs across the state are leading the way in educating a new generation of chefs and hospitality workers.
Tasting restaurants that give a taste of the future
Culinary students get a taste of restaurant life in a special way in programs like 1856, a teaching restaurant at Auburn University.
The Frederic’s Lunch Series at the Coastal Alabama Community College is a gourmet, three-course meal prepared and served by students of Coastal Alabama Community College’s Culinary and Hospitality program. The menu, which is created by students, changes every week, giving new and returning diners something to enjoy.
Just like chefs at our favorite local restaurants, the students at Frederic’s work to incorporate local ingredients, including Alabama Gulf Seafood.
“We like to use only Gulf Seafood. While some student ideas may include seafood from other waters, our goal is to be as local as possible,” Ed Douglas, director of the Gulf Shores campus, said. “When selecting seafood items, an effort is made to ensure that we use fish that are sustainably fished. We also like to use ‘by-catch’ on the menu in an effort to reduce our reliance on the big name fish in our area. We utilize fresh produce from local growers when available, and we grow our own herbs on property,”
Where culinary careers begin
Alabama offers more than a dozen culinary programs in colleges across the state, ranging from public and private universities to HBCUs. And the programs themselves vary, too. While some universities offer minors and elective classes, others offer longer programs and specialty degrees.
The Jeff Eubanks Culinary Arts Management Program at UNA is the state’s only four year BS in Culinary Arts, and it’s produced noteworthy chefs such as the 2024 Alabama Seafood Cook-Off winner, Chef Kyle Ogden.
The program, named after the late Jeff Eubanks who served as the executive chef at the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and a consistent mentor of culinary students at the UNA program, gives students the kind of experience that allows them to bring their learnings from the classroom to working in and starting restaurants.
“In the last 14 of the 17 years of our program creation, we have produced graduates who are executive chefs working at country clubs and free-standing restaurants, and several have opened and managed their businesses,” said Dr. Johnson Ogun, a professor and chef and director of the Jeff Eubanks Culinary Arts Management Program. “The course of study in place of culinary arts management has made it possible for our graduates to be successful in their chosen field.”
Courses like the Jeff Eubanks program will range from fresh food preparation to financial cost control and entrepreneurship. The curriculums are designed to give students the tools they need to find success in a culinary career. And the proof is in the pudding. In 2024, Jeff Eubanks graduate Kyle Ogden won the 2024 Alabama Seafood Cook-Off.
“Today, the hospitality and travel industry accounts for one of out of every 10 employment opportunities. As the accommodation and restaurant industry is creating jobs at the fastest rate of any sector in the economy, fueling this growth with the right skilled labor is a concern,” said Chef Einar, an associate professor in the Jeff Eubanks program.
Local culinary programs to consider
Alabama has plenty of programs to consider, whether you’re looking for a career change or deciding what to study when you graduate high school.
- Alabama A&M University, Department of Food and Animal Sciences (Huntsville)
- Auburn University, Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center (Auburn)
- Bishop State Community College, Culinary Arts (Mobile)
- Coastal Alabama Community College, Hospitality and Culinary Programs (Gulf Shores)
- Jacksonville State University, Hospitality and Culinary Management (Jacksonville)
- Jefferson State Community College, Culinary & Hospitality Institute (Birmingham)
- Lawson State Community College, Culinary Arts program (Birmingham)
- Shelton State Community College, Culinary Arts program (Tuscaloosa)
- Trenholm State Community College, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management program (Montgomery)
- Tuskegee University, Food Science program (Tuskegee)
- University of Alabama, Food and Nutrition program (Tuscaloosa)
- University of North Alabama, Jeff Eubanks Culinary Arts Management (Florence)
- Wallace State Community College, Culinary Arts program (Hanceville)
The next generation of Alabama chefs is just getting started—and we can’t wait to see what they cook up.