Culinary Internship Semester

On-the-Job Training in World-Class Restaurants

There’s only one way to see what it’s really like out there in the food industry—an awesome internship experience (or “externship,” as we like to call it in this industry)! And that’s just what you’ll get with CIA’s unparalleled industry contacts at your fingertips. During your semester-long, résumé-building internship at one of more than 2,000 CIA-approved locations, you’ll interact with professionals, build an industry network, and be a part of the action in a real work environment. When you graduate, you’ll be so ready.

Here’s just a small sampling of the industry segments and companies that recruit CIA interns to work in their kitchens and within their organizations:

A pastry chef in a white uniform and hat uses a piping bag filled with chocolate to fill small molds on a baking tray. The workspace is a professional kitchen with equipment and utensils visible in the background.

Baking & Pastry

Internships - Bread Alone Bakery
Internships - Charm City Cakes
Internships - Jacques Torres Chocolate
Internships - King Arthur Flour Bakery

Corporate R&D

Internships - Edlong Dairy Technologies
Internships - McCormick & Company
Internships - Sabra
Internships - Sonic Drive-in

Foodservice Management/Corporate Dining

Internships - Aramark
Internships - Compass Group
Internships - Delaware North
Internships - Google

Grocery/Consumer Packaged Goods

Internships - Fairway Market
Internships - H-E-B Grocery
Internships - Wegmans
Internships - Whole Foods

Hospitality/Catering

Internships - Abigail Kirsch
Internships - The Bonura Hospitality Group
Internships - Legends Hospitality
Internships - Union Square Hospitality Group

Lodging

Internships - The Broadmoor Hotel
Internships - The Greenbrier
Internships - Inn at Little Washington
Internships - Ritz Carlton

Restaurant

Internships - Jean-Georges
Internships - Morimoto
Internships - Restaurant Daniel
Internships - Roy’s Restaurant

Travel/Resort

Internships - American Cruise Lines
Internships - Four Seasons
Internships - Hershey Entertainment & Resorts
Internships - Walt Disney World

Wine and Beverage

Internships - Beringer Wine Estates
Internships - Clif Family Winery
Internships - Del Dotto Vineyards
Internships - J Vineyards & Winery

What’s it Like Being a CIA Intern?

Read all about it in student Julia Spondike’s four-part blog series about her exciting internship experience at McCormick & Company, a global leader in flavor:

A waiter, wearing a white shirt, black tie, and dark apron, is holding a plate and a small container while smiling at diners. Various people are seated at tables in the restaurant. A decorative rooster is displayed in the background on a shelf.

Chat With a Student

Are you curious about what it’s really like to attend CIA? We’ve got you covered. Our students are ready to answer the questions you haven’t asked anyone else, share their own personal experiences, and give you genuine advice—because they’ve gone through it, too.

Also in this Section

Restaurants: Learning By Doing

Time to get to work! You’ll be thrown into the mix in these real-world, live-action classrooms. 

The Culinary Institute of America