Oklahoma's Culinary Colleges Keep the Pioneer Spirit Alive
By Sonja Albrecht
Oklahoma’s famous state anthem reveals one of the best aspects of cooking school in the heartland: farm-fresh produce and an appreciation for wholesome food. In addition to the ‘wavin’ wheat,’ Oklahoma’s fertile farmland offers ‘barley, carrots and pertaters???pasture fer the cattle, spinach and termayters! ”
Oklahoma’s culinary colleges enjoy access to a wide range of local produce: Oklahoma is a major source of wheat, cattle, pecans and peanuts, and peaches. The food-conscious farming population ensures high standards in local restaurants. Many Oklahomans grow flavorful tomatoes in their gardens—the watery supermarket variety has no chance here.
The flipside to Oklahoma’s rural heritage, of course, is the cosmopolitan flair of its major cities. Culinary colleges feature state-of-the-art facilities and professional faculty. Cooking school in Oklahoma may give you a solid education in ‘pertater’ varieties, but it will also teach you how to bake them into a Gratin Daphinoise with Gruyere.
On break from cooking school classes, you’ll have an opportunity to explore Oklahoma’s ‘Frontier Country.’ Oklahoma retains its pioneer spirit with a thriving Native American community (the second largest after California), wide open skies, and western-style rodeos.
Many culinary colleges are located in Oklahoma City or Tulsa. Both cities reflect Oklahoma’s characteristic contrast between cosmopolitan culture and traditional Americana. Oklahoma City is not only home to world class cooking schools and art museums, but also to the International Pro Rodeo Association. You may find yourself enjoying the Festival of the Arts and the Rodeo Finals, then heading over to the American Cowboy museum.
This contrast is what makes Oklahoma culinary colleges what they are—not just another urban culinary scene, but a particularly American blend of sophistication and rural heritage.
Sources
OklahomaTourism.gov
TravelOK.com