Over 150 courses are offered by professionals representing a wide range of culinary experience and cuisines. Classes are held seven days a week during morning, afternoon and evening hours. Topics include ethnic and regional cuisines, culinary techniques, home entertaining, light-style cooking, baking and desserts. The New York Restaurant School started in 1981 as a division of the New School for Social Research. It received independent licensing in 1987 and now offers associate degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management and certificates in pastry arts and culinary skills.
Classes run around the clock and students can attend full or part-time.
NYRS recently established an exchange program with the city of Moscow and HLF Krems, a culinary school in Austria in an effort to provide training in foodservice to Russian students. The agreement also allows students from NYRS to train at Krems. In the belief that a successful chef requires a broad education, Peter Kump's New York Cooking School requires all of its applicants to have completed at least two years of college. This is followed by a six-week externship. Students are encouraged whenever possible to take their externship in France.