HOSPITALITY, FOOD & TOURISM

A Culinary Arts Professional, Chef, or Cook oversees food preparation, manages kitchen staff, plans menus, develops recipes, and orders supplies. They prepare meals in restaurants, private homes, or catering settings, handling roles ranging from cooking to supervising kitchen operations. Quality control, efficiency, communication, and creativity are essential in this profession. Chefs ensure food safety standards, maintain kitchen hygiene, train kitchen staff, and create appealing dishes that satisfy customers.

NOW ENROLLING NEAR PITTSBURGH, PA

What Could I Earn?

National median annual pay (2023) for culinary arts professionals in the top industries in which they worked were as follows

How Do I Become A Culinary Arts Professional?

Becoming a Culinary Arts Professional requires a combination of education, hands-on experience, and technical skill. These can typically be acquired through a trade school or vocational program, community college, or 4-year university, depending on the breadth of knowledge and experience required. A short curriculum may read as follows:

Culinary Foundations & Cooking Techniques

Students will build essential kitchen skills, food preparation techniques, and ingredient knowledge. They will learn seasonings, stocks, sauces, baking principles, and cooking methods while gaining hands-on experience in knife skills, recipe standardization, and food safety. Training covers plant-based foods, dairy, proteins, breakfast cookery, and sandwich-making, preparing students for advanced culinary applications.

Kitchen & Restaurant Management

Students will gain expertise in restaurant operations, kitchen supervision, purchasing, and inventory management. They will explore menu planning, cost analysis, facilities design, and customer service while developing leadership skills in food safety, dining room management, bartending, and tableside service for front- and back-of-house operations.

Advanced Cooking & International Cuisine

Students will refine cooking techniques, menu planning, and plating skills while exploring American and international cuisines. They will rotate through various kitchen roles, experiment with fermentation, curing, and preservation, and analyze cultural influences on food. Training includes advanced meal preparation, critical thinking, and nutritional awareness, preparing students for diverse culinary careers.

Baking & Pastry Arts

Students will master baking fundamentals and advanced pastry techniques, including bread, cakes, cookies, and dough preparation. Training covers ingredient functions, recipe conversions, precision measuring, and equipment handling. Advanced topics include pastry cream, mousse, ganache, phyllo dough, and cake decorating, developing students’ creativity and consistency in pastry arts.

Professional & Career Development

Students will prepare for careers through resume building, job search strategies, and interview techniques. Training includes professional networking, career exploration, alternative culinary paths, and social media marketing. They will learn branding, revenue streams, and ethical food practices, equipping them for success in modern culinary professions.

Chef Practicum & Preparing for Kitchen Entry

Students will apply their skills in a real-world culinary setting, taking on leadership roles such as Chef de Cuisine or Sous Chef as part of their capstone. They will oversee menu production, cost analysis, ingredient procurement, and meal execution. This practicum provides critical industry experience, team supervision, and professional readiness, bridging the gap between education and career placement.

Students build kitchen skills, food prep techniques, and ingredient knowledge. Training covers seasonings, sauces, baking, knife skills, food safety, and cooking methods for various cuisines.

Students refine cooking techniques, menu planning, and plating skills. Training explores international cuisines, fermentation, curing, preservation, and the cultural influences on food.

Students master baking fundamentals and pastry techniques, including breads, cakes, cookies, and specialty desserts. Training includes precision measuring, recipe conversions, and advanced pastry creations.

Students learn restaurant operations, kitchen supervision, purchasing, and menu planning. Training includes cost control, customer service, food safety, and front- and back-of-house leadership skills.

Students prepare for culinary careers through resume building, job search strategies, and networking. Training includes branding, social media marketing, and alternative culinary paths.

Students apply skills in real-world kitchens, overseeing menu production, cost analysis, and meal execution. This practicum builds leadership, teamwork, and professional readiness.

What Could I Earn?

National median annual pay (2023) for culinary arts professionals in the top industries in which they worked were as follows

$66,310

Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries

$65,970

Traveler accommodation

$63,210

Special food services

$55,180

Restaurants and other eating places