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Culinary Arts Associate Degree Program
Prepare for a rewarding career in the culinary and hospitality industry with Delgado Community College's Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Culinary Arts. Located in the heart of New Orleans, one of the world's most celebrated culinary destinations, our program combines hands-on training, classroom instruction, and real-world experience to prepare graduates for careers in professional kitchens, bakeries, hotels, catering companies, and food service operations.
Students can customize their education by choosing one of two career-focused concentrations:
- Professional Culinarian – Develop advanced cooking techniques, kitchen operations, leadership skills, and restaurant management knowledge for careers as a professional chef or culinary manager.
- Baking and Pastry Arts – Master artisan breads, cakes, pastries, desserts, chocolates, confections, and decorative techniques while preparing for careers as a pastry chef or bakery professional.
What You'll Learn
Delgado's Culinary Arts Program prepares graduates with the technical expertise, business knowledge, and leadership skills employers value. Through extensive hands-on laboratory instruction, students learn to work safely, efficiently, and professionally in commercial kitchens while developing the confidence to succeed in a variety of culinary careers.
Graduates of the Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts are prepared to:
- Demonstrate professional food preparation and cooking techniques for a variety of culinary environments.
- Plan, organize, and execute food production while maintaining quality standards and controlling food and labor costs.
- Apply culinary mathematics, menu planning, purchasing, inventory management, and production planning principles.
Program Outcomes
After completing the Culinary Arts, A.A.S. degree, our graduates are able to demonstrate the following skills:
- Food preparation skills necessary for a variety of culinary operations.
- Organizational skills in planning and documenting food production activities and the ability to implement and maintain cost and quality controls to meet operational goals of the various service areas.
- Emerging management skills including leadership necessary for building and maintaining a food service team.
- Effective communication skills integral to maintaining rapport with both co-workers and customers.
- Skills necessary to train entry-level food service employees.
- Problem-solving skills essential to successful employment.
- Apply knowledge of culinary math, written & oral communication, restaurant business knowledge, kitchen supervision, and cooking abilities.
Concentration Choices
Students in the Culinary Arts Associate Degree program may choose between two concentrations: Professional Culinarian and Pastry Arts.
FAQs
What kind of jobs can I get with a culinary arts degree?
A degree can open the door to a wide range of jobs in restaurants, hotels, catering companies, bakeries, casinos, cruise lines, and institutional food service.
How long does it take to get a culinary associate degree?
It typically takes about 2 years to complete if you attend full-time.
What skills do you learn?
You'll learn a combination of professional cooking techniques, kitchen management skills, food safety practices, and business fundamentals.
Some of the skills you will learn include:
- Knife skills and food preparation
- Stocks, soups, and sauces
- Meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetable cookery
- Baking and pastry techniques
- Menu planning
- International and regional cuisines
- Plating and food presentation
- Commercial kitchen equipment operation
- Food purchasing and receiving
- Inventory control
- Cost control and food costing
- Production planning
- Catering operations