Culinary Arts Associate Degree Program

Earn your associate degree in Culinary Arts and choose between two concentrations:

• Professional Culinarian
• Baking and Pastry Arts

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

• Professional Culinarian Concentration
• Pastry Arts Concentration