The program will give students the needed skills, knowledge and experience to obtain an entry-level position in the food service industry. Restaurants, hotel kitchens, catering, cafeterias and personal chef positions all require practical experience in professional cooking. This program will provide some of those skills and the opportunity to continue to grow in the field by laying the foundation to advance to the Certificate of Achievement and AS degree programs in Culinary Arts: Professional.

The field of Professional Food Service has proven to provide an array of employment. Changes in economic climates historically has proven to be relatively stable because people will always need to eat. Today the interest in food and cooking is at an all time high. Cooking shows, magazines and social media are all trending heavily in favor of food, cooking and dining. Career opportunities include a wide variety of positions but are not limited to prep cooks, pantry, cooks, line cooks, catering cooks and baker's assistants. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the culinary arts profession is slated to grow exponentially and California outperforms the average pay and number of jobs of jobs in the nation.

Positions that student can expect to find upon graduation include:

• Banquet Chef; Certified Executive Chef (CEC); Chef; Chef, Instructor; Cook; Corporate Executive Chef; Executive Chef (Ex Chef); Executive Sous Chef; Head Cook; Line Cook.
• Cafeteria Manager, Dietary Supervisor, Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor, Food Production Supervisor, Food Service Director, Food Service Manager, Food Service Supervisor, Kitchen Manager, Kitchen Supervisor, Restaurant Manager.
• Appetizer Preparer, Back Line Cook, Banquet Cook, Breakfast Cook, Broil Cook, Cook, Fry Cook, Grill Cook, Line Cook, Prep Cook (Preparation Cook).
• Car Hop, Deli Clerk (Delicatessen Clerk), Deli Worker (Delicatessen Worker), Dietary Aide, Food Service Assistant, Food Service Worker, Prep Cook (Preparation Cook), Sandwich Artist, School Cafeteria Cook, Server.
• Baker, Bakery Clerk, Bakery Manager, Cake Decorator, Dough Mixer, Machine Operator, Mixer, Pastry Chef, Processor, Scaler. 

Certificate of Achievement Requirements

Complete all Department Requirements for the Certificate of Achievement with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better or “Pass” in all courses required. Candidates for a Certificate of Achievement are required to complete at least 20% of the department requirements through SBCC.

1. Apply the concepts and techniques of sanitation to a food service environment.
2. Demonstrate the use of proper purchasing, storage and costing techniques to profitably operate a fine dining establishment.
3. Demonstrate the ability to work in a variety of dining room environments as a bus-person, waiter, table captain and sommelier.
4. Articulate the knowledge needed to be a supervisor in a food service establishment.
5. Describe the skills and knowledge needed to be a lead cook, saucier, sous-chef, assistant pastry chef in a food service establishment.

Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.

How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.