Culinary Arts and Hospitality Certificate of Achievement

This certificate program is designed to prepare students in the Culinary Arts. The program's approach equip students with the relevant skills to enter a robust  hospitality job market in the Bay Area. Students completing the curriculum with an average final grade of C+ or higher (2.5 GPA) will receive a Certificate of Achievement in Culinary Arts and Hospitality. This credit certificate provides short-term culinary and service skills training for entry into the labor market.

The projected number of annual completers for the Certificate of Achievement – Culinary Arts and Hospitality is 20-25 students. 

The goals of the Certificate of Achievement – Culinary Arts, is to provide students with strong foundational and practical culinary and management skills necessary to succeed in the hospitality industry.

The interdisciplinary focus provides basic culinary and service skills training. Includes instruction in recipe and menu planning, preparing and cooking of foods, supervising and training kitchen assistants, the management of food supplies and kitchen resources, aesthetics of food presentation, and familiarity or mastery of a wide variety of cuisines and culinary techniques. The skill set will allow the students to participate immediately in the Restaurant and Hospitality field.

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Apply front of the house operations and methods of service to a variety of tasks in the food service industry.
• Apply the concept and techniques of sanitation, personal hygiene and professional attire to hospitality environments.
• Anticipate and perform the responsibilities of a line and/or pastry cook in a professional kitchen.

The foundational courses emphasized in this certificate, address the communication and social skills that the students need to collaborate in achieving a common goal. This certificate not only provides the students with the knowledge necessary for success in the Hospitality industry, but also equips them with experiential learning through hands-on training.

The following courses are required for the Certificate of Achievement for Culinary Arts and Hospitality:

                                                                                                                                                                                              Units               Sequence

CAHS 100      Introduction to Hospitality                                                                                                                             3.0                   S1  Y1

Bio 121           Sanitation Principles and Practices                                                                                                             2.0                   S1  Y1

CAHS 10A     Culinary Fundamentals I                                                                                                                                  5.0                   S1  Y1

CAHS 10B      Culinary Fundamentals I (Baking and Pastry)                                                                                               5.0                   S1  Y1

CAHS 30A     Restaurant Operations                                                                                                                                    4.5                   S2  Y1

CAHS 30B     Restaurant Operations                                                                                                                                    4.5                   S2  Y1

CAHS 20A     Culinary Fundamentals II A                                                                                                                              3.0                   S3  Y2

CAHS 20B      Culinary Fundamentals II B                                                                                                                            3.0                   S3  Y2

CAHS 20C      Culinary Fundamentals II C                                                                                                                            3.0                   S3  Y2

                                                                 Certificate Total        33.0

The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Certificate is designed to provide students with strong foundational and practical culinary and front of the house skills necessary to succeed in the hospitality industry. Students learn through hands-on culinary, front of the house and academically related classes to develop real-world skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the food service, restaurant, and hospitality industry. The foundational courses emphasized in this certificate address the communication and social skills that the students need to collaborate in achieving a common goal. This certificate not only provides the students with the knowledge necessary for success in the Hospitality industry, but also equips them with experiential learning through hands-on training.

The following community colleges offer similar programs: • Diablo Valley offers both a certificate as well as a degree in Culinary Arts • Contra Costa offers both a certificate as well as a degree in Culinary Arts • Laney College offers a certificate in Culinary Arts • Santa Rosa Junior College offers a variety of certificates of completion as well as degrees in Culinary Arts.