About the Culinary Arts Certificate
Kendall College’s Certificate in Culinary Arts program will equip you with foundational cooking techniques you can apply to the professional kitchen. You’ll start by exploring the fundamentals of cooking before moving on to advanced culinary techniques and skills. You’ll gain hands-on experience as you prepare food for Kendall’s on-campus venues, including our Zagat-rated, Michelin Guide–recommended fine-dining restaurant, The Dining Room. This program prepares you to confidently enter any caliber of restaurant and to eventually step into roles of significant responsibility within the industry.
Designed for working adults, you’ll attend evening classes three times per week for three consecutive quarters, completing the certificate in less than a year. After completion, you may choose to apply these credits toward an A.A.S. or B.A. degree at Kendall College.
Program Highlights
Evening Classes
Fit your coursework around your busy schedule with the program’s flexible evening classes. You’ll attend classes three nights per week for three, ten-week quarters. You’ll gain hands-on experience and dedicated instruction without having to sacrifice your current job or lifestyle.
Quick Graduation
Jumpstart your culinary career by completing the certificate program in under a year. At eight credits per quarter, your course load will be manageable, as well.
Hands-On Learning
Master culinary techniques and build your knowledge in our state-of-the-art kitchen classrooms. Experience a fast-paced restaurant environment by creating dishes for our Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, The Dining Room.
Faculty Expertise
Learn from some of the most respected culinary minds working today, including esteemed restaurant owners, master bakers and influential published authors. You’ll be learning the most current best practices and cutting edge techniques in the industry.
What You Will Learn
You’ll build foundational cooking skills and knowledge before moving on to advanced techniques, exploring dishes from multiple different cuisines and gaining experience in a variety of culinary settings. You’ll master the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to excel as a professional chef at the No. 1 culinary school in Chicago.
Highlights of what you’ll learn include:
Foundational Culinary Skills
Knife work; Professional standards; Basic culinary terminology; Food science principles; Sandwiches, soups and purées.
Advanced Culinary Skills
Sautéing, grilling and roasting; Stewing, braising and frying; Developing and evaluating menus; Modern culinary trends; International cuisines and cultures; Breakfast menu items; Quick breads, scones, muffins and biscuits.
Sanitation
Healthy and safe foodservice operations; HACCP; personal hygiene; food purchasing, receiving and storage; food preparation and serving; Food-borne illnesses; Pest management.
Nutrition
Food allergies; Evaluating nutritional information; Chronic disease prevention; Digestion and common disorders; Recipe nutrient analysis; Plant-based, vegan and vegetarian meal planning.
Career Outlook
Your Culinary Arts certificate from Kendall College will help give you a distinct competitive edge in the workplace when you are looking to expand your career: 92% of Culinary Arts School graduates who sought employment within their fields of study reported employment within 6 months of graduation.
If you choose to enter the workforce after obtaining your certificate, you’ll be joining a fast-growing field. Jobs for Head Chefs and Cooks are projected to increase 6 percent from 2019-2029, faster than the average for all occupations.* Moreover, the Chicago metro area has the fourth highest employment level of cooks and chefs in the country. There’s no better place to launch your career in food!
The following are some notable career paths you can pursue with a Culinary Arts Certificate from Kendall College:
- Chef
- Cheese Maker
- Cook
- Product Developer
- Research Chef
- Wedding Cake Consultant
*https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/chefs-and-head-cooks.htm
