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Culinary Specialist Diploma Program
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The Culinary Specialist One-Year Diploma program is designed to prepare individuals for careers as cooks or chefs in commercial and institutional food production. The skills learned in this program will prepare students for employment in restaurants, bakeries, catering services, delis, hotels, resorts, schools and health care facilities. In the kitchen lab, students will receive hands-on training and experience in all areas of basic quantity food preparation and kitchen operations. Sanitation certification training is included in the curriculum. Graduates of this program may transfer all credits to the two-year Culinary Management associate degree program.
Career Opportunities
The food service industry is the #1 retail employer in the United States. Demand for well trained culinary staff is at an all-time high. Graduates are qualified for a non-management cook or chef position on a food production and service team.
Is This Occupation for You?
Students entering the Culinary Specialist program should:
- Desire a good paying job in quantity food production.
- Enjoy working with people.
- Apply creative thinking skills.
- Possess above average reading and math skills.
- Display excellent oral and written communication skills.
Helpful Academic Background
- High school food service courses
- Math and reading skills
Program Outcomes
After completion of this program, graduates are expected to be able to:
- Practice commercial food preparation skills required in full-service restaurants, hotels and country clubs
- Practice institutional food preparation skills required for hospitals, retirement communities, school systems, factories and other industrial food service operations
- Evaluate quality factors in food
- Operate, clean and maintain commercial kitchen equipment
- Practice effective math and communications skills
Program Basics
- Technical diploma requiring one year or more to complete
- Daytime classes
- Financial aid available for students who qualify
- Special equipment and uniforms required
- Students must achieve a grade of C or better grade in all technical core (317) courses to graduate
- Students must be 18 years old to operate selected kitchen equipment
Program Admission Requirements
- Complete required assessment testing.
- Complete the application form and interview with counselor.
- Pay a $30 nonrefundable application fee.
- Submit high school and any post-secondary transcripts.
- Students may re-apply to be admitted to a program for which they initially do not meet the Student Academic Achievement Plan (SAAP) criteria after they follow the additional courses and alternate program sequence prescibed for them.
Program Fees
Please contact Student Services at 800.362.3322, Ext. 2354, or email student-services@swtc.edu for current fee information.
A Program Fee list is provided (please note the costs are approximate and based on the current academic year).
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