Culinary arts are a broad term that describes wide career options in catering and hospitality. A course in culinary is about the preparation, cooking, and presentation of food. Specialists in this area of work are the chefs. Expert chefs are expected to translate culinary arts to enhance the complexity, aesthetics, and nutritional value of food through their skill, creativity, and passion. In this article, we explore culinary course requirements, outlines, careers, and more.

Culinary arts career pathways

A culinary arts course aims to empower candidates with food product skills, innovative cooking methods, and the managerial education required to operate one’s own restaurant or other hospitality service outlets. Depending on what they do on a daily basis, a person working in culinary arts can have many names: cook, chef, etc. The following are popular career options available to catering courses and culinary graduates.

1. Food corporate brand ambassador
2. Hotel and restaurant chef
3. Personal chef
4. Caterer
5. Baking and Pastry Chef
6. Food Service or restaurant manager
7. Sommelier
8. Celebrity TV chef
9. Food author or blogger

Culinary arts subjects

Culinary candidates focus on core theories and concepts related to food preparation, cooking, and presentation. The following are some of the subjects covered in a culinary course.

First-year course subjects

1. Introduction to Culinary Arts
2. Baking and Pastry Arts
3. The Art and Science of Food
4. Introduction to Wine & Beverages
5. Information Technology and Research Skills
6. French 1 & 2
7. Professional Attitude Evaluation – Year 1
8. Kitchen Operations and Management
9. The Best of European Cuisine
10. Introduction to Kitchen Management
11. Business Communication
12. Food & Beverage Cost Control
13. French 2
14. Kenya Concepts
15. Applied Hotel Operations Practicals
16. 15 Weeks Industry Placement
17. Professional Attitude Evaluation – Year 1
18. Internship after the end of year 1

Second-year subjects

1. International Cuisines: Classical to Fusion
2. Food & Beverage Service Theory
3. Food & Beverage Service Practical
4. Business Management and Entrepreneurship (include content on process approach)
5. Business Ethics
6. Life Skills and Critical Thinking
7. Human Resources Management
8. Occupational Safety and Health Practices
9. Accounting for Hospitality Industry
10. Professional Attitude Evaluation – Year 2
11. Food & Beverage Events Management
12. Food and Beverage Management
13. Fundamentals of Nutrition and Dietetics
14. Legal Aspects in the Hospitality Industry
15. Hospitality Marketing in the Digital Age
16. Advanced Pastry and Baking Arts
17. African Cuisine
18. Applied Hotel Operations Practical
19. Professional Attitude Evaluation – Year 2
20. Internship – after the end of year 2

Entry qualifications

The entry requirements for culinary courses are KCSE Mean Grade C- (MINUS) with C- (MINUS) or above in English or Kiswahili and a D (PLAIN) in Mathematics or any Science. It takes 1^1/2 to 2^1/2 years to study the course in a culinary school in Kenya.

Is culinary arts marketable in Kenya?

Food is a basic need, thus the course is marketable considering the growing catering and hospitality sector increases the need for skilled culinary professionals. Culinary graduates can work become chefs, restaurant managers, and food entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

Culinary arts are a broad term that describes wide career options in catering and hospitality. A course in culinary is about the preparation, cooking, and presentation of food. Specialists in this area of work are the chefs. A person working in culinary arts can have many names depending on what they do on a daily basis. The person could be called a cook, chef, etc. A diploma course can take 11/2 to 21/2 years to study the course in a culinary school in Kenya for full-time students and those under the apprenticeship program, respectively.