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Applied Degree in Culinary Operations

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an applied degree?
Applied degrees are relatively new post-secondary credentials. They are issued by community colleges and technical institutes, and focus on advanced study and career preparation beyond the certificate or diploma level.

Applied degrees prepare students for specific occupational fields. They are based on demonstrated industry demand, they emphasize and focus on applied learning with well-defined competencies, they require students to participate in a field placement, and they are subject to stringent monitoring and review by an external quality process.

Is an applied degree the same as a university degree?
No, an applied degree is very different from a university degree. An applied degree focuses on highly specialized applied learning and well-defined competencies, whereas a university degree may focus primarily on theoretical learning. Additionally, applied degrees may be completed in a shorter time span, may feature more practical experience in the industry, and enable students who may have no previous formal training but have a great deal of experience in the field to acquire a well-respected credential. Applied degree requirements are constantly monitored to make sure that that they meet the changing demands of the industry, and therefore respond more quickly to new criteria than traditional formalized training does.

I already have a diploma in Culinary Arts, what benefit would the Applied Degree in Culinary Operations have for me?
Your diploma in Culinary Arts has provided you with an excellent base upon which to build your career. The Applied Degree in Culinary Operations allows you to build on that base in order to develop more specialized skills in order to move into management positions in the culinary industry and to take advantage of new opportunities. Your Culinary Arts diploma gave you the skills you need to succeed in the culinary field, an Applied Degree will help you move up the ladder faster, and give you a chance to become involved in projects that extend beyond food preparation, such as crisis management, new product research and development, communications, and consulting.

I would like to take the Applied Degree, but I do not have a diploma in Culinary Arts. Am I eligible to apply?
Absolutely. Individuals who have been working in the field for five years and who have at least one year of supervisory experience can enter the program through the Industry Stream. In addition to the regular admission forms, you will need to provide evidence of five years of culinary work experience including service hours and dates, and a summary of skills and duties performed confirmed by a supervisor on company letterhead. You will also need to provide confirmation from an employer to confirm that you have worked at the supervisory level for at least one year. Preference will be given to applicants who hold a Canadian Red Seal Cook’s Certificate of Qualification (official copy) or an international certification equivalent.

What types of job opportunities will I be qualified for when I complete the Applied Degree program?
Successful completion of the Applied Degree in Culinary Operations will ensure that you have well-honed skills, knowledge and experience to take advantage of new opportunities in the culinary industry. You will be able to assume a wide variety of responsibilities as the need arises, better preparing you to assume a leadership role.

What kind of skills will I learn?
Strategy Management: Acquire the skills you need to develop, implement, and review foodservice strategies for food safety and marketing “from field to fork”.

Foodservice Economics: From small, independent restaurants to multinational hotel chains, foodservice leaders must have a strong grasp on advanced industry costing procedures, budgeting practices and global economic trend analysis.

Human Resource Management: Managing a diverse workforce and utilizing advanced communication skills are integral to the development of a successful team.

Foodservice Research and Development: Foodservice research and development is a growing field for many traditional and non-traditional chef positions. Chefs and cooks can find meaningful, long-term employment as researchers with food manufacturers, entrepreneurs and processors.

Technology: Identifying appropriate emerging technologies and understanding the challenges related to implementation enables the foodservice professional to ensure that technological investments are made wisely.

Marketing: Increasingly, foodservice professionals are expected to assume more responsibility for the direction of marketing strategies for the public and the media.

Facilities Design: Chefs and cooks continue to assume a leading role in the design or redesign of foodservice operations. Today, the role demands expertise in issues pertaining to environmental, productivity, food flow, regulatory matters, and ergonomic considerations.

Project Management: The ability to move projects from concept to reality is an increasingly valuable skill in the culinary industry. From the development of requests for proposals to the review of submissions, selection of vendors, and scheduling of tasks, today’s foodservice professionals need to be able to meet the demands of this fast-growing area.

Crisis Management: The ability to assess and manage potential food-related crises is rapidly becoming a facility-based responsibility rather than an upper management responsibility, and has become a crucial element of many staff training mandates.

Consulting: From the look of food in a film studio to the viability of a new meal line, chefs are being contracted to provide their expertise.

Service Managers: Chefs are increasingly expected to bring together the staff outside of, as well as within, the kitchen. Culinary training today must enable the student to hone their human resource management, communications, and team-building skills to ensure that they are able to create a harmonious workplace that extends beyond the doors of the kitchen and into the rest of their facility.

Policy Development: Chefs and cooks need to be able to create, modify, and review policies in order to ensure liability is minimized and that the workplace is a safe, growth-oriented setting.

How long is the program?
In total, the program runs for four years, including the two-year Culinary Diploma. For individuals already working in the field with five years or more experience, the program takes two years to complete, including the Directed Foodservice study.