Culinary
Arts

Diploma in Culinary Arts
Kitchens Are Cooking! Class Sizes have been reduced, social distancing is in-place, live online classes when not on campus
Tour Our New Kitchens! Class Sizes have been reduced, social distancing is in-place, live online classes when not on campus

Culinary Arts Overview

Learn to prepare meals that keep customers coming back! All over the world, culinary professionals are behind the scenes preparing every meal we purchase. Culinary Institute of Virginia offers a year-round schedule, so you could earn a Diploma in Culinary Arts in as little as 30 weeks. Working alongside professional chef instructors in a hands-on environment, your course work will evolve from basic culinary techniques to advanced à la carte food preparation. From orientation to graduation, emphasis is placed on the business aspects of operating a profitable kitchen, better preparing you for leadership opportunities.

Modern culinary trends are taught in terms of classical cooking techniques to provide students with a strong foundation of skills desired by today’s employers. Students can apply and expand on their education during two “real-world” externships.

Culinary Skills & Techniques:

The foundation for any professional chef, these concepts lay the groundwork for basic skills and techniques that will be applied throughout a career in culinary arts.

  • Mise en Place & Kitchen Organization
  • Cooking Methods & Principles
  • Baking & Pastry Fundamentals
  • Fabrication of Meat, Seafood, and Poultry
  • Applied Culinary Nutrition & Healthy Cooking

Upon completion, students with a Culinary Arts diploma can seek employment in a variety of work settings including:

  • Restaurants
  • Hotels and Resorts
  • Cruise Liners
  • On- and Off-Premise Catering
  • Hospitals and Retirement Communities
  • Corporate Dining Services
  • Bake Shops/Pastry Shops
  • Schools and Universities

Program Requirements

Core Curriculum

27 semester credit hours

Course ID Course Name Credits
CAA105 Culinary Skills 2
CAA110 Culinary Techniques 2
CAA115 Kitchen Essentials 3
CAA117 Basics of Dining Service 2
CAA120 Culinary Fundamentals 2
CAA140 Introduction to A La Carte 2
CAA145 Retail Production 2
CAA150 Baking and Pastry Fundamentals 2
CAA190 Commissary Practicum 1
CAA260 Culinary Nutrition 3
ENG110 College Composition 3
MTH120 College Mathematics 3

Self-Integration

3 semester credit hours

Course ID Course Name Credits
CAA100 Essentials for Success 3

Visit the ECPI University Catalog for the most current program information.

The objective of the Culinary Arts Diploma program is to educate and train prospective culinarians with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to compete for employment in the culinary arts field. Students will be able to demonstrate the attributes of a good cook including stamina, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, timing, and the ability to work well with others. Students are taught restaurant management skills and proper ways to serve food to restaurant patrons. In order to manage the food preparation environment and collaborate with other food service professionals, each student is expected to develop their oral and written communication skills. Upon successful completion of this dilpoma program, graduates are expected to:

  • Apply sound judgment and ethical practices in the culinary environment
  • Apply Serve-safe standards to insure a safe and secure food service outlet
  • Apply technical and analytical skills as they relate to food service
  • Communicate effectively to various audiences
  • Practice continuous improvement in the Culinary Arts
  • Collaborate effectively with team members to achieve success

New Blended Learning Program Option Overview

The new Culinary Institute of Virginia blended learning program pairs the best of online and in-seat course options to optimize hands-on instruction and flexibility of scheduling for students. Click the button below if you’d like to know more!

Learn More About Blended Learning!

Overview

Culinary Arts Overview

Learn to prepare meals that keep customers coming back! All over the world, culinary professionals are behind the scenes preparing every meal we purchase. Culinary Institute of Virginia offers a year-round schedule, so you could earn a Diploma in Culinary Arts in as little as 30 weeks. Working alongside professional chef instructors in a hands-on environment, your course work will evolve from basic culinary techniques to advanced à la carte food preparation. From orientation to graduation, emphasis is placed on the business aspects of operating a profitable kitchen, better preparing you for leadership opportunities.

Modern culinary trends are taught in terms of classical cooking techniques to provide students with a strong foundation of skills desired by today’s employers. Students can apply and expand on their education during two “real-world” externships.

Culinary Skills & Techniques:

The foundation for any professional chef, these concepts lay the groundwork for basic skills and techniques that will be applied throughout a career in culinary arts.

  • Mise en Place & Kitchen Organization
  • Cooking Methods & Principles
  • Baking & Pastry Fundamentals
  • Fabrication of Meat, Seafood, and Poultry
  • Applied Culinary Nutrition & Healthy Cooking

Upon completion, students with a Culinary Arts diploma can seek employment in a variety of work settings including:

  • Restaurants
  • Hotels and Resorts
  • Cruise Liners
  • On- and Off-Premise Catering
  • Hospitals and Retirement Communities
  • Corporate Dining Services
  • Bake Shops/Pastry Shops
  • Schools and Universities

Program Requirements

Core Curriculum

27 semester credit hours

Course ID Course Name Credits
CAA105 Culinary Skills 2
CAA110 Culinary Techniques 2
CAA115 Kitchen Essentials 3
CAA117 Basics of Dining Service 2
CAA120 Culinary Fundamentals 2
CAA140 Introduction to A La Carte 2
CAA145 Retail Production 2
CAA150 Baking and Pastry Fundamentals 2
CAA190 Commissary Practicum 1
CAA260 Culinary Nutrition 3
ENG110 College Composition 3
MTH120 College Mathematics 3

Self-Integration

3 semester credit hours

Course ID Course Name Credits
CAA100 Essentials for Success 3

Visit the ECPI University Catalog for the most current program information.

The objective of the Culinary Arts Diploma program is to educate and train prospective culinarians with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to compete for employment in the culinary arts field. Students will be able to demonstrate the attributes of a good cook including stamina, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, timing, and the ability to work well with others. Students are taught restaurant management skills and proper ways to serve food to restaurant patrons. In order to manage the food preparation environment and collaborate with other food service professionals, each student is expected to develop their oral and written communication skills. Upon successful completion of this dilpoma program, graduates are expected to:

  • Apply sound judgment and ethical practices in the culinary environment
  • Apply Serve-safe standards to insure a safe and secure food service outlet
  • Apply technical and analytical skills as they relate to food service
  • Communicate effectively to various audiences
  • Practice continuous improvement in the Culinary Arts
  • Collaborate effectively with team members to achieve success

New Blended Learning Program Option Overview

The new Culinary Institute of Virginia blended learning program pairs the best of online and in-seat course options to optimize hands-on instruction and flexibility of scheduling for students. Click the button below if you’d like to know more!

Learn More About Blended Learning!