How Long Does it Take to Earn Your Culinary Arts Degree?

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Career Preparations

All over the world, countries have begun offering culinary arts degree programs as a way for people who are passionate about cooking to gain a knowledge base in food preparations, International cuisine and restaurant management skills. Although it’s not necessary to have a degree in the culinary arts to work in the kitchen, your culinary degree is a statement of earnestness in your commitment to excellence in food services. It also tells the prospective employer that you have learned the techniques involved in creating specialty dishes, hospitality skills and kitchen management.

How long does culinary school take? Often, it depends on prior experience and whether the candidate is choosing a diploma or a culinary arts degree. Cooks who have already gained a number of years in kitchen experiences, maybe sent to a culinary school to fulfill a diploma based education before acquiring the status of a chef. These programs train the cook in the necessary management skills that comes with a chef’s position and take up to eight months to complete.

The Difference Between a Diploma and a Culinary Arts Degree

A culinary arts program means you have taken all the essential courses required to work in kitchen management, while a culinary arts degree means you have taken a full college program with the necessary core classes in history, math, psychology, language arts and food science. Diploma courses are very specific, teaching classes in commercial cooking, pastry arts or bridal consulting, while a degree program teaches a broad base in cooking and management skills. How long does culinary school take is dependent on the type of degree you wish to acquire.

An Associate’s Degree in the Culinary Arts

An associate’s degree in the culinary arts will prepare you with the skills necessary to manage a kitchen or bakery. You will learn how to utilize all the equipment and tools within the kitchen, learn how to prepare menus and manage staff. It qualifies you to work in a school cafeteria, a culinary lab, as a line cook, sous cook or caterer. How long does culinary school takes in order for you to receive an associate’s degree – usually around two years. For those who think this isn’t a very exciting short-cut to fulfill their dream of becoming a chef, for the up-by-the bootstraps cook, it usually takes four to six years of dedicated restaurant experience to become a line cook.

A Bachelor’s Degree in the Culinary Arts

To receive a bachelor’s degree in the culinary arts, you will learn all of the essentials required for an associate’s degree, with a more in-depth approach toward hospitality, cooking, baking, and management. You will develop skills in International cuisine, study food culture, and learn how to negotiate with food sales personnel. Your chances of acquiring a position with an upscale restaurant at a five star hotel offering food services are much greater with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts. It usually takes approximately four years to earn your bachelor’s degree at any culinary schools.

Master’s Degree in the Culinary Arts

In order to receive your master’s degree in the culinary arts, you must study an extra two years after receiving your bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree focuses on specific food industries as opposed to teaching more cooking or baking skills. The degree may be in nutrition or other food related sciences.

Food industries centered on tourism favor culinary chefs with a master’s degree to work in their kitchen. These include five star restaurants and hotels, casinos, cruise lines and other hospitality services. A master’s degree in the culinary arts teaches you how to be sensitivity towards clienteles with nutritional needs as well as cultural dietary preferences.

Your culinary arts degree is a fast track to the top in restaurant management, food handling and food sciences, but you will still need experience before you stand out as a chef. You will need dedication, a dash of personality and a natural talent for making exquisite, mouth-watering dishes.