Culinary Arts

Aaron Nichols, Chairperson

256.352.7852

aaron.nichols@wallacestate.edu

Associate in Applied Science Degree (5 semesters)

Certificate (3 semesters)

Short-Term Certificate (2 semesters)

At a Glance

Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods in a variety of restaurants and other food service establishments. Some chefs and cooks go into business as caterers or personal chefs or they open their own restaurants. Others work in small and large-scale hospitality outlets such as hotels, restaurants, clubs, hospitals and universities.

Program Description

This program provides an Associate in Applied Science degree (5 semesters), a Short-Term Certificate in Culinary Arts (2 semesters) and an Advanced Certificate in the Culinary Arts (3 semesters). The culinary arts course of study offers organized, specialized learning experiences which included theory, laboratory, and kitchen experience as they relate to food safety, nutrition, planning, selection, purchasing, storing, preparing, and serving food and food products. A strong emphasis is placed on kitchen skills and food production.

Admission Requirements

Students must have a high school diploma or GED and meet all the general admission requirements of WSCC.

Program Expectations

Instruction will emphasize nutrition and food safety principles as well as basic food handling skills required of today’s cooks and chefs. Basic knife skills and cooking techniques are the main focus of laboratory-based courses. Students will receive a broad exposure to numerous elements of the industry including: baking skills, stock, sauce and soup preparation, garde manager techniques, regional American cuisines, International cuisines, catering, banquet and a la carte food production. Students will be expected to spend extended periods of time on their feet and will need to be able to lift at least 25 pounds.

Career Path

A graduate will have the opportunity to enter the hospitality industry in an entry or a mid-level position with the knowledge and confidence to correctly perform a wide variety of culinary skills. Job offerings for chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers are expected to be plentiful through 2022. 

Employment growth will be spurred by increases in population, household income, and leisure time that will allow people to dine out and take vacations more often. Median hourly earnings of chefs and head cooks were $20.76 in 2016, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $36.50 per hour. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)