Popular Associates Degree Programs for Student Chefs

Two year Associates degrees are the most common educational tracks for chefs, bakers and restaurant management students and for good reason:

• Associates degrees give you enough time investment to be well-rounded in a range of culinary skills.
• Provide a formal college degree level that positions you to add onto for a Bachelors or even a Masters degree.
• Package in a complement of liberal arts courses-- including English, math, and sciences-- that serve to support your culinary studies.

The types of majors or programs of study you might find packaged as Associates degrees in a culinary arts school include:

• Culinary Arts
• Patisserie and Baking or Baking and Pastry
• Food and Beverage Management

Culinary Skills as Part of an Associates Degree Program

Remember, chef education is really viewed as a professional or career training program. If you don’t wish to devote four years to a liberal arts education there are plenty of Associates programs that will deliver the skills and savvy you need to move confidently into a professional position.

Chef students in Associates degree programs typically learn essential skills such as:

• Knife, cutlery and professional kitchen equipment skills and techniques
• Characteristics of major international cuisines
• Cooking techniques
• Food safety and sanitation
• Preparation and presentation
• Menu development

But you may also receive educational instruction in the following:

• Basic management of kitchen staff
• Team-work and line cook processes
• Food and beverage cost and control

Careers for Associates Degreed Chefs and Bakers

An Associates degree paired with the right school and industry connections can get your foot in the kitchen of a very good restaurant. A two-year degree indicates your commitment to a professional career and desire to develop your skills to the level well beyond that of cooking enthusiast.

When you choose a culinary school look for one with emphasis on career placement: this is after all the final goal. Here are some indicators of a strong career placement department:

• School maintains strong industry connections locally AND nationally
• Well-known, master, and even celebrity chef alumni
• Student-run kitchens and hotels that let you learn while you work
• Externships and internships with well-known restaurants, hotels, resorts and spas