About the B.A. in Culinary Management
Kendall College’s B.A. in Culinary Management combines rigorous culinary training with business skills and general education studies on our world-class Chicago campus. Hone your craft at the No. 1 ranked culinary program in Chicago.
During the first two years of this four-year degree, you will learn fundamental and advanced cooking techniques through hands-on experience in kitchen classrooms and on-campus restaurants that will prepare you for a three-month internship in fine-dining kitchens and a variety of foodservice operations that meet your career goals.
In your junior and senior years, you will chose between three different career concentrations to propel you in the industry. You will also learn hospitality and business skills and explore strategies for planning, building, promoting, and running a food business. Our students leave with marketable skills in change management, leadership, financial management awareness and professional development that will assist in advancing to managerial positions across the industry.
With Kendall’s strong general education foundation, you’ll also gain math, computer, language, communication and problem-solving skills that are vital to success in any career.
*Time to completion may vary and is dependent on the student's course load and successful completion of the courses.
Program Highlights
World-Class Facilities
Hone your culinary skills in our state-of-the-art kitchen classrooms and our fine-dining campus restaurant, The Dining Room. Gain hands-on experience working in a fast-paced culinary environment.
Internship Experience
Apply your classroom knowledge and skills with a 300-hour internship at a Chicago restaurant under the supervision of an experienced mentor. You’ll receive regular feedback and gain real-world exposure to the restaurant industry before you graduate.
A Complete Education
Open the door to a variety of potential career fields, as you’ll take culinary courses, general skills courses, and business courses in finance, management and marketing. You’ll be prepared for many different career paths within the food and beverage industry and in other related fields.
Professional Development
Prepare yourself for the job market with classes that teach resume writing and interviewing techniques, and place you in work assignments in the field of your interest. Guest speakers and real-world case studies will give you a thorough understanding of the culinary industry before you graduate.
The undergraduate major in Culinary Management requires 180 quarter hours including 60 quarter hours of general education for completion. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Management can opt to receive an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts degree in the middle of their program, after all the appropriate associate equivalent courses have been passed.
What You Will Learn
Our rigorous curriculum prepares you to excel as a chef, restaurant owner, food innovator and more. Learning in our commercial-grade kitchens from professional chefs, restauranteurs and pastry chefs, you will perfect your craft by learning foundational skills and advanced techniques from recipes around the world; while applying them in real world environments.
Culinary Skills
Food preparation theory; Foundational cooking methods; Food history and ethics; Advanced cooking methods; Quick service and fine dining production; Catering and banquets; international cuisines; Beer, wine and spirits.
Business and Management
Entrepreneurship; Marketing for the food industry; Foodservice public relations; Accounting techniques; Cost control and purchasing; Storeroom management; Leadership strategies; Menu design.
Innovation and Theory
Food science; Chemistry and physics of food; Flavor theories; Flavor perception, description and design; Food service research and development; Designing a foodservice facility; Product flow, sanitation and storage.
Culinary Wellness and Sanitation
Nutrition; Dietary needs; Plant-based cooking; Food allergies; Healthy beverages; Proper storage and hygiene; Food-borne illnesses; Restaurant health code requirements.
Career Outlook
An education from Kendall College at National Louis University helps you become a competitive candidate for a culinary job in the real world. Our alumni have gone on to succeed in a variety of fields armed with real-world culinary training and business skills.
Job opportunities for chefs and head cooks are expected to increase 6 percent from 2019-2029, faster than the average for all other occupations.* And with over 5,195 restaurants and the 4th highest employment rate of chefs in the country, Chicago is the ideal place to launch your culinary career.
The following are some notable career paths you can pursue with a Culinary Arts degree from Kendall College:
- Caterer
- Executive Chef
- Personal Chef
- Sous Chef
- Restaurant Manager
- Cook
- Pastry Chef
*https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/chefs-and-head-cooks.htm
