Culinary Skills Program at George Brown College

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, George Brown puts you at the centre of the culinary industry in Canada. Our one-year Culinary Skills certificate program has exactly what you need to begin an exciting career as a chef or cook: top-notch instruction and hands-on practice with professional chefs. They will teach you the fundamentals of ingredients and food preparation, and introduce you to the fascinating world of food culture. You'll gain hands-on experience in our cooking labs and learn about emerging culinary trends such as local and sustainable foods, nutrition, and international influences in our special-focus courses.

FULL DESCRIPTION

Our one-year Culinary Skills certificate program will teach you the fundamentals of ingredients and food preparation. The key skills you will acquire include:

• Core cooking and baking skills
• An appreciation for nutrition, menu planning and food, beverage and labour cost control
• Solid knife skills and cooking techniques, gained through practice and repetition

This program will broaden your knowledge and give you the chef training you need to succeed in today’s food service industry.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Provide fundamental culinary preparation and presentation for a variety of food service environments using a range of classical and contemporary techniques.
• Apply basic food and bake science to food preparation to create the desired end product.
• Contribute to and monitor adherence of others to the provision of a well-maintained kitchen environment and to the service of food and beverage products that are free from harmful bacteria or other contaminants, adhering to health, safety, sanitation and food handling regulations.
• Ensure the safe operation of the kitchen and all aspects of food preparation to promote healthy workspaces and the responsible, efficient use of resources.
• Support the development of menu options that reflect knowledge of nutrition and food ingredients, promote general health and well-being, respond to a range of nutritional needs and preferences, and address modifications for special diets, food allergies and intolerances, as required.
• Apply fundamental business principles and recognized industry costing and control practices to food service operations to promote a fiscally responsible operation.
• Apply basic knowledge of sustainability, ethical and local food sourcing, and food security to food preparation and kitchen management, recognizing the potential impacts on food production, consumer choice, and operations within the foodservice industry.
• Use technology, including contemporary kitchen equipment, for food production and promotion.
• Perform effectively as a member of a food and beverage preparation and service team and contribute to the success of a food-service operation by applying self-management and interpersonal skills.
• Develop strategies for continuous personal and professional learning to ensure currency with and responsiveness to emerging culinary techniques, regulations, and practices in the foodservice industry.

YOUR CAREER

Toronto alone has more than 9,000 restaurants, hotel dining rooms, cafés, and eateries, as well as numerous clubs, resorts, spas and catering companies. The culinary skills you learn at George Brown are in demand by employers both in Canada and internationally, and you will have the training to build a successful career at home or around the world.