Chef preparing food

Culinary Arts

Certificate Technical Degree

Ready to turn up the heat in the kitchen? With hands-on training in a modern center and expert guidance, you’ll be prepared to excel as a chef or pastry chef in any restaurant, resort, or hotel. Plus, San Jac offers scholarships, financial aid, and opportunities to compete in culinary contests. Spice things up—enroll in our culinary arts program today!

Program at a Glance

If you’re passionate about food and dream of a career in the culinary world, our program offers the perfect path to success! As one of only two community college programs in the Houston area certified by the American Culinary Federation, we combine education with hands-on industry experience. Graduates are also eligible to earn the prestigious ACF Certified Culinarian credential.

Career Opportunities

With a degree or certificate in culinary arts, you can find a career as a:

  • Chef
  • Line Cook
  • Pastry Chef
  • Culinary Specialist
  • Caterer
  • Restaurant Manager

Earning Potential

Chefs and head cooks: $51,828 per year
Bakers: $29,593 per year
Food Service Manager: $$67,411 per year

For more salary information, check out Texas Wages.

Location

North Campus

DEGREES & CERTIFICATES

Culinary Arts, AAS

Technical Degree
The Associate of Applied Science degree prepares you for an entry-level career. The Culinary Arts program provides basic education and training for cooks and apprentice chefs. Learn principles of food and beverage composition, experience using and maintaining commercial restaurant equipment, and develop basic supervisory skills.
Length 2 Years
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 60 credits for this program in four terms.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

Culinary Arts, Certificate of Technology

Certificate
The Certificate of Technology prepares you for the degree program, an entry-level career, or advancement in your current career. This certificate provides basic education and training for cooks and apprentice chefs. It emphasizes the development of technical food preparation and service skills, the principles of food composition, the use and of maintenance of professional food service equipment, and basic supervisory skills.
Length 1.5 Years
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 42 credits for this certificate in three terms.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

Pastry Chef Specialty, AAS

Technical Degree
The Associate of Applied Science degree prepares you for an entry-level career. Pastry Chef students will learn cake decorating, chocolates, and confection sugars, bakeshop production, plate presentation, fundamentals of baking, food and beverage cost control, nutritional components of food and desserts, and basic supervisory skills.
Length 2 Years
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 60 credits for this program in five terms, including a summer term.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

Pastry Chef Specialty, Certificate of Technology

Certificate
The Certificate of Technology prepares you for the degree program, an entry-level career, or advancement in your current career. Courses in cake decorating, chocolates, confections, and bakeshop production are just some of the exciting and challenging classes you will take on your road to becoming a pastry chef. As a Pastry Chef student, you will spend time learning from our award-winning chef instructors as you learn and operate in our state-of-the-art kitchen and bakery.
Length 1.5 Years
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 39 credits for this certificate in three terms.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

Restaurant Management, AAS

Technical Degree
The Associate of Applied Science degree prepares you for an entry-level career. The Restaurant Management program provides training that will qualify graduates for supervisory positions in commercial food service. Courses are structured to cover the various operations of restaurants, hotel food service, cafeterias, coffee shops, catering, and other areas of food service specialty.
Length 2 Years
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 60 credits for this program in four terms.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

Restaurant Management, Certificate of Technology

Certificate
The Certificate of Technology prepares you for the degree program, an entry-level career, or advancement in your current career. This certificate in restaurant management provides training for positions in commercial food service. It covers the various operations of restaurants, hotel food service, cafeterias, coffee shops, catering, and other areas of food service specialty.
Length 1.5 Years
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 42 credits for this certificate in three terms.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

Restaurant Management, Occupational Certificate

Certificate
The Occupational Certificate prepares you for the AAS degree or Certificate of Technology program or to advance in your current career.You’ll gain training for positions in commercial food service, learning about operations in settings such as hotels, restaurants, cruise lines, country clubs, and sports venues.
Length 4 Months
If you're studying full-time, you can complete the 15 credits for this certificate in one term.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Apply

CAREER TRACKS

 

Video Culinary Arts
San Jacinto College Culinary Student

CLASS SCHEDULE ROTATION

Feast your eyes on the upcoming Culinary Arts classes. The rotation schedule is ready to spice up your semester plans.
Schedule Rotation

What You'll Learn

 

After graduation, students will be able to:

  1. Differentiate various types of wholesale and retail cuts of meat using the USDA quality grades and control.
  2. Perform various types of knife skills and cuts.
  3. Interpret and practice industry specific policies and procedures regarding sanitation and safety.
  4. Use various measuring devices.
  5. Operate professional restaurant equipment.
  6. Produce and prepare standardized recipes.

After graduation, students will be able to:

  1. Utilize safety and sanitation methods.
  2. Perform five primary mixing methods including creaming, foaming, biscuit, straight dough, and old dough.
  3. Temper egg products to create a variety of custard products.
  4. Utilize principles of business management including purchasing and receiving, teamwork, and professionalism.
  5. Plate, garnish, and execute visually appealing pastry items.
  6. Perform the nine stages of baking and basic yeast bread procedures.
  7. Create and utilize a variety of buttercreams and meringues.
  8. Apply the properties of sugar including the use of doctoring agents, caramelization points, and the effects of temperature.

After graduation, students will be able to:

  1. Navigate various forms of restaurant technology.
  2. Interpret and practice sanitation and safety policies and procedures.
  3. Develop a menu and calculate food cost percentages.
  4. Produce and prepare standardized recipes.
  5. Manage a foodservice operation including the evaluation of employees.

Program Outcomes

 
program Graduation acf rates job
3 cula 75% 0% 75%
3 cula-c * 0% *
3 cula-pc 66.70% 0% 50%
3 cula-rstr 0% 0% 100%
4 cula 28.6% 0% 60%
4 cula-c 0% 0% *
4 cula-pc 0% 0% 100%
4 cula-rstr 25% 0% 100%

 

* Denotes data is not available 

program Graduation acf rates job
3 cula 75% 0% 75%
3 cula-c * 0% *
3 cula-pc 66.70% 0% 50%
3 cula-rstr 0% 0% 100%
4 cula 28.6% 0% 60%
4 cula-c 0% 0% *
4 cula-pc 0% 0% 100%
4 cula-rstr 25% 0% 100%

 

* Denotes data is not available 

program Graduation acf rates job
3 cula 71.40% 0% 87.50%
3 cula-c 0% 0% 50%
3 cula-pc 28.60% 0% 83.30%
3 cula-rstr * 0% *
4 cula 0% 0% 100%
4 cula-c 0% 0% *
4 cula-pc 25% 0% *
4 cula-rstr 0% 0% 100%

 

* Denotes data is not available 

program Graduation acf rates job
3 cula 50% 0% *
3 cula-c 0% 0% *
3 cula-pc 100% 0% *
3 cula-rstr 75% 0% *
4 cula 33% 0% *
4 cula-c 0% 0% *
4 cula-pc 50% 0% *
4 cula-rstr 60% 0%

*

 

* Denotes data is not available 

Hungry to Learn More?

We’re happy to answer your questions. Contact San Jac at 281-998-6150 or information@sjcd.edu, or you can reach out to our culinary arts program director.
Andrea Huerta
Program Dir, Culinary Arts
Email
Andrea.Huerta@sjcd.edu
Phone
(281) 998-6150x7150