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Culinary Arts

VCC's Culinary Arts program is one of the most highly respected industry training programs in the country, led by experienced chefs who routinely win medals in regional, national and international competitions. As well, many students win major competitions, both locally and abroad. Fully recognized by the Industry Training Authority, students earn apprenticeship qualifications in addition to a VCC credential. Under the new apprenticeship model, the culinary arts program at VCC provides a number of added benefits for students. Some of these new benefits include:
- VCC now sponsors and signs up students as apprentices until the end of the program.
- Students earn apprentice hours while training at VCC.
- VCC can record previous culinary experience towards apprentice hours.
- Students qualify to write Professional Cook 1 and Cook 2 provincial exams which lead to a Red Seal.

Note: Students are required to achieve a minimum 70% in all courses and exams.

If you know the admission requirements,

Find out more about this program:

Program Description Career Prospects Admission Requirements Program Status

Apply to this Program Fees and Other Costs Additional Information Courses

Program Description

On a daily basis students in this program prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner in the cafeteria as well as lunch and dinner in JJ's Dining room at the Downtown Campus for as many as 500 meals per day! This gives students the opportunity to learn important skills while developing hands-on skills.

The program consists of eleven stages of professional cook training. Each month students move into specifically designed kitchens where the aspects of the Provincial Cooking curriculum are taught. The à la Carte (Cook 2) includes a dining room component.

Daily lectures and practical demonstrations are carefully designed to cover the topics at each stage of training. Most of the daily training plans (with the exception of the first month) have been designed to give students approximately 75% practical hands-on food preparation experience and 25% theory (month 1 is based on a 50% practical and 50% theory, and months 10 and 11 are based on 100% practical evaluation). In the first three months students gain general knowledge of the specific sections of cook training. The following four months build and expand on this knowledge to the institutional level. In the final four months students work with specialty items and further increase their skills with à la Carte and Banquet items.

Note: Graduates of the eleven month program could be eligible to enter the second year of their three year apprenticeship.

Start Length Credential Campus Part or Full‑time Monthly 11 months Certificate Downtown Full-time

Career Prospects

Graduates will find excellent opportunities for employment in all areas of the food service industry, including positions such as assistant cooks or apprentices in restaurants, hotels, aircraft flight kitchens, trains, cruise ships, kitchens in institutions, camps and other food service related areas in the hospitality industry.

Information about graduate outcomes

Admission Requirements

General

VCC welcomes applications from Canadian citizens, permanent residents and international students.

Exceptions
International students

As Vancouver Community College is a post-secondary institution committed to educating adult learners, applicants should be 18 years of age or older or a graduate of a secondary school.

Please note that you must submit official transcripts and educational documents to support your application; unfortunately, we cannot accept photocopies or fax versions.

Program Specific

1) Grade 10 graduation or equivalent

Please note this program is Canadian Language Benchmarked at Listening 7, Speaking 7, Reading 7, and Writing 6.

2) BC Food Safe Certificate Level 1, see: FoodSafe

Seats are offered to applicants who have met all admission requirements, on a first-qualified, first-served basis

Recommended characteristics

Academic math 10 and english 10 strongly recommended as well as proven abilities required to perform the daily tasks associated with working in a professional kitchen including:

- standing for prolonged periods of time

- regular lifting and transportation of heavy objects

- efficiently functioning in extreme heat

- performing in a busy, fast-paced and stressful environment

- strong and efficient organizational skills, ability to multi-task

Motor skills and physical capability needed to:

- efficiently and safely use knives and other trade related tools and implements

- efficiently and safely operate industrial machinery

- present tasteful, flavorful and attractive meals on a consistent basis

- some creativity and artistic talent an asset

Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written English (applicants whose first language is not English may be required to complete an English language assessment)

Program Status

Accepting applications (approximate 7 month waitlist)

Apply to this Program

The first step, apply early. Students who have officially applied and met all admission requirements are sent a letter of acceptance approximately four to five months in advance of the next available start date. A first payment is required to reserve a space in the program.

Online     Fax     In Person If you're ready and know the program you want, apply now. Download and complete the (PDF) application form and fax to 604.443.8450. Visit us at one of our campus locations.

After you apply, you can check your to see if all of the requirements have been met or to update contact information. Please use the temporary login ID and Personal Identification Number (PIN) that you used to complete your original online application.

Fees and Other Costs

Application Fee Tuition Fee $30.00 $3,355

International Tuition Fees

Application Fee Tuition Fee Ancillary Fee $125.00 $14,654.20 $1000

Other Costs

Cost Type Details College initiative fee $96.80 Student union fee $47.38 Student union health plan fee $142.15 Student union dental plan fee $135.41 Uniform $60 Laundry $418 Other costs Textbooks and supplies: $610

Additional Information

The Culinary Arts Department has tours every Friday at the Downtown Campus in Room 305, starting at 9:30 am. All interested applicants are welcome to attend. The tour lasts approximately one hour and is very informative. Classrooms, the cafeteria and JJ's restaurant are visited. Classes are in session so applicants can see what it is like to be a culinary arts student at VCC.

Courses