Build Your Future as a Culinary Artist
The Culinary Arts Program provides students with fundamentals in the methods of food safety, handling, cooking, and culinary management. It includes exposure to various styles of cuisines, and proper use of culinary applications and equipment. The program is designed to help students develop a working knowledge of what is required to be successful for fast-track culinary management potential. Our Culinary Arts Program is not just a cooking school. We are an accredited Hospitality Management Program offering certificates and associate degrees in culinary arts, pastry arts, and hospitality management, with direct opportunities for transfer to Cal Poly Pomona and CSU Long Beach. Cypress College’s Hotel, Restaurant, Culinary Arts Department engages students in a hands-on, state-of-the-art learning environment designed to prepare them to become leaders in the hospitality and culinary industries.
The program also offers:
- Comprehensive, hands-on, and high-quality education
- Experienced and passionate faculty
- Accredited degrees and certificates
- Small classes with faculty and student interaction
- Affordable tuition
- Career Fair
- Job opportunities with local hospitality employers
- University transfer partnerships
- Cypress Bistro, a student-run restaurant
Frequently Asked Questions
Students have the option to earn the following certificates and degree:
Culinary Fundamentals Certificate = 15 units (1–2 semesters)
Culinary Arts Certificate = 36 units (2–3 semesters)
Associate in Science in Culinary Arts = 60–61 units (2 years)
Most full-time students taking 15 credits per semester can complete a certificate in one to three semesters and an associate in science degree in two years. Students may elect to attend part time as well.
The program is $46 per unit for California residents, not including books, fees, and supplies. Units vary by course, but the average is 3 units per course. Unit fees for the 15-unit certificate would be $690; the 36-unit certificate would be $1,656; and the 60-unit associate degree would be approximately $2,760. Most students also qualify for some form of financial aid.
The median wage for chefs in California is $46,310 annually (careeronestop.com). The average salary for an executive chef in California is $71,666, according to a recent salary survey by starchefs.com. Locally, the range for line cooks is somewhere between $12 to $18 an hour.
Centrally located in the heart of the Anaheim Resort District and Orange County, our students are employed at Disneyland Resort, Knotts Berry Farm, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Hotels, and Marriott Hotels.
Program Mapper: View course options for these programs.
There are no additional requirements to enroll in this program; however, some courses do have prerequisites that can be viewed in the Cypress College Catalog and the Schedule of Classes.
Steps to Becoming a Chef
- Attend culinary school.
- Find a job working in a restaurant kitchen. Knowing how the kitchen and restaurant works is vitally important to becoming a chef.
- Obtain practical work experience.
- Obtain culinary certification.
Culinary Arts
Jeremy Peters
jpeters@cypresscollege.edu
(714) 808-4555
Pastry Arts
Stephanie Rosati
srosati@cypresscollege.edu
Hospitality Management
Lisa Clark
lclark@cypresscollege.edu
Food and Beverage Management
Amanda Gargano
agargano@cypresscollege.edu
CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT:
Jane Jepson, Ph.D.
CTE Division Counselor
CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT:
Cindy Cao
Division Office Manager
Average Salary in this Field
$46,310 Per Year
Careers in this Field
Chef Cook Head Cook
