Culinary Arts (Certificate)

BCC Culinary Arts students

Culinary Arts (Certificate)

A quick but thorough apprenticeship program preparing students for careers in culinary arts. Successful graduates will be job-ready for a wide range of food service employment opportunities, from school cafeterias to hospital kitchens, from private households to restaurants.

The Culinary Arts apprenticeship program blends hands-on, practical training with systematic accompanying education, it combines instruction in classroom and teaching kitchen with professional work in the field. After seven weeks of foundational coursework, focusing on core culinary skills and knowledge, students will apply their knowledge and receive further practical training while already working professionally with BCC's educational partners.

Successful program graduates will also be awarded the industry-recognized ServSafe Food Handler Certificate.

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Contact Us

Admissions
admissions@berkshirecc.edu
413-499-4660

Chef and Head Cook Wages in MA*

  • Median hourly wage: $37.08
  • Annual mean wage: $77,120

*Source: Visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , Massachusetts for the latest wage data

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  • Expected Outcomes

    Upon successful completion of the program students should be able to:

    • Demonstrate professional knife skills.
    • Assume responsibility for their stations working within a team.
    • Correctly choose and use kitchen equipment and hand tools.
    • Maintain food safety and kitchen sanitation requirements.
    • Understand basic preparation techniques for a variety of foods.
    • Adjust recipes for larger or smaller quantities.
    • Convert weights and measures to/from metric to imperial standards.
    • Manage production of simple baked goods.
    • Exhibit professionalism in the workplace.
    • Participate in a fast paced professional kitchen environment.
    • Be job-ready for entry-level occupations in the local food service industry.

  • Graduation Requirements

    To earn a certificate in this program, a student must complete all program credits, plus the following Additional Requirements.

    Program Courses
    Course Number Course Title Number of Credits
    CUL-101 Culinary Foundations 3
    CUL-104 Fundamentals of Baking 3
    CUL-108 Safe Food Handling and Sanitation 1
    EXL-225 Experiential Learning I 1-6
    EXL-250 Experiential Learning II 1-6
    Total Credit Hours: 16

Testimonial: Owen Corbett

Graduating from the culinary program at BCC gave me the hands-on skills and confidence I needed to step straight into a professional kitchen. What made the program truly helpful was the practical, daily kitchen training and the one-on-one mentorship from Alexia who taught us not just how to cook, but how to work efficiently under pressure. The small class sizes meant I got real feedback on my knife skills, flavor pairings, and plating every single day. I also appreciated the local industry connections which made it possible for me to balance my education with real-world work. I now feel fully prepared for my next steps in the culinary industry.
BCC Culinary Arts student accepting the Falconer Award

Owen Corbett accepting the Culinary Arts Falconer Award