About

This two-year course is designed to equip students with the skills necessary for a career in culinary arts. The programme puts particular emphasis on food production skills as well as managerial aspects. The two industry placement semesters as well as the practical duties during the theory semesters make Alpine's graduates highly employable in the catering, food and beverage related industries.

The Swiss Alpine Diploma in Culinary Arts at Alpine Center consists of two academic semesters (October to April) and two paid industry placements (May to September) and is delivered in an actual hotel campus, in order to offer students opportunities for learning by doing, i.e. the reputed Swiss formula. Equal emphasis is given to acquiring knowledge on operations and management and to applying it in a real working environment.

Description

In their first year of studies, students of the culinary arts diploma become familiar with essential knowledge in the cooking profession such as food safety, hygiene, the HACCP system, culinary theory, menu planning and design etc. In parallel with the theoretical classes, the culinary arts diploma students work in an actual hotel kitchen in Alpine's hotel campus, and are involved in the mass production of food from several different cuisines on a daily basis. This ensures not only a thorough introduction to culinary theory, but a familiarization with real-life situations and challenges.

During the second year, students continue to develop their theoretical and technical knowledge by studying advanced aspects of nutrition, menu engineering, Mediterranean cuisine and advanced cooking methods and culinary techniques, but also build their management skills by studying subjects such as bar and beverage theory, restaurant management, food and beverage planning and control and managerial accounting.

Particular emphasis is placed on developing professional competences such as effective communication, information technology, customer care, teamwork, leadership etc. by incorporating relevant 'professionalism seminars' into the curriculum and assessing students on their professional attitude as well as academic performance.

This combination of learning approaches expertly epitomized by Alpine for more than 27 years has led to the professional success and recognition of more than 3000 graduates, who are employed in distinguished managerial positions in the worldwide hospitality industry.

Content

The culinary arts diploma curriculum has been devised in collaboration with Alpine's Industry Advisory Board which consists of reputable professionals from different fields including chefs, food and beverage experts, hospitality executives etc., which provides advice and valuable insights on the necessary skills and knowledge that future professionals and leaders in this industry should possess. The exact breakdown of modules is as follows:

Year 1

• Food Commodities & Culinary Principles
• Food Production and Practicals 1
• Food Science, Hygiene & HACCP
• Academic Research & Writing I: Critical Perspective
• Diversity & Social Inclusion for Hospitality & Tourism
• Menu Planning and Design
• Finance For Hospitality & Tourism Managers
• Managing People and Organisations

Year 2

• Food Production Theory & Practicals II
• Academic Research and Writing II: Structure and Process
• Nutrition in Menu Planning
• Restaurant Operations Management
• Food & Beverage Planning & Control
• Financial Planning For Business
• Human Resource Management in Tourism and Hospitality
• Work Experience with Personal Development Planning
• Bar and Beverage Theory

What you will learn:

• Thorough knowledge  about food commodities and nutrition.
• Kitchen fundamentals such as knife skills  and sanitation
• Hands-on  practical skills  in food production including cooking methods and later on advanced cooking techniques and Menu Planning
• International, Mediterranean & Ethnic cuisines
• Baking & Pastry
• Teamwork, kitchen organization and  management
• F&B Management, and Restaurant Operations
• Soft skills including teamwork, communication, problem-solving, empathy and emotional intelligence, flexibility and adaptability