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Ministry-approved title: Culinary Skills
Entrance Award Available
Our Culinary Skills program provides the foundation for an exciting career in the food service industry. Students develop the technical knowledge, practical skills and professionalism needed to succeed in commercial kitchens, restaurants, catering operations and other food service environments. While working in our spacious kitchen labs, they sharpen their skills in food preparation, cooking techniques, food safety and sanitation, kitchen workplace safety, and professional practices.
Students also develop essential communication and computer application skills, gain an introduction to culinary management, and build confidence through hands-on learning. Practical experience is further enhanced through a field placement at a school-approved industry property and in Durham College’s award-winning campus restaurant, Bistro ’67, where they apply their skills in a real-world food service setting.
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The Culinary Skills program is designed to prepare students for a career in a wide variety of food-service industry settings.
Areas of study include:
In addition, related business management studies and general education courses round out the program. Students learn through a combination of activity-based classroom instruction and practical application in our culinary, pastry and restaurant labs. They also benefit from working and learning in our Feast On ® certified, full-service restaurant – Bistro ‘67.
The Culinary Skills program is offered at the Whitby campus, home of the college’s W. Galen Weston Centre for Food. This incredible learning centre provides access to a teaching restaurant; a demonstration theatre; and state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and meeting spaces, all designed to offer the best possible learning experience.
Upon successful completion of this program, students may qualify for advanced standing in Year 2 of Durham College’s Culinary Management program.
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or Math. Domestic applicants who are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s), i.e. Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 Math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.
Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.
DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
In person
Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
Students in this program are eligible to apply for The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary. Available to students in any program, with preference to those entering preparatory programs, The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary will be awarded to up to 10 students annually and will help students cover tuition in their chosen program as well as in any continued studies at DC for up to four years. Recipients of The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary will also have the opportunity to participate in mentorship programs at the college.
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School is an investment in your future, and financial support is available to help you succeed.
DC's Financial Aid and Awards is here to help you access funding and opportunities that make pursuing your education easier and more achievable:
Visit Financial Aid and Awards to explore all the options to help finance your education.
Your learning experience will be complemented by a second-semester field placement opportunity in the culinary industry. Students work at bakeries, restaurants, hotels, retirement or long-term care homes, banquet and golf course facilities and more, applying their skills from the classroom on the job.
Graduates may be eligible to apply their academic credits towards further study through Durham College and partner Canadian and international colleges and universities. These include:
For more information, please visit our pathways page.
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
To help students have the best learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
Chef Dave is a lifelong learner holding designations of World Certified Chef de Cuisine; Certified Culinary Educator and Red Seal Endorsements as a Cook and Baker/Pâtissier. Chef Dave is also an award-winner ice and butter sculptor. While he enjoys all aspects of the kitchen, he particularly enjoys butchery, charcuterie and cheesemaking.
Chef Robert’s apprenticeship at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto laid the foundation for his culinary prowess. After achieving Red Seal Certification, he worked abroad and in Vancouver, then returned to the GTA to work in a number of fine dining catering companies and now as a consultant chef in Canada, USA and Jamaica.
Chef Josh has been teaching at Durham College since 2015. He specializes in butchery, retail food production sales and nutrition management. Josh completed his formal training in The Netherlands and France and holds a B Sc.in food science and is a certified master chef.
Chef Tanya entered the culinary industry in 1996 working across Canada in casual and fine dining restaurants as both a chef and pastry chef. She owned her own bakery and pastry shop before working as a consultant internationally. She began teaching in Vancouver in 2010, then joined DC in 2013. She holds Master of Arts, World Certified Pastry Chef and is Red Seal Cook and Pâtissier certified.
Chef Peter Lee joined Durham college in 2008. His dedication to the culinary arts has spanned over 30 years working in top restaurants, catering, from golf clubs to sports arenas. His cooking philosophy is very simple… learn the basics from different cultures, understand their local ingredients and develop authentic flavour profiles.
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