Hospitality and Culinary Arts Careers (HCAC) Culinary Foundations Certificate Program

The foodservice industry is the largest retail employment sector in the world. Bringing in over USD 700 billion annually in the U.S., this career path provides individuals with ample opportunities for jobs and career growth. The Hospitality and Culinary Arts Careers program gives learners the skills they need to be qualified for in demand jobs in the hospitality and culinary arts career cluster and be prepared to grow with the industry.

The Hospitality and Culinary Arts Careers - Culinary Foundations with the World Association of Master Chefs certification exam prepares candidates to start their journey in a professional kitchen as a cook. This certification is endorsed by the World Association of Master Chefs, an organization created for culinary masters and professional chefs from around the world. In addition to validating understanding of sanitation and food safety principles, individuals who earn the Culinary Foundations certification have the knowledge and skills that employers are looking for, such as set up procedures, food safety and sanitation, executing recipes, and time management in the kitchen.

Why do learners need certifications in hospitality and culinary arts?

The Culinary Foundations certification validates that learners know, understand, and can apply key principles required to be successful cooks. Restaurants are hiring and the industry is projected to grow by 200,000 jobs, for a total industry employment of 15.7 million by the end of 2024 in the U.S. By earning this certification, learners can effectively communicate to employers that they are ready to enter the professional kitchen and immediately start working as a cook.

A candidate who earns this certification is qualified to work in a kitchen as a cook, such restaurant, short order, delicatessen, line or station, and/or prep cooks.