Program Details

  • Program Code: H134
  • Credential:
    Ontario College Certificate
  • Duration:
    1 year (2 semesters)
  • Method of Study:
    Full-time
  • Starting Months: January, May, September
  • Domestic Tuition:
    $7,720.00 * †
  • International Tuition:
    $22,275.00 ** †
  • Spring 2026 Delivery:
    Semester 1, 2: Hybrid

Program Availability

SemesterDomesticInternational
Fall 2025
Closed
Closed
Winter 2026
Closed
Closed
Spring 2026
Open
Open
  • PGWP Eligible: Yes
  • CIP Code: 12.0500
Add to Comparison +Compare Programs

Visit St. James Campus

Book campus tour

Get answers to your questions

Book info session

Program Description

Program Overview

Get ready for a career as a cook or a chef with the one-year Culinary Skills certificate program. Learn the fundamentals of food preparation from professional chefs, explore a wide range of ingredients and discover the world of food culture.

Full Description

Learn the fundamentals of food preparation and develop your skills in our cooking labs, guided and supported by culinary faculty with the one-year Culinary Skills (H134) certificate program. Explore emerging and established culinary movements such as local, sustainable, nutrition-focused and international cuisines. This program will broaden your knowledge and give you the chef training you need to succeed in today’s food service industry.

Here are some of the skills you'll be able to show off after completing the Culinary Skills program:

  • core cooking and baking skills
  • appreciation for nutrition
  • menu planning and food, beverage and labour cost control
  • solid knife skills and cooking techniques gained through practice and repetition

Program Schedule

The Culinary Skills program operates from Monday to Friday. Some classes may begin at 7 a.m., and others may run until 10 p.m.

George Brown's The Chef School Student Standards and Expectations

Note: George Brown Polytechnic has adopted a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative. As a result, we no longer have computer lab classrooms. For classes that require computers, students will need to bring their own laptops. Our Library Learning Commons offers open access computers as well as equipment that can be borrowed on a short-term basis. For more information, please contact The Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts at chcastudentsupport@georgebrown.ca

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Career Options

Toronto alone has more than 7,500 restaurants, hotel dining rooms, cafés, eateries, numerous clubs, resorts, spas and catering companies. The culinary skills you learn at George Brown are in demand by employers both in Canada and internationally, and you will have the training to build a successful career at home or around the world.

Educational Pathways

Graduates may qualify for direct entry to the second year of the Culinary Management diploma program. Please contact the program coordinator for further information.

Alumni Impact

We are immensely proud of the contributions of our alumni in Toronto and around the globe.

From Michelin-starred restaurants to major construction, entertainment, community and financial organizations, our graduates are truly making an impact across a range of industries.

Latest alumni stories

Visit St. James Campus

Book campus tour

Get answers to your questions

Book info session

Born and raised in Toronto, this unstoppable sister duo can definitely stand the heat in the kitchen. As alumni of the Culinary Skills program, these sisters took their love for food to another level. Crystal and Celeste Ceres founded Sacraspice, a charity that delivers cooking workshops to teach young people essential culinary skills. The two decided to start the charity after seeing an evident need for food education amongst youth. They spread the motto of Bringing Healthy Back, which bridges the intersections between food, community, and physical and mental health.

Crystal & Celeste Ceres
Ontario College Certificate

"The facilities were top notch and the teaching chefs played an amazing balancing game between strong discipline to ensure proper techniques and a nurturing environment to develop creativity. George Brown enabled me to find cooking opportunities in Montreal, followed by a highly influential period at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. I've been able to pick up contracts that have taken me all the way from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and a handful of places in between."

Robin Dutt
Ontario College Certificate

"Although I had some ability in the kitchen, it wasn't until I attended George Brown that I got a chance to refine and practice my craft. I learned not only how to cook better, but to cook more efficiently, faster and cleaner. To be a professional. It wasn't only about the honing the skills of your hands, but to help organize your mind, to think like a chef."

Steven Nguyen
Ontario College Certificate

Visit St. James Campus

Our Virtual Tour showcases the following areas:

  • Campus Facilities
  • Student Services
  • Applied Learning Environments
  • Labs & Classrooms