Honours Bachelor of Commerce Program (Culinary Management) (H315)

Program Description

Leadership Claims

The only four-year Culinary Management Honours bachelor's degree in Canada.

Program Overview

This program is eligible for an entrance scholarship.

Our commitment to being one of Canada's best culinary schools inspired the launch of the only four-year Culinary Management bachelor's degree in Canada. Develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to succeed as a chef, culinary manager or entrepreneur in our Culinary Management degree program. Through a blend of theoretical and practical education, students will gain the skills and knowledge to achieve a successful career in today’s culinary and food industry. We are anchored in the heart of the Canadian culinary industry with global reach and influence.

Full Description

The Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) meets industry demand by preparing students with the depth and breadth of knowledge commensurate with an honours level, undergraduate commerce degree specializing in culinary management. Combining commerce, culinary, food studies and externship experiences, this degree program prepares graduates for kitchen, operations management, food development or entrepreneur positions. Through our culinary management courses, students will gain an understanding of eight key areas:

  1. culinary proficiency
  2. culinary theory
  3. accounting and finance
  4. marketing and communications
  5. human resources and risk management
  6. specialized business
  7. research
  8. general knowledge (liberal studies)

George Brown College Chef School Student Standards and Expectations

Note: George Brown College 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

Your Field Education Options

Take part in a unique and robust externship. George Brown works with employers and industry partners to identify potential work experience opportunities. Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe will provide the learning experiences they value and meet the program's learning outcomes. This valuable work experience can in turn be added to your resumé.

In addition to more formal on-the-job work experience, George Brown College strives to provide learning opportunities with real-world challenges and customers.

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Career Options

A world of opportunities awaits you when you graduate. Completion of this program will demonstrate your level of commitment to cuisine, thus differentiating you from other chefs. The culinary skills you learn at George Brown are in demand by employers across Canada and internationally, and you will have the training to build a successful career at home or around the world.

While some degree graduates may start their careers in an entry-level position, they will have the knowledge and skills to expedite their career pathways. Depending on the graduate’s focus and level of experience, possible career pathways include:

Food Service Employment AreasPossible Career Paths
Multi-Unit Food service
  • director of operations with culinary experience requirements
  • corporate/menu development chef
Retirement Facilities and Chains
  • director of food service
  • executive chef
  • director of food & beverage
Hospitality and Tourism
  • director of food & beverage
  • positions with various types of organizations such as attractions, convention centres, hotels, off-premise catering, etc.
Contract Food Service Management
  • corporate or regional chef
  • district manager
  • regional manager
  • regional vice-president
Food Processors and Brokers
  • development chef
  • sales representative
  • sales manager
Distributors
  • corporate chef
  • executive chef
Business Consulting
  • food service logistics
  • food and beverage consulting
  • food and beverage market research
Entrepreneurship
  • media work
  • event chef
  • owning a restaurant, catering services

Educational Pathways

Graduates of this program will be prepared to continue their studies post-degree in master's programs in the fields of business, gastronomy and environmental studies.

Graduates may also be eligible for direct entry into the Culinary Arts – Italian, and French Pastry programs, as well as the Food and Nutrition Management program.

Please contact the program co-ordinator for further information.

Yasemin Gencay (Graduate, Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management))

The Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) program is the perfect balance of management and culinary skills. This four-year program prepared us for the industry so we could become strong leaders and skilled individuals. The way the program is built allowed us to create a strong foundation for the advanced courses we had throughout the years. We were able to learn every aspect of the hospitality industry not just the restaurant industry in these four- years. In the future, this will give the graduates a very flexible choice on their career path. The quality and academic levels of this program are of a very high standard, making this degree worth it. The knowledge of the professors and chefs we had in this program helped me to excel in my academic and culinary skills. The small class sizes were great because they allowed us to have a first-person connection to our professors. They all guided us and gave us extra help whenever we needed it. My favourite aspect of this program was the evolution it went through. From real-life case studies to the opportunity to create a business plan, we were always connected to the industry. The guest speakers we had in our courses helped us to get an insight into the industry we would be a part of. Even in our management classes, we were doing hands-on work like creating a business plan or solving current issues in our industry. Every year we knew what was happening in the industry, from sustainability to laws, to the cost of equipment. This connection became stronger when we had our externships in the first year and third year. When we came back from these externships, we were able to connect to our courses even more with the experience we gained in the real world. After graduating from this program, I feel ready and confident with the skillset and knowledge I gained. I am proud to be in the first group of graduates this program will have and I will always be grateful to all my professors for their constant support and guidance in our four-year journey.

Yasemin Gencay
Honours Bachelor's Degree

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