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Professional Cook 1 – High School

CREDENTIAL: Certificate
START DATES

Learn the foundations of professional culinary arts and earn credits toward your apprenticeship while still in high school.

Tuition: 2960*
Credential: Certificate
Length: 28 0 weeks
Hours: Full-time
Delivery: Class-based
Program Flyer: Download
Campus: Varies Varies
Start Dates: Feb, Sep
11K
Job openings predicted
(2018-2028)
11K
Job openings predicted
(2018-2028)
 

What you will learn

  • History and principles of cooking
  • Culinary language and terminology
  • Health, safety, and employment standards
  • Operation of commercial kitchen equipment
  • Knife skills
  • Basic stocks, sauces, and soups
  • Salads, dressings, accompaniments
  • Breakfast cooking
  • Garde manger: salads, sandwiches, and dressings
  • Quickbreads, pies, tarts
  • Yeast breads
  • Fruit and custard desserts
  • Butchery: processing of beef, poultry, and seafood
  • Meat cooking methods
  • Cook chill production
  • Nutrition and food combinations
  • Institutional menus
  • Food handling and storage
  • Math skills
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Time management
  • Café/cafeteria service
  • Career planning and job-search strategies
  • Opportunity to take exams for ITA Level 1 certification

What to expect

  • 28 weeks of full-time study
  • A fully equipped commercial kitchen
  • Work experience in VCC’s public cafeteria
  • Hands-on learning
  • Classroom instruction
  • Active participation
  • Teamwork
  • Critical thinking
  • Self/peer assessments
  • Exams
  • Practical assessments
  • Course assignments
  • Portfolios

Admission requirements

Program-specific

If you are joining this program before September 2025, you must meet these admissions requirements:

  • Any grade 10 English course or equivalent
  • Any grade 10 Mathematics or VCC’s Basic Arithmetic assessment with an 80% or equivalent
  •  (certification must remain valid throughout the program)

Applicants must be able to physically handle; all seafood including but not limited to fish & shellfish, beef, lamb, pork, all types of poultry, all types of game, all dairy products, and all associated by-products required to meet the program outcomes.  Any other known food allergies must be disclosed.


If you are joining this program in September 2025 (or later), you must meet these admissions requirements:

  • Composition 10, , or department approval
  • Workplace Math 10,
  • Valid Certificate (certification must remain valid throughout the program)

Note: Based on industry and STBC standards, students are expected to physically handle: all seafood including but not limited to fish & shellfish, beef, lamb, pork, all types of poultry, all types of game, all dairy products, and all associated by-products required to meet the program outcomes. For safety reasons, any known food allergies must be disclosed. Please contact both the high school counsellor and VCC Disability Services to arrange any necessary accommodations.

Students who require an accommodation for the STBC theory examination, must have an active file with VCC Disability Services. Accommodations for the STBC cooking practical exam are not available.

Program-specific

  • Composition 10, , or department approval
  • Workplace Math 10,
  • Valid Certificate (certification must remain valid throughout the program)

Note: Based on industry and STBC standards, students are expected to physically handle: all seafood including but not limited to fish & shellfish, beef, lamb, pork, all types of poultry, all types of game, all dairy products, and all associated by-products required to meet the program outcomes. For safety reasons, any known food allergies must be disclosed. Please contact both the high school counsellor and VCC Disability Services to arrange any necessary accommodations.

Students who require an accommodation for the STBC theory examination, must have an active file with VCC Disability Services. Accommodations for the STBC cooking practical exam are not available.

General

Recommended Characteristics

  • Displays commitment to dedication to education and training
  • Displays consistent attendance and participation
  • Ability to multi-task, work accurately and neatly, and manage time effectively
  • Integrity, ability to take initiative and handle responsibility
  • Ability to work independently, respectfully, and, in groups
  • Ability to give close attention to detail for sustained periods
  • Displays professional interpersonal & respectful communication skills
  • Some creativity is an asset
  • High standards of personal hygiene

Considerations: This program can be physically taxing, with students typically needing to perform motor skills and hand-eye coordination over extended periods of time, including a need to stand over hot stoves. The physical demands of the profession may worsen existing wrist, shoulder, and back conditions.

Courses *

Prior learning assessment and recognition

Prior learning assessment and recognition is not available for this program.

Fees and other costs *

Tuition Deposit

0 (0 non-refundable)

Tution deposits are payable usually within two (2) weeks after a Letter of Offer is issued.

Fee descriptionFee AmountNotes
Application fee0
Tuition Tuition 2960
Student union64
College initiative86
Materials0 not including textbooks
Campus resource119
Laundry341
Tools (deposit)0
Coverall (deposit)0
Uniform (deposit)60
0
Temporary Medical Insurance 0
U-PASS 310
Graduation45
Program-specific extra fees0
Total

Apply now

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