Information on Post-Secondary Kitchen Management Training Program

The kitchen is the backbone of many hospitality businesses. So, how to run a kitchen efficiently and economically is a major skill that's required for profitable business operations. This means that every hospitality business having an operational kitchen hires kitchen managers, in order to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

If you're interested in building a rewarding career in kitchen management, this is probably the best time to do so. The job prospects will improve further in the coming years because of a boom in hotel industry. More and more privately owned and chain restaurants and hotels are coming up, resulting in increase in the demand for hospitality professionals. As kitchen is the engine room of the most such businesses, it's the best time to build a career in kitchen management.

What Does a Kitchen Manager Do?

A kitchen manager is responsible for ensuring smooth running of a commercial kitchen, maintaining kitchen equipment, ensuring compliance to sanitation, safety and hygiene standards, overseeing quantity food production, controlling food, beverage and labour costs and purchasing for commercial kitchen. Sometimes, a kitchen manager is also responsible for employee scheduling, plating food whenever there is a staff shortage and supervising and motivating kitchen staff.

Becoming a Kitchen Manager

While there are no set educational standards for kitchen managers, those who aspire to build careers in organized sector need to have some basic hospitality education. As restaurants and hotels are geared towards continuous improvements in hygiene and customer service standards, they prefer hiring professionals who have completed a specialized education and have hands-on training.

In such a scenario, a hospitality course in Toronto can help you gain the knowledge and skills required to seek entry-level jobs in this field. You will also gain hands-on training and earn required certifications in sanitation and customer service.

Centennial College's one-year post secondary kitchen management course prepares you for a challenging yet rewarding career in food operations management in a commercial kitchen. You will learn a range of skill sets kitchen operations, inventory management, human resources management, supervision and hospitality accounting. The two-semester program combines theory, lab and practical.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to apply to a hospitality course in kitchen management, you will need secondary school diploma certificate or equivalent and scores of English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent. If you do not fulfill English language criteria, you will have to take an English skill assessment at the college.

Learning Outcomes

As a graduate of this program, you will be able to:

• Monitor food operations of a commercial kitchen
• Manage inventory and control damages
• Control inventory and labour costs
• Develop cost-effective menu
• Implement appropriate kitchen practices
• Handle employee roaster
• Motivate kitchen staff to perform more efficiently
• Comply with the company and industry standards in safety, sanitation and hygiene
• Supervise quantity food production

The industry field placement will help you gain necessary industry exposure and relevant contacts that can be used as references in future. You also obtain Smart Serve and National Sanitation Training certifications. Apart from this, you are also eligible to articulate into the second year of college's two-year restaurant and catering program.

Successful Kitchen Management Involves Solid Foundation

A program's reputation is not only based on its curriculum but also on students' reactions to it and whether they recommend it to other students. At Centennial College's School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture, students are singing the praises of the Hospitality Operations - Kitchen Management offering.

"It was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot," said hospitality program graduate Deniece Phillips. "The teachers were very hands-on. The wide diversity of students allowed me to learn from them as well." Meanwhile another grad, Severo Vitorio Pastor, said, "The program is a great master plan for those who want to pursue a career in this industry. Each subject truly equips us with the knowledge, skills and experiences that we need to become successful in our field."

These two students also provide a general overview of the offering. Here is a closer look at the program's essential information.

Application Process: Aside from having an interest in the managing the kitchens in the food and beverage industry, applicants are required to have completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 years or older) as well as

English Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent (minimum grade required) or take the Centennial College English Skills Assessment for Admission.

Kitchen Management courses: Within this program, students attend a total of fourteen courses that teach them a range of skill sets including business practices in accounting, human resources and supervision. A major part of these courses is practical application in the school's recently renovated Culinary Arts Centre, which features both traditional equipment and a Tandoori oven, wok line, combi ovens, a brick-lined pizza oven, a smoker, baker's ovens and magnetic induction cookers — all state-of-the-art equipment found in the best professional kitchens. Among specific courses are: Practical Math for Hospitality, Quantity Food Production, Theory of Food, Supervisory Practices for the Kitchen Manager, Purchasing for the Commercial Kitchen and many others.

Field Experience: Despite its short length (the program is two semesters), students still benefit from the ultimate hands on experience: a field placement during which they get to carry out the duties of the kitchen manager. Many of this program's corporate and business partners hire students during or after periods of work experience. They include: Moxie's Grill & Bar, Swiss Chalet, Milestones, Red Lobster, The Keg, and others.

Credits: Not only do students graduate with an Ontario College Certificate, they also receive certifications such as the Smart Serve program and the National Sanitation Training certificate.

Possible Post-Graduate Outcomes: After successfully completing every hospitality course, students are prepared to work in food operations management. The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council has reported that, presently, 68 per cent of employees within this sector are young Canadians. There is also an opportunity to transition into the second year of Centennial's two-year Restaurant & Catering program.

Selecting a Kitchen Management Course

Kitchen management is not restricted to ensuring safety and hygiene in a kitchen and preparing healthy food. Instead, it extends to ensuring proper operation and organization of a commercial kitchen, maintaining safety and hygiene standards, managing inventory, maintaining food quality standards in compliance with restaurant policy and legal requirements, providing leadership to kitchen staff, and purchasing for commercial kitchen and ensuring excellent customer service.

Having excellent cooking abilities is not sufficient to work as a kitchen manager. In fact, one must possess a strong understanding of food quality standards, excellent communication, interpersonal and leadership skills. Along with this, a kitchen manager also needs to ensure that the food cooked and served keeps all necessary nutrients intact and meets all legal requirements for health and safety standards.

Becoming a Kitchen Manager in Canada

A kitchen manager has a large number of responsibilities, all of which are primarily concerned with ensuring proper operation of a commercial kitchen. It's a challenging as well as a rewarding career. You need to learn a range of kitchen management skill sets and business practices in human resources, accounting and supervision.

A hospitality program in kitchen management can help you gain the knowledge and skills required to build rewarding career in food operations management. The one year program helps you build strong foundation in customer service, professional communication, human resources, hospitality accounting, sanitation, safety and hygiene, quantity food production, food theory, principles of food, beverage and labour cost control, purchasing for commercial kitchen, supervisory practices for the kitchen manager.

A hospitality course in kitchen management includes classroom sessions, hands-on lab and an industry field placement as a kitchen manager. The course focuses on overall development of students and prepares them for exciting careers in food and beverages sector of the hospitality industry.

Studying Kitchen Management in Toronto

A number of colleges in Toronto offer post-secondary kitchen management courses. However, not all help you meet your specific career goals. Moreover, they may not provide you with industry exposure, which is an essential requirement for seeking employment in the industry.

A program is worth considering if:

• It's curriculum offers a right blend of theory and practical
• It offers lab practice facilities at the college campus
• It is delivered by experienced instructors
• It offers strong employment prospects after graduation
• It incorporates hands-on experience through an industry field placement
• It offers an opportunity to apply academic rewards towards further study
• It helps you earn additional credentials or certifications that are relevant to the industry

Centennial College's one-year hospitality operations – kitchen management program fulfills all these criteria, and helps you meet all your specific career goals. With this, you also earn the Smart Serve program certification and the National Sanitation Training certificate.

Enrolment Guide

If you're considering this program, you can send your completed applications to the college, along with a copy of secondary school diploma certificate or equivalent and scores in English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent. If you're currently in high school, then also you can send your application to the college. Your midterm and final term scores will directly be transmitted to the college.

All you want to know about Kitchen Management Courses in Toronto!

Kitchen management has evolved to a much extent in past few years. Organized preparation, timely services, self-discipline, well-coordinated efforts by everyone involved and adherence to safety, quality and hygiene are central to kitchen management.

Gone are the days when food operations were just limited to quantity food production and supervising day-to-day kitchen operations. The food production and service business has evolved over decades, stirred by more demanding foodies. Employers nowadays are seeking professionals who can recognize the gap between the services offered and customer demands and make use of food science and art to fill it. While they also aspect professionals to ensure smooth operations in the kitchen, which is a hidden yet key aspect of customer service.

Canadian colleges have come up with specialized kitchen management courses to fulfill industry needs for professionals who understand these aspects of food service business and can contribute effectively. Here is information on how to build a career in this field.

Requirements for building a career in kitchen management or food operations

The minimum requirement to enter the world of work is to possess a post-secondary diploma in hospitality operations – kitchen management. Hands-on experience offers an added advantage and helps professionals seek high-paying jobs. Therefore, it is important for anyone looking to build a career in this field to have undergone a formal education and training in kitchen management.

What does a kitchen management – hospitality program cover?

A post-secondary hospitality program in kitchen management helps students in gaining knowledge and skills necessary to seek employment. They are introduced to food theory, supervisory practices for kitchen managers, quantity food production, customer service, human resources management, hospitality accounting, business communications, purchasing for commercial kitchen and principles of food, beverage and labour cost controls.

The one-year program also includes an industry field placement, which helps students put their learning into practice and gain hands-on experience.

How long does the program run?

The hospitality course in kitchen management typically runs for one year through two semesters. The focus is on helping students learn a range of skill sets including hands-on experience in kitchen management, business practices in accounting, human resources and supervision.

The program graduates can also apply their credits towards further studies and enroll directly into the second year of two-year restaurant and catering program.

What are the eligibility criteria to apply for this program?

In order to apply for a post-secondary program in kitchen management, students will need to submit secondary school diploma or equivalent and scores in English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent.

What are the employment opportunities after course completion?

Upon course completion, the graduates of this program can seek employment with restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, cruise lines, or any other business that runs a kitchen. The graduates of this program demonstrate the ability to meet sanitation standards in the kitchen, oversee cooking process, purchase and manage inventory, supervise quantity food production, control labour costs, deal with conflicts among kitchen staff and ensure quick customer service.

Which is the best college in Toronto for kitchen management education?

Numerous colleges in Toronto offer post-secondary kitchen management courses. However, not all offer hands-on experience in real world settings, which is a necessary requirement to seek employment upon course completion. Centennial College is one of the most prestigious colleges in Toronto.

The college's kitchen management program offers students a unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to practice through an industry field placement. Moreover, the program includes additional certifications including the Smart Serve program and the National Sanitation Training certificate.

Kitchen Management Training Programs in Canada

Hospitality Operations – Kitchen Management courses are specially designed for those individuals who wish to make their careers in hospitality industry in food operations management. These programs cover various relevant aspects, such as quantity food production, purchasing for the commercial kitchen, food production – practical supervision, and principles of food, beverage and labour cost controls.

They also include other related aspects that are important for smooth kitchen management, including sanitation, safety and hygiene, food theory, hospitality accounting, practical math, communications, human resources and career planning and customer service. These programs typically run for one year through two semesters and aim to equip learners with all basic knowledge and skills necessary to seek entry level job in food operations sector in hospitality industry.

Opportunities Associated with Kitchen Management Courses

Centennial College's one-year post-secondary hospitality program in kitchen management offers learners several opportunities, including:

• Hands-on training for one year in state-of-the-art on-campus students restaurant
• Classroom lectures and career guidance by industry experts
• Possibility of finding employment with the corporate and business partners of the program
• Development of skills in accounting, human resources, supervision and quantity food production
• Earning National Sanitation Training Certificate and Smart Serve Program Certificate
• Industry field placement as kitchen manager
• Articulating into the second year of college's two-year restaurant and catering program

Competencies Gained by the Studentsv

The students of this program demonstrate the ability to:

• Control the cost of food and labour
• Keep the kitchen and surroundings clean, safe and hygienic
• Supervise the food production
• Ensure that the food cooked and served is wholesome and safe
• Ensure that food is served in timely manner
• Supervise a real-life food service operation

Who Can Take This Course?

The one-year hospitality course in kitchen management can be taken by anyone who wishes to build a career in food operations management with a hotel, restaurant, cruise company or any organization that serves food to its customers, residents or patients.

Individuals who have completed their secondary education can apply for this course. For this, they will need to send their applicants to the college with required supporting:

• A copy of secondary school diploma certificate or equivalent
• Scores in English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent. Those who do not meet this criterion must take college's English skills assessment.

Students currently in high school can also apply for this program. Their scores (of midterm and final term) will be directly transmitted to the college.

Upon Graduation

Program graduates can choose to pursue their careers as kitchen management executives, food operations executives, duty managers, shift supervisors, food service assistants, purchase coordinators, kitchen managers, kitchen supervisors or customer service staff.

They can also choose to study further and apply their academic credits earned during this program for a two-year restaurant and catering management. This will help them enhance their knowledge and skills and seek better, more advanced and higher paying jobs upon graduation.

Students can also choose to enroll into a two-year program after working in the industry and gaining substantial experience as this gives them more clarity on which career path will help them best meet their specific career goals.

Only Eight Months of Training Required For Kitchen Leaders in Food Service

If you can stand the heat, then stay in the kitchen. Professionals in the culinary arts understand how much stress and pressure takes place in restaurants and the food service industry. It's more than hot skillets turning up the heat, but hard work to reach quality and perfection while balancing time and product output make up this fast-paced work environment. Kitchen management is important in keeping the fort together, and it can be taken through a program at Centennial College.

The Hospitality Operations - Kitchen Management (1806) program teaches the foundations of a career in managing kitchen operations. In a short time of eight months, students will gain relevant knowledge about the food services, while practicing their leadership roles in the kitchen through a field placement. Having the food service-specific skills are important in this trade, and they can be developed through kitchen management courses in Centennial College.

The curriculum consists of food service courses, kitchen-specific courses, and some business and management courses geared towards the hospitality industry. Kitchen managers need to understand the organization in an operational level, so they need to know how to run a food service company from the food production to the service outside with the customers. However, they need to understand food service more deeply, with the costs and supervisory practices. Additionally, students will be prepared in the strategic level through the courses in accounting, human resources and planning, and higher-level operation courses.

Many industries envy the customer service practices that restaurants, catering companies, and other food service firms operate. Customer Service: A Modern Approach is a hospitality course in the Kitchen Management program that infuses the customer service ideology to support internal and external customers. Customers are more than the paying patrons who eat and dine in the restaurants. They are also the people who work for the restaurants, as well as the suppliers who help make kitchen operations possible. Students will focus on the communications process and the processes in creating customer loyalty, retention and satisfaction.

Throughout the program, students are supported by experienced faculty, who are more than willing to give students extra time and attention when required. Classes at Centennial are kept at small sizes, and the professors are available for one-on-one help and mentorship. In addition, the school provides a safe environment, where students can work and flourish with their studies. These hospitality students have state-of-the-art labs to gain some hands-on practice with their kitchen skills, and a fully-operating service restaurant to hone their leadership skills.

Upon achieving success with the industry-specific courses and experiences, students will graduate with the competency in completing basic kitchen tasks and managing the overall operations. In addition to their Ontario College Certificate, they leave with the Smart Serve certificate and the National Sanitation Training certificate, both which are commonly required for workers in food services. Centennial's hospitality program is built to give food service professionals the right training, in academics and professional practice, so they can have promising careers in the hospitality industry. Some career paths that graduates have pursued included restaurant supervisor and managerial positions in hotels and some of Canada's largest food service restaurants.

Hospitality Operations - Kitchen Management Enhanced By State of the Art Facilities

A Centennial College hospitality program called Hospitality Operations – Kitchen Management was recently further enhanced by the addition of the school's Culinary Arts Centre. This Progress Campus location is used to facilitate many courses that allow students the opportunity to work in an environment that mimics a real world setting.

A $3.5 million renovation has yielded two enormous professional kitchens and a bakeshop lab totaling 7,600 square feet. Centennial's School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture worked with employers and members of its program advisory committees to ensure the Culinary Arts Centre's concept, design and equipment will meet the current and future needs of a rapidly changing industry. In addition, students have access to an on-campus restaurant, which adds another hands-on element.

Aside from all the hands-on experience, learning business practices in accounting, human resources and supervision is ideal preparation for a final-semester field placement that allows students to better understand the dynamics of the industry, increase their knowledge of industry practices and gain a competitive advantage of experience in the job market.

Here is a look at some specific Kitchen Management courses at Centennial College within the offering.

Supervisory Practices for the Kitchen Manager: To be a successful supervisor, managers must be aware of human resources, including employee skill level, retention, motivation, training, and retraining. This course gives students the skills they need to be better leaders, supervisors, and motivators.

Purchasing for the Commercial Kitchen: In addition to dealing with their employees, kitchen managers must know the procedures required to build an integrated purchasing system for food and non-food items. Students investigate the responsibilities of the purchaser and learn to apply quality standards and ethical conduct.

Food Production, Practical Supervision: Another part of the job of a manger in the food and beverage industry is to guarantee that the food is wholesome, safe to eat, and served in a timely and efficient manner while ensuring well-trained staff members are working in a safe and clean environment. All this must be accomplished while calculating, tracking and controlling the cost of both food and labour. In this practical course, students have an opportunity to be part of a team and supervisor of that team for a real food service operation.

Theory of Food: Emphasis of this lecture-based course is on terminology, use of correct equipment and procedures, recipe reading, measurements, trouble shooting and plate presentation. The preparation of such food groups as soups, stocks, sauces, meats, fish and seafood, vegetables and baked goods is studied.

Quantity Food Production: A good manager must be in tune with the cooking aspects of the kitchen. Students learn to demonstrate the basic principles of cooking and develop the skills necessary for small and large-scale food production. Emphasis is on technique, terminology, creativity, correct use of equipment, recipe and measurement analysis, and safe handling and storage procedures.

Upon successful completion of each hospitality course, students are prepared to join the food and beverage sector, which The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) anticipates will grow to employ 1.95-million people by 2015.

Hospitality Operations - Kitchen Management Courses in Canada

The hospitality operations - kitchen managers are responsible for supervising day-to-day kitchen operations, such as:

• Planning menu
• Ensuring high levels of customer service
• Supervising food production
• Controlling food, beverage and labour costs
• Ensuring sanitation, safety and hygiene
• Recruiting and managing human resource personnel
• Adhering to quality standards in food production
• Coordinating kitchen staff
• Ensuring quick food service, reducing waiting time
• Dealing effectively with kitchen staff and bosses
• Responding to customer complaints
• Checking stock levels

Their job may also include training kitchen staff on standards of food production and maintaining sanitation and hygiene. However, exact job roles and responsibilities depend on individual experience and employment.

Job Requirements

In order to find entry level jobs in kitchen management, students need to have undergone a formal education and training in hospitality operations - kitchen management. Hands-on-experience can offer added advantage.

In addition, the professionals must display excellent management skills, customer service approach and business skills. They also need to demonstrate strong leadership and motivational skills. Strong communication skills are also essential to build a rewarding career in the industry.

Hospitality Operations - Kitchen Management Program Details

Hospitality operations - kitchen management program prepares students for challenging and rewarding careers in food operations management. They learn a range of skill sets including hands-on-experience in business practices in accounting, human resources and supervision.

The hospitality program in food operations combines classroom learning, on-campus training and a field placement component. This helps students in putting their classroom learning into practice and gaining relevant references that can be used while entering the world of work.

Program Outline

The hospitality course in kitchen management covers a wide range of subjects including:

• Customer service: a modern approach
• Human resources and career planning
• Introduction to hospitality accounting
• Sanitation, safety and hygiene
• Quantity food production
• Theory of food
• Principles of food, beverage and labour cost controls
• Supervisory practices for kitchen manager
• Purchasing for commercial kitchen
• Food production, practical supervision
• Business communications

The program generally runs for one year; however, the graduates of this program can enroll into the second year of two year Restaurant and Catering program.

Admission Requirements

In order to apply for kitchen management courses in Canada, you will need:

• Secondary school diploma or equivalent
• English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent

Students currently in high school can also apply for this course. Their midterm and final term scores will be automatically transmitted to the college.

Choosing the Right College

There are a number of colleges in Canada offering hospitality operations - kitchen management courses. However, not all offer field placement in an industry setting during the tenure of the program.

Centennial college's one-year post-secondary hospitality operations - kitchen management course lays strong emphasis on both theory as well as practical experience. The college offers lab practice facilities, and certifications including the Smart Serve Program and the National Sanitation Training certificate. In addition, students considering further education can also articulate into second year of college's two year Restaurant and catering program.

Learning to be efficient and results-oriented in Kitchen Management

By undertaking a hospitality course on kitchen management, students can expect to have a better advantage than those who enter the industry without proper education. Centennial College offers several courses on its Hospitality Operations - Kitchen Management (1806) program to prepare future Kitchen Managers and Restaurant Managers run an efficient and profitable business.

Hospitality Program Teaches Students The Ins and Outs of the Kitchen

Did you know that by attending the hospitality program at Centennial College called Hospitality Operations – Kitchen Management, graduates go on to be employed by reputable and varied companies such as: Swiss Chalet, Milestones, Red Lobster, Jack Astor’s, The Keg, Canyon Creek and many others? That’s because the Kitchen Management courses within this undertaking focus on offering students a range of skill sets through hands-on experience in an on-campus student training restaurant, business practices in accounting, human resources, and supervision.

To apply for this hospitality program’s Kitchen Management courses, students are required to have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Students must also have attended the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent. It should be noted that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the hospitality program.

Once they are accepted, students spend two semesters working towards an Ontario College Certificate as well as the Smart Serve program and the National Sanitation Training certificates. This is achieved through Kitchen Management courses that include: Supervisory Practices for the Kitchen Manager (designed to give learners an opportunity to practice the skill set of a successful supervisor); Quantity Food Production (emphasis is placed on technique, terminology, creativity, correct use of equipment, recipe and measurement analysis, and safe handling and storage procedures); Introduction to Hospitality Accounting (learners obtain the abilities to apply basic cost control, basic revenue management, work with theoretical financial situations and increasing their understanding of accounting principles and concepts and the application of these principles and concepts related to the hospitality, Tourism and Culture industry); and more.

To round of these Kitchen Management courses, the hospitality program gives students the chance to apply what they have learned in the school’s on-campus living lab-restaurant called Horizons. The experience also serves are preparation for the hospitality program’s field placement. During this time, students work in approved jobs within the food service industry. Field placement enables learners to better understand the dynamics of the industry, increase their knowledge of industry practices and provides a competitive advantage of experience in the job market.

Once they complete the hospitality courses within this offering, students may stream into the second year of Centennial’s two-year Food and Beverage Management program to further their education. Alternatively, they are fully prepared to work as food operations managers who plan, organize and direct a varied staff of food service personnel in a many types of food service operations, including catering and banquet, restaurants or specialty snack food service. Among the specific responsibilities of those who have completed Kitchen Management courses are: planning work programs, staffing for cash food service, interviewing and hiring employees, training employees, reviewing inventory, requesting and purchasing food supplies, planning menus and price points, supervising operations, observing quality of service and other such daily tasks.

Jason wrote this article about the hospitality program at Centennial College that prepares students for a career in food operations management at well-known establishments such as Red Lobster, The Keg and more.

Kitchen Management Courses Focus on Offering Students Practical Know-How

"The hospitality program is a great master plan for those who want to pursue a career in this industry," says Severo Vitorio Pastor, a graduate of Centennial College’s Hospitality Operations – Kitchen Management offering. "Each subject truly equips us with the knowledge, skills and experiences that we need to become successful in our field."

This insight from Severo demonstrates just how streamlined the Kitchen Management courses within this offering are to ensure that students spend their time only learning the know-how they truly need. As such, topics covered within the Kitchen Management courses include a range of hands-on kitchen experience, as well as business practices in accounting, human resources, and supervision. This balance is offered through the learning of skills such as: sanitation, hygiene and safety, as well as quantity food preparation, theory of food, practical supervision of food production, customer service, human resources and career planning, hospitality accounting, practical math, purchasing for the commercial kitchen, and many others.

To allow students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in their Kitchen Management courses prior to graduation, Centennial College offers a range of practical applications. Not only are some classes conducted from the school’s on-campus living lab-restaurant called Horizons, but students also have the opportunity to attend a hospitality program field placement. During this time, students obtain meaningful work experience in approved jobs within the food service industry, adding another educational dimension to their career preparation. Field placement also enables learners to better understand the dynamics of the industry, increases their knowledge of industry practices, and provides a competitive advantage of experience in the job market. In addition to the important career preparation that students of this hospitality program receive through the field placement, the company with which they spend time also hires many full-time. Among this hospitality program’s industry partners are: Moxie’s Grill & Bar, Swiss Chalet, Kelsey’s, Milestones, Red Lobster, Jack Astor’s, and many others. 

Applicants interested in obtaining an Ontario College Certificate, and the Smart Serve program and the National Sanitation Training certificates from this hospitality program, must first go through an application process. Interested parties are required to have completed, at minimum, an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent, or be 19 years of age or older. Students must also have attended the compulsory English 12C or U, or skills assessment or equivalent. It should be noted that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the hospitality program.

With the training obtained in these Kitchen Management hospitality courses, students may enter the second year of Centennial’s two-year Food and Beverage Management program. This further study will provide them with different opportunities and more knowledge. On the other hand, graduates are fully prepared for work as food operations managers. In this position they will plan, organize and direct a varied staff of food service personnel in a many types of food service operations, including catering and banquet, restaurants, or specialty snack food service.

Kitchen Management Courses Help to Launch a Hospitality Career

“The key skills we learn are sanitation, for one — always being clean and making sure there’s no chance that anything can be contaminated,” says Keith Ali of the hospitality program at Centennial College called Hospitality Operations – Kitchen Management. “Also, customer service — always put your customers first and know that they’re happy with their meals and they get what they paid for. [One day a week], we come in and we usually have to run the kitchen on our own. We get graded on how well we run the kitchen.”

While Keith offers great insight into this undertaking from a student’s perspective, let’s take a closer look at some of the details. First and foremost, this hospitality program takes one year to complete and results in an Ontario College Certificate, and the Smart Serve program and the National Sanitation Training certificates. To attend its Kitchen Management Courses, applicants must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Students must also have attended the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent. It should be noted that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the hospitality program.

This hospitality program and its kitchen management courses are designed to offer students a range of hands-on kitchen experience as well as business practices in accounting, human resources and supervision. Within their hospitality courses, students learn skills such as sanitation, hygiene and safety as well as quantity food preparation, practical supervision of food production, customer service, human resources and career planning, hospitality accounting, practical math, purchasing for the commercial kitchen and many others.

Meanwhile, hands-on practice in the school’s on-campus living lab-restaurant called Horizons allows students to interact with real diners and customers. This practice prepares students for their last semester Hospitality Program field placement. This opportunity provides meaningful work experience in approved jobs within the food service industry, enabling students to relate classroom theory to the practical world, while adding another educational dimension to their career preparation. Field placement enables learners to better understand the dynamics of the industry, increase their knowledge of industry practices and provides a competitive advantage of experience in the job market.

Students who have attended Centennial College’s kitchen management courses and hospitality courses have two options. First, they have the opportunity to stream into the second year of Centennial’s two-year Food and Beverage Management program. This further study will provide them with different opportunities and more knowledge. Secondly, they may enter the hospitality operations field as food operations managers — a position that sees them planning, organizing and directing a varied staff of food service personnel in a many types of food service operations, including catering and banquet, restaurants or specialty snack food service. Specific duties include: planning work programs, staffing for cash food service, interviewing and hiring employees, training employees, reviewing inventory, requesting and purchasing food supplies, planning menus and price points, supervising operations, observing quality of service and other such daily tasks.