Perhaps one of the most sought after skills that will always be in demand is the skill in culinary arts. Like most things, skills can be sharpened and if you have a passion for cooking, then study culinary in Canada and make a career out of it.
Canada’s Culinary Background
What shapes Canada’s culinary environment today is due to the settlers coming into this land and introducing new foods (and also being introduced to some by the First Nations people). Explorers who first arrived in Canada were introduced to Pemmican, a super granola bar-like food that kept a person going for hours.
Later on, Ukrainian settlers introduced perogies to the prairies. To this day, many Canadians still consider perogies a part of their diet. Later on, Montreal introduces its most famous smoked-meat, founded by a Jewish-Romanian immigrant.
In the 1970s, a Japanese immigrant introduced Canada and the world to the California roll. It was a way for non-Japanese Canadians to transition into Japanese without having to eat raw fish right away.
Many other foods were introduced to Canadians as the years went on, all inspired by an international dish. Cooks and culinary experts are needed to keep the food scene fresh and vibrant.
Types of Jobs with Culinary Arts
- Baker/Pastry Chef ($31,000) – The cafe culture is blowing up currently and thus will need more unique approaches to every day cakes and pastries.
- Chef/Sous-Chef ($36,000) – Chefs and Sous Chefs typically work in high-end restaurants and hotels. They are the leaders of the kitchen, preparing food and making sure everything is going right.
- Cake Designer ($32,000) – Aesthetic food has taken over foodie culture. In order for your product to capture the eyes, it must be a good design.
- Restaurant Manager ($52,000) – Those who graduated in culinary arts can also open up their own restaurant or work their way to management at the restaurant they started at.
- Cooks ($30,000) – They are the backbone of restaurants, keeping operations running smoothly by cooking dishes and preparing food properly.
The types of jobs that are available to you don’t stop here. The food industry goes far and wide, opening opportunities for you to work anywhere. If you’re curious about one of the jobs, check out this article about what being a cook in Canada means.
Where to Study Culinary
You can study culinary arts and cooking in most tech institutions or in a college. Some notable schools include:
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Langara College
- Douglas College
- Vancouver Community College (VCC)
- Secondary school as an elective
What You’ll Learn
During your time in culinary arts, you’ll be taught a wide range of cooking techniques that you can take into your career.
- Knowledge of preparation, presentation, and service for a range of food in the hospitality environment
- Evaluation for consistency, flavour, texture, and overall appearance
- Ability to plan and design menus that reflect nutritional values and restaurant themes
- Knowledge of safety in the kitchen and attitudes for successful practice
- Knowledge of handling and storing food
- Professional skills and how to advance further in the culinary industry
The list goes on. Within your two years of study, you will have experimented with every kind of food and cuisine imaginable.
General Admission Requirements
- Finish a Canadian high school equivalent
- Must be over 18 years old
- Meet the school’s English Requirement (may vary between institutions)
You may also need to provide two certificates that verifies that you are equipped to handle food and drink:
- Food Safe Certificate (At least level 1)
- Serving it Right Certificate
English Requirements
There are a number of ways you can prove that your English knowledge is sufficient to receive instructions in English. You can do this with:
- Duolingo English Test
- IELTS
- TOEFL
- CAEL
- CanTest
- High School Diploma in an English Speaking Country
Advantages of Culinary Arts
The art of food transcends languages and borders. Your knowledge and experience of the craft can be taken around the world. For example, you can work on cruise lines, where you’ll literally be shipped around the world. Or you can travel to a country that you’ve always wanted to work in and you can do that with culinary arts.
The demand for cooks and kitchen staff will also always be in demand. As foodie culture is growing, the need is there to satisfy more expectant palettes to try things they’ve never seen before.
Why Study Cooking in Canada
Canada is the best place to study cooking because it’s a place where all cultures meet. You will gain an understanding of how to make cuisines from multiple countries. Likewise, you’ll be able to apply general knowledge into more specific cuisines.
Canada’s culinary schools are internationally acclaimed and many of its schools guarantee a job upon graduation. That’s true in the international aspect as well. Canada’s cooking schools are thorough and support their students through adequate experience and training.