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Home Catalog Programs of Study List of Programs Culinary Arts Management

Culinary Arts Management

Overview

This program provides training for management-track employment in commercial culinary service operations and/or for those wishing to start a food service business. Courses begin at entry-level training; advanced courses build upon skills acquired in pre-requisite courses.

The degrees and certificates include coursework in culinary arts, food and equipment use and identification, culinary sanitation, nutrition, management techniques, marketing, legal control, financial analysis, and entrepreneurship. Students will apply those skills with training in lab courses and work experience.

Sanitation training is offered as an integral part of each certificate and degree and is certified by the National Restaurant Association.

Students who complete the AA in Culinary Arts Management are also eligible to receive the Culinary Services Certificate and the Cooking and Supervision Certificate, which are embedded within the degree path. Students who complete the AA in Restaurant and Food Service Entrepreneurship are also eligible to receive the Culinary Services Certificate, the Cooking and Supervision Certificate, and the Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship Certificate, which are embedded within the degree path. Students who complete all program requirements for their chosen AA Degree will be eligible to graduate with all eligible certificates along with the degree.

To participate in production labs, students must be able to lift and carry objects that weigh up to 50 lbs. Students must have the ability to use knives and other hand tools.

Degrees and Certificates Offered

  • A.A. in Culinary Arts Management
  • A.A. in Restaurant and Food Service Entrepreneurship
  • Basic Culinary Services Certificate
  • Cooking and Supervision Certificate

Associate Degrees

A.A. in Culinary Arts Management

This program provides training for management track employment in commercial culinary service operations. Courses begin at entry-level training; advanced courses build upon skills acquired in pre-requisite courses.

The program includes coursework in culinary arts, food and equipment use and identification, culinary sanitation, nutrition, management techniques, marketing, legal control, financial analysis and entrepreneurship. Students will apply those skills with training in lab courses and work experience.

Sanitation training is offered as an integral part of each certificate and degree, and is certified by the National Restaurant Association as well as Sacramento County Environmental Health Division.

Both the Basic Culinary Services Certificate and the Cooking and Supervision Certificate are embedded within this program. Students who complete all program requirements for the Culinary Arts Management A.A. Degree will be eligible to graduate with both certificates and their degree.

To participate in production labs, students must be able to lift and carry objects up to 50 Lbs. Students must have the ability to use knives and other hand tools.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Degree Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
First Semester:
CAM 300 Survey of Food Service Careers and Career Skills 3
First Semester:
CAM 306 Culinary Sanitation & Safety 2
Second Semester:
CAM 301 Food Theory and Preparation 41
Second Semester:
CAM 321 Culinary Computations 3
Fall (Semester 3 or 4):
CAM 310 Quantity Food Production 4
Spring (Semester 3 or 4):
CAM 316 Micro-Entrepreneurship in Food Service 4
Fall (Semester 3 or 4):
CAM 332 Culinary Financial Management 3
Fall, Spring, or Summer (Semester 3 or 4):
A minimum of 4 units from the following: 4
CAM 498 Work Experience in Culinary Arts Management (0.5 - 4)
Any Semester:
BUS 300 Introduction to Business 3
First Semester, Area II(a) Requirement:
BUS 310 Business Communications (3) 3
   or ENGL 341 Introduction to Technical and Professional Writing (3)
Any Semester:
BUS 340 Business Law 3
Any Semester:
BUS 350 Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship (3) 3
   or MGMT 362 Techniques of Management (3)
Any Semester:
MKT 330 Internet Marketing 3
Any Semester, Area IV Requirement :
HORT 313 Sustainable Agriculture (3) 3
   or HORT 300 Introduction to Horticulture (3)
   or ENGR 304 How Things Work (3)
Any Semester, Area III(b) Requirement:
NUTRI 300 Nutrition 3
Any Semester, Area V(b)and Area VI Requirements:
NUTRI 310 Cultural Foods of the World (3) 3
   or BUS 330 Managing Diversity in the Workplace (3)
Total Units: 51

1CAM 300, 306, and 301 serve as prerequisite courses for many higher level courses.

The Culinary Arts Management Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, and either (a) the Local General Education Pattern or (b) the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC), plus sufficient electives for a total of at least 60 units. See CRC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to use professional written and oral communication skills necessary to communicate to a variety of audiences.
  • Demonstrate awareness, understanding, and skills necessary to live and work in a diverse world.
  • Demonstrate necessary mathematical principles for foodservice production and management tasks.
  • Understand and practice proper sanitation and safety procedures critical to the foodservice industry.
  • Demonstrate the ability to develop, examine, question, and explore perspectives or alternatives to problems within the foodservice industry.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in a variety of managerial skills necessary for foodservice managers and entrepreneurs.
  • Exhibit a basic understanding of nutrition and the relationship between nutrition and food preparation.
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of cooking techniques and procedures.
  • Practice professional ethics, provide leadership, demonstrate personal and global responsibility and work effectively as a team member.

Career Information

Culinary Manager; Culinary Supervisor; Cook; Kitchen Manager; Restaurant Manager; Caterer; Food Service Worker.

A.A. in Restaurant and Food Service Entrepreneurship

This program provides training and education for those wishing to own a restaurant or other food service venture. The various elements involved in starting and operating a small business are covered as well as training in food theory and production, safety and sanitation, and business practices.

The Basic Culinary Services Certificate; and the Cooking and Supervision Certificate; and the Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship Certificate are embedded within this program. Students who complete all program requirements for the Restaurant and Food Service Entrepreneurship A.A. Degree will be eligible to graduate with all three certificates and their degree.

To participate in production labs, students must be able to lift and carry objects up to 50 Lbs. Students must have the ability to use knives and other hand tools.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Degree Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
First Semester:
CAM 300 Survey of Food Service Careers and Career Skills 3
First Semester:
CAM 306 Culinary Sanitation & Safety 2
Second Semester:
CAM 301 Food Theory and Preparation 4
Second Semester:
CAM 321 Culinary Computations 3
Fall (Semester 3 or 4):
CAM 310 Quantity Food Production 4
Spring (Semester 3 or 4):
CAM 316 Micro-Entrepreneurship in Food Service 4
Fall (Semester 3 or 4):
CAM 332 Culinary Financial Management 3
Offered Only Fall Semester in Odd Years:
BUS 215 Entrepreneurial Opportunity and Business Planning 3
Offered Fall and Spring Semesters :
BUS 300 Introduction to Business 3
Offered Fall and Spring Semesters :
BUS 340 Business Law 3
Offered Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters:
BUS 350 Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship 3
Offered Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters :
MKT 300 Principles of Marketing 3
Offered Fall and Spring Semesters :
ACCT 301 Financial Accounting (4) 3 - 4
   or BUS 320 Concepts in Personal Finance (3)
Any Semester, Area III(b) Requirement:
NUTRI 300 Nutrition 3
Any Semester, Area V(b)and Area VI Requirements:
NUTRI 310 Cultural Foods of the World (3) 3
   or BUS 330 Managing Diversity in the Workplace (3)
Offered Fall, Spring, and Summer :
BUS 310 Business Communications (3) 3
   or ENGL 341 Introduction to Technical and Professional Writing (3)
Any Semester, Area IV Requirement:
HORT 313 Sustainable Agriculture (3) 3
   or HORT 300 Introduction to Horticulture (3)
   or ENGR 304 How Things Work (3)
Total Units: 53 - 54

The Restaurant and Food Service Entrepreneurship Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, and either (a) the Local General Education Pattern or (b) the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC), plus sufficient electives for a total of at least 60 units. See CRC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • Understand and practice proper sanitation and safety procedures critical to the food service industry.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking skills needed to assess and correct problems within food preparation, production, presentation and service.
  • Develop effective oral and written communication skills that can be applied in various business settings.
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of cooking techniques and procedures.
  • Exhibit a basic understanding of nutrition
  • Demonstrate skill and comprehension in entrepreneurship as indicated by course outcomes.
  • Transform an entrepreneurial idea into a viable business concept.
  • Employ appropriate management, finance, accounting, and marketing techniques required in operating a business.
  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically and analyze problems.
  • Evaluate the feasibility of success when starting a new business venture.
  • Research and compose a business plan that includes all facets of starting and managing a business.
  • Express ideas and facts clearly and completely.

Career Information

Small Business Owner- Restaurant and Food Service field. Restaurant manager.

Certificates of Achievement

Basic Culinary Services Certificate

This program provides training in the entry-level skills necessary for a career in food service. Courses begin at basic training, culminating in an advanced course focusing on the quantity production of food.

The program includes coursework in culinary arts, culinary sanitation, and customer service. Students will apply skills with hands-on training in production centered labs.

Sanitation training is offered as an integral part of each certificate and degree in the department and is certified by the National Restaurant Association as well as Sacramento County Environmental Health Division.

This certificate is the first in a program series. After completion, students can continue CAM coursework towards a certificate in cooking and supervision and then towards an A.A. Degree, with all coursework counting as part of the requirements for the degree.

To participate in production labs, students must be able to lift and carry objects up to 50 Lbs. Students must have the ability to use knives and other hand tools.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Certificate Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
CAM 300 Survey of Food Service Careers and Career Skills 3
CAM 306 Culinary Sanitation & Safety 2
CAM 301 Food Theory and Preparation 41
CAM 321 Culinary Computations 3
CAM 310 Quantity Food Production 4
Total Units: 16

1CAM 300, 306, and 301 serve as prerequisite courses for many higher level department courses

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • demonstrate the ability to use professional written and oral communication skills necessary to communicate to a variety of audiences.
  • demonstrate basic mathematical principles for foodservice record keeping, baking procedures, and recipe conversions.
  • understand and practice proper sanitation and safety procedures critical to the foodservice industry.
  • demonstrate basic knowledge of cooking techniques and procedures.
  • demonstrate critical thinking skills needed to assess and correct problems within food preparation and production.

Career Information

This program is designed to prepare graduates with the skills necessary to enter into entry level employment in a food service operation.

Cooking and Supervision Certificate

This program provides training in the basic skills necessary for a career in food service management. Coursework begins with basic training, culminating in an advanced course focusing on the quantity production of food and intermediate skills in management relevant to the foodservice industry.

The program includes coursework in culinary arts, culinary sanitation, customer service, and management principles. Students will apply skills with training in labs at at work experience sites.

Sanitation training is offered as an integral part of each certificate and degree in the department and is certified by the National Restaurant Association as well as Sacramento County Environmental Health Division.

This certificate is the second in a program series. After completion, students can continue their CAM coursework towards an A.A. Degree, with all coursework counting as part of the requirements for the degree.

To participate in production labs, students must be able to lift and carry objects up to 50 Lbs. Students must have the ability to use knives and other hand tools.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Certificate Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
CAM 300 Survey of Food Service Careers and Career Skills 3
CAM 306 Culinary Sanitation & Safety 2
CAM 301 Food Theory and Preparation 41
CAM 321 Culinary Computations 3
CAM 310 Quantity Food Production 4
CAM 316 Micro-Entrepreneurship in Food Service (4) 4
CAM 332 Culinary Financial Management 3
A minimum of 2 units from the following: 2
CAM 498 Work Experience in Culinary Arts Management (0.5 - 4)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
NUTRI 300 Nutrition (3)
   or HORT 300 Introduction to Horticulture (3)
   or HORT 313 Sustainable Agriculture (3)
   or NUTRI 310 Cultural Foods of the World (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
BUS 300 Introduction to Business (3)
   or BUS 310 Business Communications (3)
   or BUS 340 Business Law (3)
   or BUS 330 Managing Diversity in the Workplace (3)
   or BUS 350 Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship (3)
   or MGMT 362 Techniques of Management (3)
   or MKT 330 Internet Marketing (3)
Total Units: 31

1CAM 300, 306, and 301 serve as pre-requisite courses for many higher level department courses

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to use professional written and oral communication skills necessary to communicate to a variety of audiences.
  • Demonstrate necessary mathematical principles for foodservice production and management tasks.
  • Understand and practice proper sanitation and safety procedures critical to the foodservice industry.
  • Exhibit a basic understanding of nutrition and the relationship between nutrition and food preparation.
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of cooking techniques and procedures.
  • Work effectively as a team member.

Career Information

This program is designed to prepare graduates with the skills necessary for advancement from entry-level employment in a food service operation.

Culinary Arts Management (CAM) Courses

CAM 294 Topics in Culinary Arts Management

  • Units:0.5 - 4
  • Hours:5 - 36 hours LEC; 13 - 108 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

Coursework designed to cover special topics not included in current culinary offerings. Topics may be offered in a workshop or seminar presentation on timely subjects or targeted for specific audiences.

CAM 300 Survey of Food Service Careers and Career Skills

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course provides an overview of the various careers and the necessary career skills required in the foodservice management field. It concentrates on the career paths within the food service sector, including a review of the industry's past and present state. Additionally, the course will provide guidance on essential career skills such as interview techniques and job strategies.

CAM 301 Food Theory and Preparation

  • Units:4
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 108 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Corequisite:CAM 306 and 321
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course provides a comprehensive study of the basic principles and techniques involved in professional food preparation. The principles covered within this course will serve as the foundation for all other lab courses. Topics will include: work simplification, measurements/conversions, knife skills, soups, sauces, salads, heat transfer methods, equipment recognition, cleaning, use of hand tools/measuring devices, as well as identifying, cleaning, and cutting raw materials. This course will examine the reasons for procedures and phenomena and the prevention and/or correction of cooking failures. The laboratory emphasizes theory application through the preparation of soups, sauces, salads, vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, breakfast dishes, grains, pastas and potatoes.
This course may require out of class time attendance at events (all required events will be listed in the course syllabus).

CAM 306 Culinary Sanitation & Safety

  • Units:2
  • Hours:36 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers the principles of food microbiology, important foodborne diseases, standards that are enforced by regulatory agencies, and applied measures for the prevention of foodborne diseases and other microbiological problems. All phases of sanitation for professional culinary operations are covered in the context of schools, hospitals and commercial restaurants and cafeterias. Subjects covered include types and causes of food borne illnesses, correct procedures for handling food in quantity, and the principles of cleaning and sanitizing. The course focuses on practical applications for culinary workers, supervisors, and trainers. Completion of the course includes optional certification by the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association.

CAM 310 Quantity Food Production

  • Units:4
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 108 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:CAM 300, 301, and 306 with grades of "C" or better
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is a survey of the principles of quantity food production and service. The production and service of industry quality and quantity food will be covered. Components may include knife skills, equipment recognition, use of hand tools and measuring devices, and cleaning / cutting raw materials. This course may also cover quantity preparation of sandwiches, soups, salads, garde manger items, vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, breakfast dishes, rice and other grains, pastas and potatoes, sauces and simple dessert items.
This course may require out of class time attendance at events (all required events outside of class time will be listed in the course syllabus). This course has mandatory prerequisites that must be completed before enrolling.

CAM 316 Micro-Entrepreneurship in Food Service

  • Units:4
  • Hours:36 hours LEC; 108 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:CAM 300, 301, and 306 with grades of "C" or better
  • Advisory:CAM 310
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is designed to teach students the process for developing a micro-entrepreneurial business from conception to production. A variety of topics relevant to the food service micro-entrepreneur will be covered and practiced.
In person sections of this course may require attendance at events outside of the normally scheduled class time (all required events outside of class time will be listed in the course syllabus).

CAM 321 Culinary Computations

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course will cover a variety of basic culinary computations necessary for the food service manager. The primary focus will be on measurements and recipe conversions. Other applicable topics may be covered including basic menu and labor costing and the use of spreadsheets for computational purposes. This course will serve as a pre-requisite for many higher level CAM courses.

CAM 332 Culinary Financial Management

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Corequisite:CAM 300
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course focuses on food and beverage pricing, culinary accounting and finance for culinary operations. The course includes the use of accounting techniques in such areas as analyzing business performance, budgeting, as well as cost and profit planning.

CAM 495 Independent Studies in Culinary Arts Management

  • Units:1 - 3
  • Hours:54 - 162 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

An independent studies project involves an individual student or small group of students in study, research, or activities beyond the scope of regularly offered courses. See the current catalog section of "Special Studies" for full details of Independent Studies.

CAM 498 Work Experience in Culinary Arts Management

  • Units:0.5 - 4
  • Hours:27 - 216 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:CAM 300, 301, and 306 with grades of "C" or better
  • Corequisite:CAM 310
  • Enrollment Limitation:Students must be in a paid or unpaid internship, volunteer position or job related to career goals in Culinary Arts Management.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course provides students with opportunities to develop marketable skills in preparation for employment in their major field of study or advancement within their career. It is designed for students interested in work experience and/or internships in transfer level degree occupational programs. Course content includes understanding the application of education to the workforce; completion of required forms which document the student's progress and hours spent at the work site; and developing workplace skills and competencies. Appropriate level learning objectives are established by the student and the employer. During the semester, the student is required to participate in a weekly orientation and complete 27 hours of related work experience for 0.5 unit. An additional 27 hours of related work experience is required for each additional 0.5 units. Students may take up to 16 units total across all Work Experience course offerings. This course may be taken up to four times when there are new or expanded learning objectives. Only one Work Experience course may be taken per semester.

CAM 499 Experimental Offering in Culinary Arts Management

  • Units:0.5 - 4
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This is the experimental courses description.

Catalog