Culinary ProStart begins with foundational training in cooking techniques and hands-on experience in a professional kitchen. Chefs learn skills and experience in areas such as food truck, fine dining, and international cuisine, with opportunities to advance into leadership roles.
Skills Developed
Chefs have broad multidisciplinary skills in communication, critical thinking and problem-solving. Chefs demonstrate practical skills in food preparation, time management, and teamwork, all essential in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
Careers
Executive Chef Starting Salary $62K
Sous Chef Starting Salary $47K
Nutritionist Starting Salary $56K
Culinary Consultant Starting Salary $38K
Food Scientist Starting Salary $621K
A career in culinary arts allows one to turn a passion for food into a creative journey, where every dish becomes an opportunity to delight and inspire others.
Certifications
ServSafe Food Handler
ServSafe Allergen
ServSafe Manager
Colorado Restaurant Association Workforce Readiness Certificate
This pre-apprenticeship course from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and Colorado Restaurant Foundation introduces students to a competency-based foodservice & hospitality management curriculum offered to students in grades 10-12. It is a study of culinary arts, restaurant and lodging management, employability skills, and business entrepreneurship coupled with paid mentored work internships in a broad spectrum of industry restaurant, foodservice, and lodging operations. Students who wish to obtain the national ProStart certification must complete a 400 - hour guided internship and pass the exams for both ProStart I & II. Successful participants in the program will have the opportunity to receive college credits, earn industry certifications and credentials, compete in the ProStart Invitational Competitions, and apply for industry scholarships.
*Note: Students must pass the ServSafe Food Handler certification first semester in order to advance to second semester.
Prerequisite: *Smoky Hill High School (SHHS), Grandview High School (GHS) and Overland High School (OHS) Students: Only Seniors from SHHS, GHS and OHS are able to access ProStart I/II at CCIC, upon home high school Administration approval.
Grades: 10-12
Length: 1 Year
Credits: 2 Credits (1 CTE / .5 English A / .5 English B)
Certifications: ServSafe Food Handler, ServSafe Allergen, Colorado Restaurant Association Workforce Readiness Certificate and ProStart National Certification of Achievement. (Additional certifications available upon request)
ProStart III is the capstone course where advanced culinary students take charge of CCIC’s School-Based Enterprises (SBEs), the CCICafé and Campus Creations Food Bus, to gain real-world leadership experience. Students manage daily operations, prepare meals for catering events, and master production cooking in fast-paced environments. They also have opportunities to earn paid work hours in the café, food bus, and at CCIC banquets outside of class time. Students can compete in the ProStart Invitational culinary competition and apply their work-based learning hours toward the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement. All students complete the ServSafe Manager industry certification, graduating with the experience, confidence, and credentials needed for success in the culinary industry.
Prerequisite: ProStart I and/or ProStart II
Grades: 11-12
Length: 1 Year
Credit: 2 Credits (1 CTE / .5 English C / .5 Tech Writing)
Certifications: ServSafe Manager, ProStart National Certificate of Achievement
Concurrent Enrollment: Technical Writing I (ENG 1031, 3 credits)
Campus Creations Food Bus
A donation from the Tuchman Family Foundation funded the conversion of a school bus into a state-of-the-art kitchen. Advanced ProStart students prep, cook and serve from the food bus. This classroom gives students the opportunity to learn what it takes to start and manage a food truck.
Related Higher Education in Colorado
Metropolitan State University of Denver: Culinary Arts, Culinary Nutrition
Colorado Mountain College: Culinary and Baking Arts, Culinary and Restaurant Management
University of Denver: Hospitality and Restaurant Management
Pikes Peak Community College: Baking and Pastry, Culinary Arts, Food Service Management
