Calling all foodies who dream of running a kitchen or opening a restaurant. VIU’s Culinary Management Diploma will train you in advanced culinary and pastry techniques, as well as important management, accounting and beverage skills. Learn what it takes to launch a culinary career, with work opportunities close to home and around the world.

This Culinary Management Diploma program includes a paid co-operative education component that allows students to network and build industry contacts. At the end of the Culinary Management program, students can write the inter-provincial Red Seal exam.

Graduates also receive advanced credit when applying to the VIU Bachelor of Hospitality Management degree.

The Culinary Management Program
The Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island (CIVI), at VIU provides students with the options of a Certificate (one year), and a Diploma (two years), in culinary training and management skills, giving them the leading edge for advancement in the culinary profession. Upon entering the program, culinary students are registered as apprentices, gaining technical training while accruing apprentice hours. As a part of both the Certificate and Diploma programs, students participate in a paid co-op work placement, gaining industry work experience and additional apprentice hours. The Culinary Diploma program provides students with advanced culinary and pastry training as well as the management skills needed to obtain higher positions within the industry. The 2nd year of the diploma program is only offered at the Nanaimo campus.

The Culinary Arts Certificate consists of the 28-week Professional Cook 1 (PC1), the 14-week Professional Cook 2 (PC2), and a ten week paid co-operative work placement.

The second year of the diploma is designed to teach culinary students the advanced skills they will need for a management position in the food industry. Please note: there are different secondary school Admission Requirements for the Diploma. Students are required to have completed a post-secondary culinary certificate program and have experience in the culinary industry. The first semester includes advanced culinary techniques, advanced pastry arts, and artisan baking in our wood burning brick oven. Students will also be learning important management, accounting, and beverage instruction delivered by instructors from the VIU Hospitality department. At the end of the diploma program subject to successful completion of VIU coursework, and having completed the industry hour's requirement, students can write the inter-provincial Red Seal exam. Completion of VIU's Culinary Diploma program provides students with advanced credit when applying to the VIU Bachelor of Hospitality Management degree.

The Culinary Management Diploma gives students a number of credentials including:

Vancouver Island University Culinary Arts Certificate after successful completion of the first year
Cook 1, 2, and 3 apprenticeship technical training
Apprenticeship hours
Vancouver Island University Culinary Management Diploma
In addition, VIU's Culinary diploma program provides students with advanced credit when applying to the Bachelor of Hospitality Management degree. See information for bridging semester.

Culinary students are in demand for a wide variety of employment opportunities. All students participate in a Co-op paid work practicum. Employers regularly contact VIU's chef instructors when employment opportunities arise. See employer testimonials. We are proud of the achievements of our grads and alumni.

See the Departmental web site for more information: VIU Culinary Programs website.

Co-operative Education
Under the co-operative education format, the paid co-operative education experiences are integrated into the total curriculum. Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island students are employed and supervised in a Red Seal-trained kitchen. Hours worked in their co-op are counted towards their apprenticeship. Culinary students will benefit from the co-operative education experience by:

relating academic study more effectively to the field of practice;
developing a clearer career focus;
gaining valuable practical experience and apprentice hours;
being able to finance a larger portion of their education.
Co-operative placements are typically from May to October. Access to co-operative education placements is based on student's GPA and their willingness to work as a team member with faculty and co-operative education staff to find an appropriate placement. Students in co-operative placement are assessed tuition and Students' Union fees - see program fees for correct fee information.