Cook Up A New Career with a Culinary Arts Degree
St. Louis Community College's associate in applied science (AAS) in culinary arts lets you turn your love of cooking into real-world skills. The program combines classroom learning with practical experience to prepare you for leadership roles in food service and build a strong foundation in culinary arts.
You’ll study food preparation and service, world cuisines, ingredient identification, nutritional cooking and culinary management. The program ends with a restaurant-style meal service where you can showcase your skills to real guests.
What is Culinary Arts at St. Louis Community College?
Culinary arts at STLCC is the art and science of preparing, cooking and presenting food. It covers a wide range of skills used in professional kitchens, where chefs create dishes that are tasty, nutritious and visually appealing.
In this program, you'll learn:
- Safety and sanitation guidelines
- Standard recipes and cooking techniques
- How to use kitchen equipment properly
- Professionalism and hospitality industry standards
- Food service operations and basic finances
- Nutrient functions and proper food storage
What Can You Do with a Culinary Arts Associate Degree?
A culinary arts degree opens the door to many opportunities in the food service industry. You’ll learn from experienced chefs who bring real-world skills into the classroom, teaching you how to prepare dishes and create memorable dining experiences.
As a student, you’ll develop your cooking, baking and kitchen management skills while gaining the knowledge needed to work in restaurants, hotels, catering businesses and other food service establishments around the world.
AAS in Culinary Arts
- Degree offered: Associate in applied science
- Locations: Forest Park, Online
- Hours to complete: 65
- Program contact name: Ellen Piazza
- Program contact email: epiazza@stlcc.edu
- Program contact phone: 314-644-9767
- Accreditation: American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) Accrediting Commission
Tuition for district residents is $122 per credit hour for in-district students. Find out more about our straightforward and low-cost tuition structure.
Enjoy Culinary Arts Capstone Lunches and Dinners
STLCC culinary arts students invite you to join them as they present their capstone meals. Lunches cost $15 per person and dinners are $20. All meals are open to the public and located at the Forest Park Anheuser-Busch Dining Room of the Jack E. Miller Hospitality Center. Dinners include soup, salad, entrée (pork or chicken), dessert and a beverage. Lunches include soup or salad, chicken or pork, dessert and a beverage.
Why You Should Choose STLCC's Culinary Arts Program
Highly Ranked
STLCC's culinary arts program is ranked #9 in the United States by Best Choice Schools.
Successful Alumni
Multiple students, graduates and faculty have been featured in television cooking shows on Food Network, TLC and Netflix.
Healthy Job Market
The hospitality industry is the third-largest employer in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.
Comprehensive Culinary Education
"Before I took classes at STLCC, I had some knowledge of the basics but no experience making American foods or working in commercial restaurants. The College helped me learn all the fundamentals." - Jane Chatham, culinary arts graduate
STLCC. What's your reason?