Overview
Sharpen your skills in the kitchen with a fast-paced, creative career in culinary arts! In the Professional Cook apprenticeship program you’ll learn to prepare, cook and present meals and specialty foods.
You’ll also learn to:
- Prepare special meals for patients as instructed by a dietician or chef
- Maintain inventory
- Set up and oversee buffets
- Plan menus and more
If you’re creative, good at working under pressure while ensuring quality, safety and sanitation guidelines — and you can stand a hot kitchen — this is the career for you.
Past graduates found jobs at hotels, exotic resorts, cruise ships and local restaurants. Some have even opened their own pubs, restaurants and bars.
Professional Cook Level 1: Indigenous Content
Located at the CNC Burns Lake Campus, this unique take on Professional Cook Level 1 will allow students to develop a solid foundation in culinary arts while incorporating elements of traditional harvesting methods and local Indigenous ingredients.
Alongside Red Seal Instructors and traditional knowledge keepers, students will work to utilize new found skills to identify exciting upcoming trends and opportunity within the world of culinary arts and Indigenous specialization.
Let's bring Indigenous knowledge and methods to the forefront while working towards a renowned Red Seal certification that can be utilized in any professional atmosphere!
Governing bodies
Next career steps
Red Seal
A Professional Cook 3 will have met all of the requirements of the national Red Seal standard for Cook. Professional Cook 3 can be taken or challenged through Skilled Trades BC.
Certified Chef de Cuisine
Red Seal cooks are eligible to become members of the Canadian Culinary Federation (CCF) and enroll in the Certified Chef de Cuisine program. To enrol you need to be a Red Seal cook for at least five years, and a CCF member to enter their program.
Apprentice Professional Cook Courses
Fast-paced and rewarding, a career as a professional cook lets you express your creativity. You'll find jobs at hotels, exotic resorts, cruise ships and local restaurants. You might even own your own restaurant one day.
Locations & Dates
CNC programs have varying lengths and start dates to meet your needs, and are offered across multiple campuses where possible. Don’t see the campus you’re looking for? Check back with us soon as this page is updated throughout the school year.
Visit Trades Training BC for the most up to date apprenticeship schedules.
There are no offerings of this program scheduled at this time. Check back later.
The fine print
Once your employer has submitted an Apprentice and Sponsor Registration Form to ITA on your behalf you can apply to attend technical training at CNC. Many of our apprenticeship programs have waitlists so we encourage you to apply early.
After successfully completing each level of the Professional Cook program you will receive a Certificate of Qualification from ITA. This means that you must complete the technical training, Certificate of Qualification exam, and submit all required work based training hours for that level in order to move on to the next level of training.
Invest in your future
Please check the Fee Schedule for up-to-date information.
These costs are an estimate and do not include books. Costs may change without notice. Student fees vary by campus.
Books for this program can be purchased from the bookstore.
Paying for college
We're here to help. You can apply for scholarships and bursaries through CNC. We can also help you find loans and other funding. Visit Financial aid to find out how.
Salaries and employment
Looking for a job? Check the student employment opportunities.