Culinary Arts
Diploma
2 Years
120
English
Students enrolled in this program earn a Diploma in Culinary Arts. The program seeks to prepare students for entry-level cooking positions in restaurants, hotels or other food service operations with future career prospects in further supervisory positions within the Hospitality and Catering industry.
Career Prospects and Access to Further Studies
Graduates of this program have the opportunity to work in the following organizations and professions and/or continue their studies in a Bachelor’s program in the field of Culinary Arts, Hotel Management, Tourism Management, Business Administration, etc.:
- Restaurants and hotels,
- Restaurant/kitchen of crowded organizations (e.g. hospitals, educational institutions, government departments),
- Cruise ships,
- Theme parks,
- Airlines,
- Casino,
- Pastries,
- Companies of standardized bakery and confectionery products,
- Catering companies, and
- Mass media (e.g. TV shows, magazines and cookery websites).
Internship
During summer vacation periods (1 June to 30 September) Hotel Management students have the opportunity to undertake training in the thriving hotel and tourism industry in Cyprus, thus supplementing their education with real hands-on, paid experience.
Accreditation
This program of study is accredited by the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education (CYQAA). CYQAA is the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus responsible for ensuring the quality of higher education in Cyprus and for the support of the processes provided by the relevant Legislation, for the continuous improvement and upgrading of higher education institutions and their programs of study.
The qualification awarded is recognized by the Cyprus Council of Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications (KYSATS). KYSATS is the competent authority of the Republic of Cyprus for the recognition of higher education qualifications.
Purpose and Objectives
The program’s purpose and objectives are:
- To develop their critical judgment and initiatives on the food industry.
- To help students gain knowledge, skills, and competencies and be ready to face the challenges of the food industry.
- To develop principles, concepts, and a professional vocabulary of terms related to food and its preparation.
- To acquire cooking techniques and skills needed to produce, present, and serve quality food, utilizing the right ingredients and equipment.
- To possess at an adequate level, the methods and procedures of the new technologies.
- To acquire the attributes of a competent kitchen employee, including professional and communication skills, organizational abilities, and be able to work in groups effectively.
- To provide a solid academic, technical and intellectual background that will enable students to pursue higher studies in catering management or other related fields.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program of study, its graduates will:
- Be able to critically judge and take the initiative in matters of the food industry
- Apply their knowledge, skills, and competencies and be ready to face the challenges of the food industry.
- Employ the principles, concepts, and a professional vocabulary of terms related to food and its preparation.
- Execute skillfully cooking techniques to produce, present, and serve quality food, utilizing the right ingredients and equipment.
- Use the new technologies in their work field.
- Possess the attributes of a competent kitchen employee, including professional and communication skills, organizational abilities, and be able to work in groups effectively.
- Enable students to pursue higher studies in catering management or other related fields.
Credit Requirements
The program requires a minimum of 120 ECTS credits as follows:
| ECTS | |
|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 30 |
| Hospitality Core Requirements | 30 |
| Major Requirements | 60 |
| Total | 120 |
General Education Requirements
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| CSC102 Computer Applications | 6 |
| ECO101 Principles of Microeconomics | 6 |
| ENG101 English Communication | 6 |
| ENG102 English Writing | 6 |
| ENG201 Advanced English | 6 |
| FRE101 French Language | 6 |
| FRE201 French Language II | 6 |
| GRE101 Modern Greek | 6 |
| GRE201 Modern Greek II | 6 |
| HST102 History of Cyprus | 6 |
| MTH101 Mathematics | 6 |
| MTH102 Statistics | 6 |
Hospitality Core Requirements
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| HOT101 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry | 6 |
| HOT104 Food and Beverage Service | 6 |
| HOT106 Hospitality Safety and First Aid | 6 |
| HOT202 Conference and Banqueting Operations | 6 |
| HOT206 Wines and Spirits | 6 |
| HOT301 Hospitality Marketing | 6 |
| HOT302 Food and Beverage Management | 6 |
| HOT401 Hospitality Human Resource Management | 6 |
Major Requirements
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| CUL110 Fundamentals of Culinary Arts | 6 |
| CUL133 Pastry Arts & Baking | 12 |
| CUL134 Hot Food Preparations | 12 |
| CUL135 Garde Manger & Butchery | 12 |
| CUL300 Food Science | 6 |
| HOT103 Sanitation, Hygiene and Food Safety | 6 |
| HOT303 Food and Beverage Controls | 6 |
| HOT304 Menu Planning | 6 |
| HOT306 Kitchen and Restaurant Organization | 6 |
| MAJ101 Internship | 6 |
Year 1 – Fall Semester
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| CSC102 Computer Applications | 6 |
| CUL110 Fundamentals of Culinary Arts | 6 |
| ENG101 English Communication | 6 |
| HOT101 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry | 6 |
| HOT103 Sanitation, Hygiene and Food Safety | 6 |
Year 1 – Spring Semester
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| CUL133 Pastry Arts & Baking | 12 |
| ENG102 English Writing | 6 |
| HOT104 Food & Beverage Service | 6 |
| HOT106 Hospitality Safety & First Aid | 6 |
Year 2 – Fall Semester
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| CUL135 Garde Manger & Butchery | 12 |
| ENG201 Advanced English | 6 |
| HOT202 Conference and Banqueting Operations | 6 |
| MTH101 Mathematics | 6 |
Year 2 – Spring Semester
| Course Code & Title | ECTS |
|---|---|
| CUL134 Hot Food Preparations | 12 |
| HOT206 Wines & Spirits | 6 |
| HOT304 Menu Planning | 6 |
| HOT306 Kitchen and Restaurant Organization | 6 |
Constantinos Afxentis
Associate Lecturer
Christos Andreou
Associate Lecturer
Effrosyni Andreou
Associate Lecturer
Christodoulos Charalambides
Associate Lecturer
Marios Charalambous
Associate Lecturer
Gregoris Gregoriou
Associate Lecturer
Dr Constandinos Iacovou
Lecturer
Dr Christina Ioannou
Assistant Professor
Michalis Ioannou
Associate Lecturer
Dr Charalambos Louca
Associate Professor
Thalia Malekou
Associate Lecturer
Dr Katerina Mantzouni
Lecturer
Tryfonas Panayiotou
Associate Lecturer
Andreas Papadopoulos
Assistant Lecturer
Dr Constandinos Papakyriacou
Lecturer
Christos Pieri
Associate Lecturer
Sophia Pratzioti
Associate Lecturer
Margarita Shekkeri
Associate Lecturer
Yiannoula Skordi
Assistant Lecturer
Dr Christodoulos Skouroumounis
Assistant Professor
Christos Zottis
Associate Lecturer
Constantinos Afxentis
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
Dip. in Cookery
HD in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts
BA in Culinary Business Management
MSc in International Hospitality and Tourism Management
Christos Andreou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
H.D. in Culinary Arts, Higher Hotel Institute, 2005
BSc in Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University, 2006
MA in Teaching Food Service, Johnson & Wales University, 2007
Effrosyni Andreou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BA in English Language and Literature, University of Cyprus, 2018
MA in Language and Communication Coaching, Radboud University, 2019
Christodoulos Charalambides
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
HD in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Higher Hotel Institute of Cyprus, 2017
BA in Business Management, University of Wolverhampton, 2017
MSc in International Hospitality and Tourism Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2018
MBA in Human Resources, Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2019
Marios Charalambous
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
Certificate in Hotel Operations, Alpine, 1993
Diploma in Hotel Management, Alpine, 1995
BS in Hospitality Management, Johnson & Wales University, 1996
MBA International Business, Johnson & Wales University, 1998
Gregoris Gregoriou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BSc in Computer Science, University of Nicosia, 2008
MBA in Management Information Systems, University of Nicosia, 2011
Dr Constandinos Iacovou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
B.Sc. Business Administration/Meeting & Convention Planning, Columbia College, 1993
MBA Business Administration/ Marketing, University of New Haven, 1999
M.Sc. Hospitality and Tourism, University of Wisconsin-Stout, 2004
DBA Business Administration/ eCommerce, Northcentral University, 2016
Dr Christina Ioannou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BA in History and Archaeology, University of Cyprus, 2002
MA in Ancient Classic Literature and History, University of Paris X-Nanterre, 2003
PhD in Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne and Paris X-Nanterre, 2010
Michalis Ioannou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
Diploma in Computer Science, Cyprus College, 2002
BSc in Computer Science, University of Kent, 2004
MSc in Network Centered Computing, The University of Reading, 2005
Dr Charalambos Louca
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
M.Sc. in Economics, University of Economics in Varna, 1988
Ph.D. in Economics, University of Economics in Varna, 1994
Thalia Malekou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BA in English Language and Literature, 2006
MA in Education (Special Educational Needs), 2008
Dr Katerina Mantzouni
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BSc Mathematics, University of Patra, 2010
MSc Mathematics of Computers and Decision Making, University of Patra, 2014
PhD in Statistics, Athens University of Economics and Business, 2022
Tryfonas Panayiotou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
Diploma in Culinary Arts, Higher Hotel Institute, 2007
BA in Culinary Arts and Events Management, University of Derby, 2008
BA in Hospitality and Human Resource Management, University of Derby, 2008
MA in Human Resource Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2022
Andreas Papadopoulos
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
St. John First Aid Instructor’s Diploma, 1990
Diploma in International Fire Prevention, The Fire Service College, 1994
Certificate of Fire Investigation Training, The Institution of Fire Engineers, 2007
Dr Constandinos Papakyriacou
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BSc Psychology, University of Nicosia, 2011
MA General/ Theoretical Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2014
Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, University of Nicosia, 2022
Christos Pieri
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
HD in Hotel and Catering Management, Higher Hotel Institute of Cyprus, 1998
BA in Hotel-Restaurant and Institutional Management, Johnson and Wales University, 1999
MA in Education, 2018
Sophia Pratzioti
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BA in Computer Science, Ionian University, 2008
MSc in International Business, University of Birmingham, 2010
MSc in Information and Communication Systems (System Security), Open University of Cyprus, 2018
Margarita Shekkeri
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BSc in Food Technology, Manchester Metropolitan, 2012
MSc in Food Science, University of Reading, 2013
Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Cyprus, 2017
Yiannoula Skordi
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
St. John First Aid Instructor’s Diploma, 1961
Diploma in Scientific Management, 1975
Dr Christodoulos Skouroumounis
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering National, Technical University of Athens, 2014
PhD in Electrical and Computer, University of Cyprus, 2019
Christos Zottis
Higher education (Qualifications, Academic Institution, Award Year) and other qualifications:
BA in French Language and Literature
MA in Computational Linguistics
- High employment rate of graduates
- Accredited program of study – Recognized diploma
- Taught by experienced professional Chefs
- Well-equipped cooking laboratories
- Paid internship in top restaurants and hotels
Related programs of study
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Related Testimonials
Swarnjeet Kaur
I chose to study in American College because it is the best college in Cyprus. I decided to study Culinary Arts because I want to become a chef. After I finish my studies, I want to work in a restaurant. The course, which I liked most, is “Cyprus Cuisine” because I wanted to learn about Cyprus cuisine and because I like Cyprus cuisine a lot. I find Cyprus cuisine to be very healthy and very tasty. I am very happy and I feel very safe in Cyprus.”
Emmeleia Paphiti
Alexandros Damianou
Μέσα στα δύο χρόνια των σπουδών μου είχα την ευκαιρία να συμμετάσχω σε διαγωνισμό μαγειρικής με επιτυχία και να πάρω αναγνώριση από επαγγελματίες του κλάδου. Επίσης, έμαθα αρκετά και μαγείρεψα δίπλα σε γνωστούς σεφ τόσο της Κύπρου όσο και του εξωτερικού!
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AC studentsworkplace tour of Semeli Hotel
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Participation of our students in HHIC culinary arts competition
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you are a Cypriot citizen or a citizen of a member state of the European Union, you have lived with your family in Cyprus for the last 5 years and have an annual gross family income of up to €59,000, you may be eligible to receive the Cyprus Government Student Sponsorship of up to €3.420 / year. You can find out if you are eligible for the sponsorship by contacting officers of the College. The College officers are on hand to help you prepare your application for the sponsorship.
Of course, for courses that you have successfully completed you can be exempted from corresponding or related courses. Based on the regulations of the Cyprus Council of Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, you can transfer credits of up to 50% of the total credits of your program of study you will be studying. This means that for bachelor’s degree that bears 240 ECTS you may transfer up to 120 ECTS.
Yes. After you successfully complete this accredited program of study, you can transfer the courses you have successfully completed and continue to a related Bachelor’s degree program of study.
Attending this program does not require knowledge of the subjects of study. Teaching commences with the basics and progresses to the most advanced.
