A culinary degree can take you far beyond the kitchen. In today’s competitive food industry, talent alone isn’t enough—being trained in the right techniques and kitchen leadership is what sets professionals apart.
Whether your goal is to become a head chef, launch your own food venture, or work in food media or nutrition, formal training gives you the foundation to succeed. In this article, we’ll break down what you learn in a culinary program, the careers it can lead to, and why accredited education matters. If you’re asking yourself, “What can I do with a culinary degree?”—this guide is for you.
Table of contents
In 87% of cases, the reason for the dismissals (for objective reasons, not economic) has no relation to knowledge of the individual. Are we teaching the right thing?
The truth is that in the real world, in the professional world, the people who obtain the most success and who prosper the most are not those who know the most, but the ones that best apply what they know.
When building our curricular thoughts, in the CIB we consider what are the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the professional we intend to train. Once defined, we include the subjects, in the appropriate doses, to form that mindset, which of course includes the four areas of training: Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Possibilities.
When we talk about dismissals, and we say that are not related to knowledge is because we certainly think that the cause is the realm of skills, attitudes or possibilities.
It’s referred to all those subjects in which intellectual learning is acquired (from reason), becoming aware of the aspects related to the why, how and what of the field under study. We divide this area into three areas of knowledge acquisition: product, technology and context.
The students of the CIB use these three areas of knowledge to apply it freely according to the frameworks of the sessions. This freedom is the key to the development of the learning, the development of creativity and innovation.
Certainly, we cannot achieve transcendent goals without having the personal skills to help us move our teams in the same direction. That is why we give importance to the development of lateral skills that we classify as follows: Self-management, Handling other people and Business management.
The behaviour that each person uses to do their tasks determines the result and that of those who accompany them. It’s important to learn that each attitude is the result of a decision. Each one decides what attitude to take when faced with each challenge or situation.
We divide this field into three areas: Leadership, Social attitudes and Professional attitudes.
Self-awareness (knowing yourself, especially your limits) and the recognition of the environment are the capacities in the field of possibilities. We treat this area in a transversal way and we put it into practice through the challenges (evaluations), in those programs that require it.
In professional kitchens, it’s not knowledge alone that determines success—it’s how you show up, how you lead, how you adapt under pressure. That’s why training matters.
Restaurants don’t just need cooks who can follow recipes. They need professionals who can think critically, manage teams, handle conflict, stay organized, and keep delivering under real-world pressure. These aren’t things you pick up on your own—they’re developed through structured, intentional training.
At CIB, training isn’t just about preparing food—it’s about transforming people. People who can navigate complex environments, solving problems in real time, and taking ownership of their growth. When you’re trained in this way, you don’t just perform better—you last longer in the industry, you earn trust faster, and you open the door to leadership roles.
That’s the value of proper culinary education: it turns talent into capability, and potential into a career.
A culinary degree doesn’t limit you to a traditional kitchen role. In fact, specialized careers in the food industry are growing fast, offering opportunities to combine culinary skills with business, innovation, nutrition, and creativity.
At CIB, we help students carve their own path by offering targeted training programs that develop specific expertise. Whether you want to master avant-garde techniques, focus on healthy cooking, or launch your own food business, specialized education can give you the edge you need to stand out and succeed.
| Motivation | Program | PCD Master Pastry Chef Diploma | GDC | Metachef | Stage |
| I want to start | PCAC Haute Chef Diploma | X | All programs included | All programs include an International Stage period | |
| I want to specialize | PEC·D1 Professional Pastry and Baking | X | Choose one (except PEC·D2) | ||
| PEC·D2 Advanced Pastry and Chocolate | X | ||||
| PEC·T Advanced Culinary Techniques | |||||
| PEC·H Integrative Healthy Cooking | |||||
| I want to lead | ECD Executive Chef Diploma | Choose one | |||
| DCS Etrepreneurchef Program |
Becoming a head chef is being responsible for supervising the kitchen, leading the culinary team, maintaining standards, and ensuring the quality of every plate. Beyond cooking, they also manage suppliers, control costs, and lead innovation in the kitchen. A strong leadership mindset and organizational skills are essential to succeed in this role.
The duties of an executive chef focus on managing kitchen operations, creating menus, and overseeing staff. They coordinate the entire kitchen team, ensure consistency across all dishes, and make key business decisions that affect the restaurant’s profitability and reputation. Their role is both culinary and strategic.
Pastry Chefs are culinary artists specializing in desserts and baked goods. They excel at designing intricate pastries, crafting everything from traditional cakes to avant-garde dessert experiences. A pastry chef needs technical precision, creativity, and a deep understanding of ingredients to thrive in this specialized field.
Personal chefs work closely with private clients, customizing menus based on client preferences. They often prepare meals in clients’ homes, providing tailored dining experiences for families, events, or individuals with special dietary needs.
The Sous Chef is the right hand of the Head Chef. They manage the kitchen staff, oversee food preparation, and ensure that operations run smoothly during service. They must be versatile, quick under pressure, and strong team leaders.
Food stylists focus on making food visually appealing for photography and media. They design the perfect visual presentation for advertisements, cookbooks, menus, and digital marketing, often using tricks to make dishes look their best on camera.
Restaurant managers are in charge of managing daily operations and staff in a restaurant and ensuring customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. They handle scheduling, budgeting, supplier relationships, and guest experiences—balancing business needs with service quality.
Food entrepreneurs start and manage food-related businesses, whether launching a restaurant, catering company, food truck, or packaged food brand. They need a strong blend of culinary knowledge and business strategy to succeed.
Nutritionists focus on advising clients on dietary and lifestyle choices. They work in health, wellness, and sometimes clinical settings, guiding individuals toward better eating habits.
Performance chefs develop specialized meal plans to support different activities like sports performance. They focus on optimizing athletes' nutrition to enhance energy, endurance, recovery, and peak physical output—blending gastronomy with sports science.
Food journalists write about culinary trends, chef profiles, restaurant reviews, and innovations in the food world, helping to shape public opinion and interest in gastronomy.
Food technologists work on the development of new food products, improving production processes, ensuring quality control, and innovating food technology solutions.