Culinary Arts, Pastry Chef Specialty, Associate of Applied Science

Program Information

Do you love food? Do you enjoy baking? Have a taste for a sweet life in a fast-paced, high-energy career? Dream of being the next celebrity chef? If so, San Jacinto College can help make your dreams come true! Our Pastry Chef program allows you to work within the industry while you build your education. If your ambitions are more specific, you can also choose to specialize as an assistant cook, baker, or baker’s helper, or in basic cooking or specialty foods.

The San Jacinto College Pastry Chef program:

• Is a blend of lectures, labs, field trips, guest lecture presentations, networking opportunities, job placement, and a variety of skill sets taught by our state and nationally recognized chefs and professors
• Places emphasis on fundamental and advanced culinary arts techniques and hands-on, real-world learning through working with our program director, faculty, managers, and chefs through various educational scenarios and special events
• Offers field trips to local culinary events, food shows, and conventions

Accreditation by American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC) assures that a program is meeting at least a minimum of standards and competencies set for faculty, curriculum, and student services.

San Jacinto College offers scholarship opportunities, financial aid, a culinary club, and participation in a variety of culinary competitions.

• Cake Decorator,
• Owner/Operator Bakery,
• Bed and Breakfast Operator,
• Pastry Chef/Baker,
• Executive Pastry Chef,
• Pastry Sous Chef, and
• Cruise Line Pastry Chef.

Baker: $30,447¹

¹

Source: texaswages.com, median salary Gulf Coast region, 2023

For more information, students may contact North campus at 281-998-6350, x7150.

Campus

North Campus

Information

The Culinary Arts program provides basic education and training for cooks and apprentice chefs. Sequential courses provide for development of technical food preparation and service skills, understanding of the principles of food and beverage composition, experience in the use and maintenance of professional food service equipment, and basic development of supervisory skills.

Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.

Associate of Applied Science Degree

The purpose of the Pastry Chef program is to provide students with an opportunity to specialize their degree plan in baking and pastry. Program graduates will acquire relevant knowledge and skills that will prepare them to work in this exciting industry. Pastry Chef students will learn cake decorating, chocolates, and confection sugars, bakeshop production, plate presentation, fundamentals of baking, food and beverage cost control, nutritional components of food and desserts, and basic supervisory skills.

Plan of Study

3CULA-PC

Capstone Experience: PSTR 2365 Practicum - Baking and Pastry or HAMG 2305 Hospitality Management and Leadership