Culinary Arts Program

Servicos desponibles para espanohablantes

Program Overview: The Culinary Arts Program at JobTrain is an introduction to professional cooking. Students will learn all of the basic rules of working in a commercial kitchen and will be prepared for an entry level job in the industry. The Culinary Arts class is taught as a hybrid of online classes and hands on, in-person skills labs in JobTrain’s commercial kitchen. The Culinary Arts class will prepare students through hands on instruction, lectures, reading assignments, workshops, and group projects.

Menlo Park

Day


1/8/2024 to 3/22/2024

4/15/2024 to 6/28/2024

7/15/2024 to 9/27/2024

Time


Monday – Thursday
8:30 am – 2:30 pm (in-person)
Friday
Home Assignment

Length


11 weeks

Classroom


In-Person, Hands-on with some online

If you have questions, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

What you get from this program

Students will learn kitchen safety and sanitation, knife skills, cleaning and servicing of kitchen equipment, recipe reading and writing, bread and dessert baking, grilling, sautéing, braising, etc.  Basic restaurant management, raw product and menu pricing, and industry economics are also taught. Students will also learn basic computer skills, financial literacy, culinary math, life skills, and job skills.

Please note, this is not a cooking course.  Students are not taught how to cook for family and friends, but are taught how to get a job in a commercial kitchen.  Graduates are expected to get jobs in the industry.

Certifications
  • JobTrain Certificate of Achievement
  • National Serve Safe Certification
Career Opportunities
  • Graduates will be able to obtain jobs at corporate dining centers (such as the companies that serve Google, Facebook, etc.) as well as hotels, restaurants, country clubs, hospitals, supermarkets, and colleges.

Entry Requirements

Students must be able to understand, speak, read, and write English at an 8th grade level.

Must live in the one of the following Counties – San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, San Francisco, Contra Costa, or Santa Cruz. To find employment/training services in your area click here. Can only enroll in one JobTrain training program.

Vaccination Requirements

Please click here to view the Students’ Vaccination Requirement, Building Entrance Procedure, and Isolation & Quarantine Procedure.

Prior to Program
  • Must spend a “shadow day” as a pretend culinary student in the class at least one week before a start date
  • Students must be drug and alcohol free, and remain so for the duration of the course
During Program 

Attendance for each full class day is mandatory, and no more than three absences will be allowed for any reason.

Physical Requirements 
  • Must be able to lift 25 pounds
  • Must be able to stand for up to 4 hours without a break

Thank you Gachina for underwriting and maintaining JobTrain’s garden. The fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits are used by the Culinary program year round.

About the Instructors