Fundamental Foodservice Skills

Find a Career in the Culinary World

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and relevant commercial foodservice knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Hospitality & Tourism career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific hands-on technical skills. The program is designed to prepare students for entry level work positions or further culinary training and education based on basic culinary skills and practices to be successful in today’s commercial kitchens.

The content includes but is not limited to preparation, presentation, and serving of a wide variety of foods; leadership, communication skills, employability skills, and safe/efficient work practices are also covered.  This coursework prepares students for employment in the food service/hospitality industry in positions such as: steward, prep cook, pantry cook, fry cook, banquet cook, retail and cafeteria cook and line cook.

Students will earn the ServSafe® certification upon entering the program in order to work in the commercial kitchen of the Student Center on campus. Students will not be able to participate in work based activities until certificate is earned. Students not earning the certification within the designated time frame may be dropped from the program.

Students will be required to wear black pants (not athlete or sweat pants), a grey NFC polo shirt and shoes with non-slip soles. This is the student Food Service uniform. The polo can be purchased in the Sentinel Shop located in the fitness center. These items are purchased by the student. Students not in proper uniform will not be allowed to participate for that day and will receive zeros as well as an unexcused absence. Students will work varied schedules reflecting the needs of the kitchen and college events. The schedule will be made in advance with student input to ensure there are no undo hardships. Students should be aware that there may be some evenings and weekends due to special college events. Students will be scheduled to work in order to complete the required 300 hours in each course.

Admission Requirements

1. Submit an application for admission with payment of the $20 non-refundable fee to the NFC Office of Admissions.
2. Submit official, sealed transcripts from your high school/GED and all previously or currently enrolled colleges to the NFC Office of Admissions. Must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, unless dual enrolled.
3. Dual Enrolled students must have approval from the high school principal and meet dual enrollment criteria. Students must at least 16 years of age.
4. Complete a basic skills assessment within the first six (6) weeks of admission into the program and achieve the required minimum basic skills levels of Reading 9.0, Language 9.0, and Mathematics 9.0 prior to program completion. Exemptions from basic skills requirements will be evaluated by the Office of Enrollment Services and the program advisor. Students not meeting basic skills requirements may not be awarded a certificate of completion. See program advisor for more details.

Program Courses - 600 Hours

A grade of “C” or better must be earned in order for the course to meet program requirements.