Chicago College Cooks up New Culinary Degrees

The Chicago Tribune reports that Kendall College, a relative newcomer to the Chicago academic scene, has developed two new degrees that mesh the culinary arts with today's most popular education and job sectors. The number one academic choice in the U.S. today is the business degree. For employment, the most opportunities today are available to someone with a medical training background.

Kendall currently offers degrees both in culinary arts and in business. Starting this fall, they have launched a new program that combines the two fields to offer a bachelor's degree in food service management. The school envisions this degree offering opportunities in chain and franchise restaurants and catering companies, as well as large retailing and food delivery entities that package, prepare and/or supply food to schools, health care facilities and other commercial businesses.

The second degree program that is new this year is in culinary nutrition. While there are many courses generated through the culinary school, there are also courses in human anatomy and physiology, human nutrition, nutritional food technology, and nutritional cooking. It's basically a nutritionist or dietician degree but with a focus on the quality of food as well as is nutritional and dietetic content.

According to the Tribune, potential jobs graduates may be qualified for include food service manager of a nursing home, an executive chef in a long-term care facility or senior living center, or in corporate test kitchens doing research and development. But they can also work in restaurants.

"In chain restaurants especially, they like people to have culinary nutrition training for menu and product development," says Associate Dean of Culinary Arts Renee Zonka??"Some of our students also write for professional magazines. Ultimately, with multiple credentials like we're offering, you're more competitive," Zonka says. "No other school in Illinois has this."