Professional Culinary Arts Program

The intensive, semester-long Professional Culinary Arts Program at BU’S Metropolitan College (MET) was developed in 1989 by Food & Wine Programs Founding Director Rebecca Alssid along with legendary chefs Julia Child and Jacques Pépin.

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An Intensive Hands-On Cooking Course

Next Course Starts September 3, 2025
Taught entirely by experienced, working chefs and experts in the food industry, Boston University’s full-time culinary arts program is the only one of its kind in the country, introducing the essential techniques, knowledge, and practical experience necessary to excel in the food industry.

The unique Professional Culinary Arts Program merges the best aspects of traditional culinary arts study with hands-on instruction in BU’s state-of-the-art laboratory kitchen, providing insight into the food industry and preparing you for a wide variety of jobs.

• Learn from the best professional chefs and teachers in the world of cooking
• Master the basic classic and modern techniques and theories of food production
• Explore a variety of cultures and cuisines

Taught by Culinary Professionals

Culinary giants Julia Child and Jacques Pépin were instrumental in founding the Professional Culinary Arts Program, so it is appropriate that our faculty—from renowned chefs to wine experts, pastry wizards to restaurateurs—are the best in the business. Jacques Pépin continues to lead sessions in the program, along with a host of industry practitioners such as Jody Adams, Chris Douglass, Michael Leviton, Barry Maiden, Kevin O’Donnell, Janine Sciarappa, Jeremy Sewall, and many others.

State-of-the-Art Kitchen and Demonstration Studio

The Professional Culinary Arts Program features an extra-spacious laboratory kitchen with the latest professional culinary equipment, ensuring that you gain familiarity with the fast-paced environment and diverse tools of a working kitchen. In addition, you will benefit from the Groce Pépin Culinary Innovation Laboratory—a demonstration kitchen with overhead cameras and monitors immersing you in multiple angles of each cooking demo, whether you are in the studio or following online.

Learn more about our kitchen, demo studio, and other resources.

Extensive Cookbook Library

Benefit from access to a unique and growing library of more than 3,000 historic cookbooks—including seminal literature on gastronomy, cuisine, and wine studies—and food-related ephemera that is available to you as a research collection. Subjects range from the 19th century into contemporary food trends. The library is also home to the John Mariani menu collection, 40 years’ worth of menus (and growing) collected over the course of one restaurant reviewer’s career.

400+ Hours of Culinary Instruction

Through hands-on practice as well as lectures, demonstrations, and field trips, you will gain experience in the following culinary areas:

• Stocks, soups, and sauces
• Egg dishes
• Seafood, poultry, and meats
• Vegetables
• Pasta, rice, and other grains
• Herbs and salads
• Fruits
• Breads, pastry, and desserts
• Wine
• Ethnic and regional cuisines

You will also develop an understanding of food history and nutrition, food writing, and important restaurant skills such as menu planning, equipment handling, business practices, and sanitation requirements.

Intensive Schedule
The Professional Culinary Arts Program runs Mondays through Thursdays, 10 am to 6 pm. In addition, you are required to participate in the daytime and evening events in Food & Wine (evening programs typically conclude at 9 pm). Schedules vary each semester and will be provided to students at the start of the program.

Certificate in Culinary Arts
Upon successful completion of the Professional Culinary Arts Program, you receive a Certificate in the Culinary Arts from Boston University.

Academic Credit Option
The Professional Culinary Arts Program is available for credit, including as an elective in the Master of Arts in Gastronomy. Learn how to register for credit.

Application and Tuition

The cost of the semester-long Professional Culinary Arts Program is $14,600.

We evaluate applicants on the basis of their dedicated interest in the program and the seriousness with which they intend to pursue the course of study. Work experience in the culinary profession will be considered but is not a requirement. Applicants must have a command of skills and techniques necessary for reading and executing recipes, such as knowledge of weights and measurements.

To ensure hands-on experience and time with each chef, enrollment is limited to 12 students.

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Financial Resources

The following awards or private loans may be available to eligible students:

• Rebecca Alssid Award in Culinary Arts
  Named for the founding director of Boston University’s Professional Culinary Arts Program and Master of Arts in Gastronomy, the Rebecca Alssid Award is made possible by a generous gift from Mary Ann Esposito and the Mary Ann Esposito Foundation. Awards are available in amounts up to $1,000. To be eligible, candidates must be enrolled in the Professional Culinary Arts Program and in good standing. In addition, candidates must follow these steps to qualify:

  1. Study a key region of Italy.
  2. Journey through Boston and the surrounding towns to uncover hidden Italian markets and restaurants. Explore and investigate Italian food sources for Italian regional products. Create a PowerPoint presentation based on this journey.
  3. Develop and present a four-course meal representing their findings.

  The winner, or winners, will be decided by the Food & Wine Programs director in consultation with the award committee.

• Julia Child Kitchen Assistant Award
  Funded through support from The Julia Child Foundation, the Julia Child Kitchen Assistant Award is given out each semester to one outstanding graduate of the Professional Culinary Arts Program. The recipient works 30 hours per week for 14 weeks as the kitchen assistant to the program during the subsequent session.

• Private Loans
  Students enrolled in the Professional Culinary Arts Program are not eligible for federal student loans or deferments on existing student loans, but may qualify for private, credit-based loans. Credible.com is a free online tool that allows you to compare prequalified rates, terms, and eligibility rules from multiple lenders in just a few minutes. You are not required to borrow from any of the lenders listed in the Credible marketplace.

Learn More

Please contact us for more detailed information about the Professional Culinary Arts Program.

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