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SUNY Niagara’s Culinary Arts degree program provides students with hands-on as well as theoretical aspects of foodservice. Graduates enter the job market with above entry-level skills and a background which enhances their chances for upward mobility.
Student instruction is provided in our state-of-the-art teaching kitchens fully equipped with modern industry and technological equipment. The students gain valuable industry experience by spending time in courses directly connected with our NFCI’s restaurant “Savor.” The students will rotate through the restaurant, experiencing all of the aspects of running a hospitality-driven business. In addition to this applied learning experience provided in our establishment, the students will also be placed on one appropriate industry-related internship off-campus.
Students enrolled in this program will demonstrate the ability to function safely and effectively in a teaching kitchen environment by completing core culinary tasks including mise en place, cooking, plating, and sanitation procedures. Students are expected to:
with or without reasonable accommodations in compliance with ADA regulations.
Career information and opportunities
Culinary Arts, A.A.S.
SUNY Niagara’s Culinary Arts A.A.S. gets you kitchen-ready in about 16 months. You train in six teaching kitchens at the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute and run a real restaurant, Savor.
Last updated: Oct. 22, 2026
What jobs can I get with a Culinary Arts A.A.S.?
You graduate with more than entry-level skills and a strong foundation to move up in the kitchen.
How do graduates do?
The program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation.
How much can I earn?
Median means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Pay grows as you move from cook to chef or manager.
Pay depends on the job, your experience, your education and the employer.
What is the job outlook?
The average for all jobs is 3%. Cooks alone have about 393,200 openings each year across the country.
Where do chefs and cooks work?
Kitchen jobs often include evenings, weekends and holidays.
Where will I get real-world experience?
How can I move up?
Most chefs work their way up from cook positions. Your degree, certification and restaurant experience give you a head start.
Which courses prepare me for these jobs?
You also learn costing, purchasing, nutrition and supervision, the business skills you need to run a kitchen.
In addition to the standard SUNY Niagara tuition and fees, Students in a Hospitality, Baking, & Pastry Art program may be required to purchase uniforms and kits.
NFCI UniformsNFCI Kits
Complete your associate degree within a year and a half! Students will have an opportunity to complete courses in American Cuisine, Beverage Management, Breakfast & Lunch, Culinary Foundations, Front of the House Experience, Garde Manger, Industry Experience, International Cuisine, Meat and Seafood Fabrication, Nutrition, Principles of Baking, Restaurant Experience 1 & 2, and Saucier.