Cuisine et gastronomie

Do you dream about pursuing a culinary career? The Cuisine et gastronomie program will enable you to learn and master all the professional cooking basic techniques while gaining maximum hands-on experience.  

Overview

All experienced cooks will tell you: to be able to perform in the kitchen, you must start by knowing your basics. The right techniques, the right products, and above all, the right philosophy!

Program key elements

• Training course focussed on the knowledge of raw materials, techniques and valorization of local products
• 3-month internship placement
• Action learning in the ITHQ’s restaurants
• Enrichment course in culinary creativity
• Experienced and passionate instructors

Start your culinary career on solid ground!

What you will learn
Techniques, rigour, teamwork

• Classic recipes from French and Québec gastronomy
• Valorization of Québec products
• Sensorial qualities of the dishes 
• Basic cuts and cooking techniques
• Kitchen organization and storage of goods
• Mise en place and presentation of dishes
• Teamwork within the brigade
• Varied menu service
• Hygiene and food safety
• Occupational health and safety

Program structure and courses

Duration and schedule

• Program starting in the fall and winter of each year 
• Spread over 18 months on a full-time basis (3 course sessions, 1 summer internship and 1 end-of-program internship)
• Includes a total of 1 890 hours, including 1 390 hours of coursework and 500 hours of compulsory internships
• Daytime courses and practical applications in the evening

Hands-on experience

Compulsory internships:

• 3-month (390 h) paid or rewarded summer internship in Québec, Canada or abroad, subject to obtaining the required visa
• Unpaid end-of-program internship of 3 weeks (110 h) in the Montréal area

Practical applications:

• Production of dishes for the ITHQ restaurants customers
• Participation in various gastronomic activities

Diploma

• Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Cuisine from the Ministère de l’Éducation
• ITHQ Signature certificate in Cuisine et gastronomie 
• Food Handler certification in hygiene and food safety from the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec

Admission

Admission application periods

Admission requirements

To be eligible for this program, you must:

• Have a Secondary School Diploma (SSD) or equivalent education, OR
• Be at least 16 years of age and have successfully completed your Secondary 5 French (or English, if you studied in English), Second Language (English or French, as the case may be) and Mathematics courses, or equivalent education.
• Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written French: refer to the Required language proficiency page for more details.

Required documents

Here is the list of documents to be attached to your admission application.

In order for your file to be considered complete, be sure to upload legible copies of all official documents required by your status in PDF format. 

Documents that are not in French or English must be accompanied by an official translation in French or English.

Costs and financial aid

Program fees

Use the program fee calculator to find out about the costs of this program.

Financial aid and scholarships

Looking for financial support for your study project? Find out about the different options available to you.  

Learn more

Future prospects

At the heart of a brigade

Working as a cook requires the mastery of culinary techniques as well as a developed sense of aesthetics and organization. This training will allow you to develop all the necessary skills to access the kitchens of the best restaurants, which are constantly looking for new talent.