Career Information

Your Career Path

Diversity of Career Opportunities
Careers in the restaurant industry require a passion for the cooking, commitment to customer service and a creative spirit. Expect a fast pace, requiring high energy and sometimes long hours. For those with the calling, the opportunities are many. Restaurants are the largest employer of graduates, with employment also found in grocery stores, corporate dining, mobile food services, hospitals, bakeries, assisted living communities, schools and universities, prisons, private households, amusement parks, cruise ships, national parks, and more!

Support and Networking
Specialized elective offerings within the curriculum enable students to pursue courses that are targeted towards their desired career path. Career Success courses are also offered to support students in both discovery and preparation for their transition form academia to a career path within the hospitality industry. Cascade Culinary Institute® (CCI) considers job placement assistance for graduates among its most important priorities. Networking activities take place throughout the year, providing openings for students to get placed in internships or post-graduate employment, to include the below activities:

• Hosting monthly American Culinary Federation High Desert Chefs Association educational seminar and networking with regional industry professionals
• Student participation in CCI service-learning initiatives like Taste of the Town and Sagebrush Classic
• Involvement with the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts Program Advisory Committees (PAC), comprised of local industry leaders
• Involvement in the CCI Junior Chapter of the High Desert Chefs Association, which enables opportunities to be involved in student field trips to regional conferences like the Northwest Food Show and the American Culinary Federation Regional Conference. This also is an opportunity to be involved in ACF sanctioned culinary arts competitions and monthly ACF educational seminars via the High Desert Chefs Association
• Involvement with national and state professional organizations, some of which are listed below:

Receive American Culinary Federation Certification
The Cascade Culinary Institute Culinary Arts Program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC), which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This accreditation assures our curriculum is industry-relevant, current, and delivering the appropriate skills required for successful careers in the field of culinary arts. As an added value as a CCI graduate, students in either AAS degree program are eligible to qualify for the prestigious American Culinary Federation Certified Culinarian or Certified Pastry Culinarian certification. Graduates with this certificate have distinguished themselves by meeting high benchmarks in culinary techniques, nutrition, food safety, sanitation and supervisory management. Students must apply for this certification, and hold membership with the American Culinary Federation.

Additional Certification and Advancement Opportunities
Advancement opportunities for chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers depend on their training, work experience, ability to perform more responsible and sophisticated tasks, and demonstrated commitment with industry certification. Although certification is not required, it can help to prove accomplishment and lead to advancement and higher-paying positions. Professional organization designations are highly regarded by peers and quickly becoming symbols of leadership, competency and accomplishment. Certification through the American Culinary Federation demonstrates skill, knowledge and professionalism to the food service industry. Open to chefs, cooks, bakers, culinary educators and administrators ACF offers 14 different certification designations. Certification standards are based primarily on experience and formal training. On average, chefs who hold a certification earn $8,000 - $10,000 more a year.The Certified Culinary Professional program by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute awards are designed not only to further elevate professional standards and evaluate individual performance, but to recognize and distinguish those who have reached the highest level of culinary achievement.

Industry Outlook and Trends
Food service includes grocery stores, general medical and surgical hospitals, community care facilities for the elderly, nursing care facilities, elementary and secondary schools, private households, amusement and recreations industries in addition to full and limited service restaurants. Northeast and Western geographic regions are paid slightly more than in the Midwest and South. And corporate organizations typically pay higher salaries than other places of employment. Some employers provide employees with uniforms and free meals, but Federal law permits employers to deduct from their employees' wages the cost or fair value of any meals or lodging provided, and some employers do so. Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers who work full time often receive typical benefits, but part-time and hourly workers usually do not. In some large hotels and restaurants, kitchen workers belong to unions. The principal unions are the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union and the Service Employees International Union. The National Restaurant Association Trends and Forecasting report provide additional insight as to career path opportunites for CCI graduates.