Hospitality Academy

Why Hospitality?

ALA Applied Technology Hospitality Academy turns a passion for food into a professional path in the culinary and baking arts. Over three years, students take on hands-on experiences such as:

Cooking in restaurant-grade kitchens and simulation labs
Running pop-up cafés and catering live events
Costing out menus and managing hospitality operations
Earning industry credentials like ServSafe and BLS

Students choose between two career-aligned tracks: Culinary Arts or Baking & Pastry. Each path ends with an optional 120-hour internship or capstone project, connecting students with local chefs, caterers, and hospitality leaders.

Graduates leave with real-world service hours, college credit, and the business acumen to thrive in restaurants, resorts, patisseries—and beyond.

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Why Culinary Arts?

Culinary Arts is where hot lines meet hot trends. Students sharpen both skills and creativity through hands-on training in:

American regional and global cuisine
Advanced knife work, garde-manger, and food science
Cost control, menu planning, and kitchen leadership
Catering events and running a student-led restaurant concept

Students earn industry-recognized certifications in ServSafe Food Handler, ServeSafe Food Portection Manager, and ACF Certified Fundamentals Cook.

Why Baking & Pastry?

Baking & Pastry is where precision science meets edible art. Students gain hands-on experience in:

Artisan breads, laminated doughs, and plated desserts
Chocolate work, sugar sculpture, and product development
Bakery management and operations
Running a student-led retail bake shop and competing on pastry teams

Students earn industry-recognized certifications in ServSafe Food Handler, ServeSafe Food Protection Manager, and ACF Certified Fundamentals Pastry Cook.

Certificate Readiness

ServSafe Food Handler

ServSafe Food Protection Manager

American Culinary Federation (ACF) Certified Fundamentals Cook

The American Culinary Federation awards the CFC to students who graduate from an ACF-accredited program and pass both a written exam and a live cooking practical that tests knife skills, food-safety habits, and proper cooking techniques. The certificate never expires but serves as the first rung toward higher ACF designations like Certified Culinarian.

Helpful references

ACF Certified Fundamentals Pastry Cook

This entry-level pastry certificate parallels the CFC but focuses on doughs, desserts, and decorative work. No job experience is required, but graduates must finish two 30-hour courses in nutrition and sanitation, then pass a theory test and a plated-dessert practical to earn the badge.

Helpful references

Career Opportunities

Chef / Sous Chef ~ ($57k)

A chef runs the kitchen—from planning menus to plating the last entrée of the night. Sous chefs serve as second-in-command, keeping prep on schedule, checking food quality, and stepping in wherever the line backs up. Daily tasks bounce between creative work (new dishes, garnishes) and practical chores (inventory, safety logs, staff coaching). The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists average annual earnings for chefs and head cooks in the upper-50-thousand range, with overtime and bonuses often pushing totals higher in resort or fine-dining settings.

Sous-chef roles share the same skill set but usually land just under the head-chef pay band.

Nutritionist / Dietary Manager ~ ($66k)

Nutritionists translate science into meal plans—calculating calories, balancing macros, and advising clients or patients on food choices that match health goals. In hospitals, long-term-care facilities, or corporate cafeterias, dietary managers add the logistics: ordering ingredients, writing menus, and leading kitchen staff while staying inside budget and regulatory guidelines.

National wage surveys place average earnings for degreed dietitians and nutritionists in the mid-60-thousand range, rising with certifications such as RDN or CDM.

Pastry Chef / Baker

Pastry chefs start the day before sunrise, scaling dough, whipping meringue, and tempering chocolate so breads, croissants, and plated desserts hit the counter by morning service. Bakers in retail shops handle large-batch production, while restaurant pastry chefs design show-stopping sweets for dinner rush.

Average pay sits in the low-50-thousand range, though rates climb in high-end hotels or for specialists who bring advanced sugar or chocolate skills.

Specialty Cake Designer

Cake designers treat buttercream like paint and fondant like clay, sculpting multi-tier wedding cakes or themed birthday masterpieces. Work swings between client consults, sketching concepts, baking sturdy layers, and finishing delicate decorations—often on tight event deadlines.

Income depends on reputation and volume: boutique decorators may start around typical baker wages, while top artists with a loyal clientele and social-media buzz command premium prices per cake, pushing annual earnings well above standard pastry salaries.

Meet the Coordinator

Tricia Benning

Tricia Benning, an Executive Chef with over 30 years of experience, holds dual Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership. Chef Benning previously served as a Private Chef for the Masters Golf Tournament and Executive Chef for the U.S. Air Force, bringing a wealth of talent and technical mastery to the Hospitality Academy at ALA Applied Technologies.

Explore the Hospitality Academy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Culinary Arts Academy at ALA Applied Technologies?

The Culinary Arts Academy is a professional training program within our tuition-free trade school in AZ, where students gain advanced skills in culinary techniques, kitchen operations, and food service management. The academy includes two immersive tracks:

Culinary Arts: Focuses on preparing, cooking, plating, and serving food—covering American regional and global cuisine, kitchen leadership, and cost analysis.
Baking & Pastry: Centers on artisan baking, pastries, desserts, food safety, and team-based operations in a professional kitchen environment.

What certifications do students earn in the program?

Students can earn industry-recognized credentials that make them workforce-ready:

ServSafe Food Handler Certification
ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification
American Culinary Federation Certified Fundamentals Cook

These certifications are essential in both the culinary and hospitality industries and are often required by restaurants and commercial kitchens.

Do students get real-world experience in the kitchen?

Yes! Students train in professional-grade kitchens that mirror high-end restaurant environments. They engage in:

Hands-on food preparation and plating
Front-of-house and back-of-house operations
Kitchen sanitation and safety
Event-based catering and team cooking simulations

This applied approach helps students master the skills needed in real culinary careers.

What careers can this program lead to?

Students graduate prepared for a variety of high-demand careers, including:

Chef or Sous Chef (174K employed in the U.S., 22K job openings per year, $57K average yearly salary)
Pastry Chef or Baker (Often included within chef statistics; strong demand in restaurants, hotels, and bakeries nationwide)
Nutritionist or Dietary Aide (79K employed in the U.S., 6K job openings per year, $66K average yearly salary)
Event Planner (132K employed in the U.S., 15K job openings per year, $53K average yearly salary)
Restaurant Owner or Manager (Entrepreneurial and managerial career paths with earning potential dependent on experience and location)

Many students also go on to culinary school or hospitality management programs with advanced standing thanks to their certifications, hands-on training, and real-world experience.

Who leads the Culinary Arts Academy?

How does this culinary program compare to other trade schools in AZ?

Contact Us

Have questions about the ALA Health Services Academy? We're here to help! Contact us to learn more about our unique curriculum, experienced instructors, and how your student can gain real-world skills in this high-demand field, or schedule a campus tour today and see firsthand how American Leadership Academy is preparing the next generation of Nurses and Doctors!

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