Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

Culinary and Hospitality Arts
Culinary Arts and Hospitality and Event Management have recently combined to form one powerhouse program! Check out the videos above to get a glimpse of what will be covered in this course.
The Art and Science of Food Planning, Menu Development,
​Restaurant Management, and Event Management

If you have a knack for working with others in a team environment and creating delicious dishes then the Culinary Arts program could be the right plan for you. Hospitality and Culinary Arts is a newly combined two-year program designed to prepare students for entry into the restaurant, banquet service, or catering industry, hospitality field including event and food planning and management and operations, and/or entry into an associate degree program. Students will work directly with a locally renowned chef and event management instructor who will teach students how to successfully plan, prepare, and deliver a final product as well as organize and plan events. The students will also gain on-site valuable experience by running the program's restaurant The Academy Grill, which is open to the public and housed right in the South-Western Career Academy.
Students will also develop skills in the fundamentals of the hospitality field, event and food planning, and management and operations. Students will learn to organize and plan meetings and events, in addition to lab experiences focusing on the day-to-day operations and management found in the hospitality industry.

Students will hone their skills in customer service, analyze risks and develop strategies for event management. Students will develop management skills and learn how to run the front office operations of the lodging, culinary, hospital, and large business industries. Students will earn hands-on experience by managing and facilitating clients through The Academy Meeting Space located in the South-Western Career Academy.  The Academy Meeting Space is a conference area completely furnished with the latest technology that outside community members can reserve through the program.  Reservations can come as a catered event by the Culinary Arts program. For more information please email swcaevent@gmail.com.

Career Opportunities

  • Chef
  • Banquet Manager
  • Caterer
  • Pastry Chef
  • Food Artist
  • Nutritional Assistant
  • Public Relations
  • Event Planning
  • Advertising
  • Marketing
  • Technical Writing
  • Sports and Entertainment Promotions
  • Hospitality Manager
  • Guest Service Representative
  • Hospitality & Event Coordinator
  • Wedding Planner
  • Catering Manager

Career Skills Developed

  • Application of scientific knowledge of sanitation and safety
  • Credit and collection functions
  • Restaurant staffing strategies
  • Menu planning and preparation
  • Nutritional information and trends
  • Meeting and banquet support services
  • Table service
  • Hospitality Services
  • Collaboration & Problem Solving
  • Customer Service
  • Event Planning & Management
  • Promotion
  • Industry Networking

Program Highlights

  • Students will compete in ProStart and SkillsUSA, a student leadership organization, which is part of the curriculum.
  • While enrolled in the program, the culinary students will operate the school's full-service restaurant, The Academy Grill,  during the school day utilizing their skills learned in the program.
  • Opportunity to earn Certification in Event Planning
  • Students plan, market, and organize many of the school events.​
  • ​Students will manage and facilitate the Academy Meeting Space.

Suggested Skill Set

  • Solid work ethic
  • Ability to handle feedback
  • Works well within a team structure
  • Follows directions thoroughly
  • Has a good sense of urgency
  • Shows initiative and ownership
  • Has good personal hygiene
  • Takes pride in a job well done
  • Creative
  • Quick thinker
  • Verbal Communication
  • Nonverbal Communication
  • Written Communication
  • OrganizationPublic Speaking
  • ​Problem Solving​
  • Delegation
  • Dependability
  • Professionalism
  • Project Management
  • ​Time Management

Additional Features

  • The South-Western Career Academy is affiliated with ProStart, a program administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). 
  • The two-year ProStart program teaches students the management skills they will need to progress in their education and careers.
  •  When students meet the academic standard, complete a checklist of competencies, and participate in at least 400 hours of mentored work experience, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement which signifies they are well qualified to enter the industry workforce. The certificate also provides opportunities for college scholarships. 
  •  Additionally, upon successful completion of the program, the students also have the opportunity to earn the ServSafe National Sanitation and Safety ServSafe Certification. While enrolled at SWCA, students will operate a restaurant, The Academy Grill, during the school day using their skills learned in the program including customer service.
  • Work Based Learning opportunity during the second semester of senior year.
  • On-Site professional experiences through mentoring opportunities.
  • Activities are both individual and team project-oriented.
  • Columbus State Community College allows up to 6 selected credits earned in this program at SWCA to be transferable to the college and applied toward a degree. The number of college credits is subject to change.

Hear from the Instructors!

Click HERE for the slides.
Click HERE for the slides.

Culinary Students Rise to the Challenge

Jordan Simmons and Jefferson Martinez's finished in 5th place with their "Sweet Heat" burger in the State Burger Battle Championship this weekend at the Pro Start Invitational.

The Culinary program fielded three teams for the 28 school Pro Start Invitational.  The Hot Food Team finished a respectable 13th place amongst a loaded field of past national champions. Congratulations to first time contestants Adrian Gasca, Kyrah Stephens-Brown, Angeline Morales, and Jefferson Martinez.

The SWCA Management Team came home with a 3rd place finish in a very close contest for the top spot. Congratulations to Team Capt. Taby Stone, Stacy Suero, Khiayla Powell, and J'Ana McGimpsey for there hard work and dedication!

Individual Honors from the invitational also included: Adrian Gasca with a 3rd place finish in Top Knife Skills and Taby Stone with a 3rd place finish in Top Management.

Outstanding Job and Results for the SWCA Culinary Teams!