EHL will introduce a two-year associate degree in international culinary arts, fine-dining experience and restaurant management, with the first intake scheduled for September 2027.
The programme expands the institution’s academic offering into gastronomy-focused education and is designed to prepare students for roles in professional kitchens and food and beverage businesses. It combines training in culinary techniques with instruction in guest experience and restaurant operations.
The development reflects wider changes in the hospitality sector, where interest in gastronomy, food culture and culinary tourism has increased in recent years. EHL said there is also growing demand for professionals who can respond to changing customer expectations and deliver experience-led dining concepts.
Research conducted during the programme’s development indicated a preference among students for shorter academic pathways. The associate degree format is intended to provide a direct route into employment while remaining a recognised qualification for further study.
The course is aimed at students aged 18 to 25 and integrates three areas: culinary arts, guest experience and restaurant management. It includes a six-month internship with partner restaurants, along with field trips across Europe’s main gastronomic regions and masterclasses led by visiting chefs.
Teaching will be delivered by a faculty comprising chefs, hospitality professionals and academic staff. Training will take place at EHL’s food and beverage facilities, including training outlets, demonstration kitchens and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Around 60 per cent of the programme consists of practical classes.
Graduates may pursue careers as chefs, restaurant managers, sommeliers or food entrepreneurs, or continue their studies towards a bachelor’s degree.
“The new programme also responds to evolving expectations within the restaurant and hospitality sectors, as well as from future students and consumers. Today’s gastronomy professionals increasingly need to combine culinary expertise with skills in guest experience, beverage culture, sustainability, marketing and business management,” said Patrick Ogheard, dean of EHL School of Practical Arts.
