Skip to content
Pathrel
Start free
All courses
Hospitality & Tourism

Diploma in Food Production (Culinary Arts)

The Diploma in Food Production (Culinary Arts) is a TVET CDACC Level 6 qualification that equips learners with competencies to plan, prepare, cook, present, and manage various hot and cold food products in professional kitchens.

Duration
1.5-3 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 92,700
Ksh 139,050 to Ksh 278,100 total
Private tuition
Ksh 570,000
Ksh 855,000 to Ksh 1,710,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 92,700 a year at a public institution, Ksh 139,050 to Ksh 278,100 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 570,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of C- or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 1.5-3 years, full-time, with 4 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 106 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Aquaculture Technologist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

The curriculum covers food accompaniments, stocks, soups, sauces, meats and butchery, poultry, fish and seafood, salads and salad dressings, bread and yeast products, pastries, desserts, beverages, cold starters, canapes, sandwiches, menu planning and costing, kitchen management, food safety and hygiene, and international.

The programme is accredited by TVET CDACC under the Food and Beverage Production (Culinary Art) Level 6 qualification (code 072106T4, ISCED 240) and examined by KNEC in some institutions. Kenya Utalii College offers a well-established variant examined internally.

Training combines classroom theory with extensive kitchen practicals in fully equipped training kitchens. Trainees work with commercial cooking equipment, ovens, mixers, food processors, and pastry tools.

Graduates find employment in hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise ships, hospitals, learning institutions, catering companies, and food media. Major employers include Serena Hotels, Kempinski, Radisson Blu, Sarova Hotels, Kenya Airways, and numerous restaurants and catering firms.

The programme suits KCSE graduates with a mean grade of C- who have a passion for cooking and culinary arts, as well as Level 5 certificate holders seeking to upgrade. It provides a progression pathway to degree programmes in Hospitality Management, Food Science, or Culinary Arts.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Food Accompaniments and Vegetable Cookery
  • Stocks, Soups, and Sauces
  • Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Preparation
  • Salads and Salad Dressings
  • Bread, Yeast Products, and Pastries
  • Desserts and Sweet Courses
  • Beverages and Beverage Service
  • Menu Planning and Costing
  • Kitchen Management and Food Safety
  • International Cuisine

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Food Accompaniments and Vegetable Cookery

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Preparation of vegetables, starches, and food accompaniments including for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Communication Skills and Digital Literacy

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsElective

    Business communication, digital literacy, and ICT applications in the for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Stocks, Soups, and Sauces

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Preparation of stocks, clear and cream soups, puree soups, cold soups for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Preparation

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Butchery, meat cuts, poultry preparation, fish and seafood cookery for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Salads, Cold Starters, and Canapes

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Simple and compound salads, specialty salads, salad dressings for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Desserts and Sweet Courses

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Hot and cold desserts, cakes, plating techniques, and sweet course presentation for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Entrepreneurship and Occupational Safety

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsElective

    Entrepreneurial skills, business planning, kitchen safety, and occupational for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Bread, Yeast Products, and Pastries

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Bread making, yeast products, sweet and savoury pastries, and puff pastry for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • International Cuisine

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Preparation of African, European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines and for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Menu Planning, Costing, and Kitchen Management

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Menu design, food costing, portion control, kitchen organisation for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Buffet and Banqueting Cuisine

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Buffet preparation, banqueting operations, volume cookery, and event catering for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Health Cuisine and Fine Dining

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Healthy cooking techniques, dietary requirements, fine dining presentation for professional practice and competency development in the field.

Specialisations

  • Pastry and Bakery Arts

    Focuses on bread, pastry, cake, and dessert production for bakeries and hotel pastry sections, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • International Cuisine

    Focuses on preparation of international dishes including European, Asian, and fusion cuisine, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Buffet and Banqueting Operations

    Focuses on volume cookery, buffet preparation, and event catering management, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Health and Dietary Cuisine

    Focuses on healthy cooking, special dietary requirements, and nutrition-focused meal preparation, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

A day as a student

A typical day begins at 8:00 AM with a theory session on food science or menu planning, followed by a three-hour kitchen practical preparing stocks, sauces, meats, pastries, or international dishes. Afternoons often involve plating and presentation exercises, bakery work, or buffet preparation. Industrial attachment places students in hotel kitchens, restaurants, or catering companies for real-world culinary experience.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's growing tourism and hospitality sector creates strong demand for qualified culinary professionalsKitchen work involves long hours, high temperatures, and physical demands
Strong self-employment potential through catering businesses, bakeries, and food enterprisesCareer progression to head chef positions requires years of experience and continuous skill development
Opportunities for international employment on cruise ships and in international hotel chains—

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 91 hospitality & tourism courses
Public67k to 93k
67k at Public TVET College (standardised rate)93k at Kenya Utalii College
Private570k to 570k
570k at Boma International Hospitality College570k at Boma International Hospitality College

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

Utalii 92,700/yr (ghanadmission), TVET 67,189/yr. Boma 570,000/yr (bihc.ac.ke).

HELB offers loans and bursaries for TVET students. County government bursaries and NG-CDF funds are widely available. Some hotel chains offer sponsorship and apprenticeship programmes for culinary students.

Funding options

  • HELB TVET Loan and Bursary

  • County Government Bursaries

  • NG-CDF Constituency Bursary

Scholarships

2 recorded

  • NG-CDF Bursary

    BursaryKsh 15,000Kenyan

    Constituency-based bursary for needy students

  • HELB TVET/Diploma Loan

    LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

    All TVET students enrolled in KUCCPS-placed programmes

Scholarships you could apply for

8 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C-minimum entry
Alternative entry

Food Production Level 5, Food and Beverage Sales and Service Level 4, Hotel Catering and Accommodation Level 5, or equivalent qualification as determined by KNQA.

When it next starts

Taught at 106 institutions
January 2027106 institutions

Including Multimedia University of Kenya, Gretsa University, Mount Kenya University.

May 2027106 institutions

Including Multimedia University of Kenya, Gretsa University, Mount Kenya University.

September 2027106 institutions

Including Multimedia University of Kenya, Gretsa University, Mount Kenya University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Continuous Internal Assessment

    Coursework40% of the mark

    Practical kitchen assessments, cookery demonstrations, and theory tests

  • External Assessment (TVET CDACC)

    External60% of the mark

    Competency-based external assessment conducted by TVET CDACC

  • Industrial Attachment Assessment

    Practical100% of the mark

    Assessment of performance during four-month hotel or restaurant kitchen placement

Accreditation

  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council

    Curriculum and certificationRequired

    Food and Beverage Production (Culinary Art) Level 6, code 072106T4

  • Kenya National Examinations Council

    Examination

    Some institutions offer KNEC-examined variant as Diploma in Food and Beverage Management

  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority

    Institutional regulationRequired

Accredited by TVET CDACC (Food and Beverage Production (Culinary Art) Level 6, code 072106T4) and regulated by TVETA. Some institutions offer the KNEC-examined variant. Kenya Utalii College offers an internally examined variant recognised by the hospitality industry.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

  • Chef

    High demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 80,000

    Prepares and cooks food in hotel, restaurant, or institutional kitchens

  • Pastry Chef

    Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 75,000

    Specialises in breads, pastries, desserts, and baked goods in hospitality establishments

  • Kitchen Supervisor

    Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 80,000

    Supervises kitchen operations, staff, and food quality in hotels and restaurants

  • Catering Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 70,000

    Manages catering operations for events, institutions, or corporate functions

  • Restaurant Cook

    High demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 50,000

    Prepares meals in restaurants, cafes, and fast-food establishments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates are in high demand in Kenya's growing hospitality and tourism sector. Entry-level chefs and cooks earn KSH 25,000 to KSH 50,000 per month, with experienced head chefs and executive chefs earning KSH 80,000 to KSH 200,000+ per month in premium hotels and restaurants.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Commercial Cooking Equipment

    EquipmentPrimary

    Professional ranges, ovens, grills, fryers, and steamers used in commercial kitchens

  • Bakery and Pastry Equipment

    EquipmentPrimary

    Mixers, dough sheeters, pastry bags, baking tins, and proofing cabinets

  • Food Processor and Blender

    Equipment

    Commercial food processors, blenders, and immersion blenders for food preparation

  • Kitchen Knife Set

    ToolsPrimary

    Professional chef knives, boning knives, paring knives, and specialised cutting tools

Common misconceptions

  • Culinary arts is just about cooking meals

    The diploma covers professional kitchen management, menu costing, food safety, international cuisine, pastry arts, nutrition, and buffet and banqueting operations, preparing graduates for diverse roles in the hospitality industry.

  • Chefs in Kenya earn very low salaries

    While entry-level positions may start modestly, experienced chefs in premium hotels, international restaurants, and cruise ships can earn very competitive salaries, with executive chefs in five-star hotels earning over KSH 200,000 per month.

Further reading

Read next