Academic Pathway | Culinary, Hospitality and Outdoor Recreation & Leadership

Culinary Arts (AAS), Internship Track

CMC Culinary Arts students prepare food over a grille.

The Culinary Arts Degree Internship Track

Learn and Work in world class resort communities with housing options

The internship track culinary arts degree program is a unique, comprehensive culinary education experience. Its year-around schedule integrates class time and job experience.

You can earn a culinary art degree in as few as six semesters and come away with resume-building job experience and contacts.

Ranked in 2023 by Forbes Advisor as the #1 skiing destination in North America, Vail, Colorado, is home to premier restaurant experiences as well. We offer afternoon classes so that you can juggle work and internships with the many fine restaurants in the area.

You'll have opportunities to learn in the local favorite places such as Sweet Basil (modern American), LaBottega (casual Italian), Matsuhisa (upscale Japanese) and many others as well as in the classroom. You'll leave Colorado Mountain College armed, not only with a restaurant management degree or a culinary management degree, but also with hands-on experience and contacts in the field.

Work experience is key for securing a good position to start your career.

Plus, Colorado Mountain College offers one of the lowest tuition rates in the state. This means you'll get a great education without going into debt.

CMC's Culinary Partners

Learning and working go hand in hand in the Culinary Arts Internship Track. Semester by semester your schedule is arranged for the best mix of classes and jobs, studying and practicing.

Courses are coordinated with CMC’s culinary program and our resort partners. The CMC Program Director works directly with the resorts' culinary professionals to align work experiences with course learning objectives.

You'll study with CMC's professionally experienced faculty and work with culinary professionals who are developing the next generation of innovative chefs.

See the sample program Schedule on the Curriculum Page

Vail Valley Partners

The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch
Sonnenalp Hotel
Vail Resorts

Summit Campus Partners

Keystone
Breckenridge
Copper Mountain
Beaver Run

Housing

Housing at CMC Vail Valley

Colorado Mountain College is currently building new housing at CMC Vail Valley. Learn more about the project and apply for student housing. CMC Housing Initiative

Employee Benefits and Housing

Our students apply directly for positions at The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Sonnenalp Hotel and Vail Resorts. Once employed, you'll have the same benefits as any other employee which, depending upon employer, may include housing and ski passes.

See employment websites for more about each company's benefits:

Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch
Sonnenalp Hotel
Vail Resorts/Beaver Creek & Vail Mountain Resort

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Culinary Arts (AAS) Curriculum

Culinary Arts - Internship Sample Schedule

You can earn your degree in five or six consecutive semesters. To fully benefit from the sequence of courses, we encouraged you to enter in the fall semester, which starts at end of August. Following is a sample schedule for the program.

The actual courses, days and times will be available at registration.

Term 1, Fall / Year 1

Code	Course	Cr Hrs
	Gen. Ed . Elective (Co. History)	3
	if needed, pair with CCR 093
CUA 101	Applied Foodservice Sanitation	2
CUA 121	Introduction to Food Production Principles	1
CUA 122	Introduction to Stocks, Soups and Sauces	1
CUA 123	Introduction to Garde Manger	1
	Culinary Arts Elective	2
	Term 1 Total	10

Term 2, Spring / Year 1

Code	Course	Cr Hrs
MAT 107	Career Math	3
CUA 131	Starches, Pastas, Casseroles & Grain Products	1
CUA 141	Introduction to Baking Principles	1
CUA 142	Basic Yeast-Raised Products & Quick Breads	1
CUA 156	Nutrition for the Hospitality Professional	3
CUA 180	Internship	3
	Term 2 Total	12

Term 3, Summer / Year 1

Code	Course	Cr Hrs
CUA 118	Vegetable Preparation	1
CUA 126	Intermediate Soups & Sauces	1
CUA 143	Baking: Cakes, Pies, Pastries & Cookies	1
CUA 253	Advanced Seminar in Sauce	1
CUA 261	Cost Controls	3
	Culinary Arts Elective	3
	Term 3 Total	10

Term 4, Fall / Year 2

Code	Course	Cr Hrs
CUA 138	Food and Beverage Service	2
CUA 129	Center of the Plate	4
ENG 121	English Composition	3
	Term 4 Total	9

Term 5, Spring / Year 2

Code	Course	Cr Hrs
CUA 128	Breakfast Prep and Cookery	1
CUA 180	Internship	3
CUA 242	Intermediate Garde Manger	1
CUA 251	Advanced Garde Manger: Hors d’oeuvre	1
CUA 255	Supervision in the Hospitality Industry	3
	Term 5 Total	9

Term 6, Summer / Year 2

Code	Course	Cr Hrs
COM 115	Public Speaking	3
	Or
COM 125	Interpersonal Communications
CUA 265	Menu Planning and Purchasing	4
	Advised Gen. Ed. Elective	3
	Term 6 Total	10

Graduation: Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts

Basic Culinary Skills Certificate Curriculum

Culinary: Production Cook I Certificate Curriculum

Culinary: Production Cook II Certificate Curriculum

Learning Outcomes - Culinary Arts

Program Learning Outcomes are what we expect each student will learn while earning a degree or certificate. Meeting these learning outcomes is how we assess our performance as a college. Our learning outcomes support both important career skills and future success as a student.

Upon completing the Culinary Arts (AAS) program, CMC students will be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to succeed in the professional kitchen environment through the display of professional standards and teamwork.
Demonstrate the ability to produce a wide variety of classical and contemporary dishes in the professional kitchen.
Develop knowledge of classic an contemporary cooking and baking techniques representing a variety of global cuisines.
Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of sustainability as it applies to the sourcing and production of food and beverage.
Develop an understanding of basic business management techniques used in food and beverage operations.

Related Degrees

Graduates

Matt Vawter: A Legacy of Fine Dining

Matt Vawter rose quickly through the ranks after graduating from CMC with a degree in culinary arts. He is currently the proprietor of the award-winning restaurant Rootstalk in Breckenridge.

A native of Summit County, Matt returned to the mountains after making a name for himself as executive chef at Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver. Matt often hires fellow CMC grads to work for him.

“My education at CMC has helped me in my career because of the three years of true kitchen experience,” Matt says. “Not only was I introduced to all of the elements of classic cuisine, but I also was able to apply my classroom education in kitchens around the resort on a daily basis. When I graduated, I was ready to step into any kitchen I wanted to.”

Kevin McCombs

“The culinary apprentice program at Colorado Mountain College was the perfect start to my career in the hospitality industry. It furnished me with the tools to become the Executive Chef of the award-winning Ski Tip Lodge and go on to owning my business as a personal chef in House Cured Culinary. You, too, can jump start your culinary career with the Colorado Mountain College Keystone Culinary Institute.”

Kevin McCombs, House Cured Culinary/Owner/Executive Chef, Dillon, Colorado Read more: Kevin McCombs