The Center for Culinary Arts (CCA), Manila envisions the achievement of excellence in professional culinary education that paves the way for student chefs to conquer the global kitchen scene.
CCA, Manila was cited as the 2003 Most Outstanding Culinary School in the National Consumers Excellence Awards. CCA, Manila was also included as a Superbrand for 2004. Currently, the school offers relevant and comprehensive courses that develop a student's skills not just in the kitchen but also in other pertinent aspects of food service management. These programs include Diploma in Culinary Arts & Management (2 years), Diploma in Baking – Pastry Arts & Management (2 years), Certificate in Baking & Pastry Arts (1 year), Bachelor Degree Option (additional 1 ½ to 2 years), and Continuing Education Programs.
The school has notable affiliations including The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology ( Edmonton , Canada ), National Restaurant Association ( Chicago , USA ), and Blue Mountains Hotel School (New South Wales , Australia ).
When CCA, Manila opened in 1996, there were only three laboratories and 45 students. Today, there are 10 labs and about 500% growth in its full-time student population. CCA, Manila is currently the only culinary school that offers 2-year diploma programs with hands-on laboratory experience from start to finish and implements technique-based courses, not recipe-based, which will provide students the fundamentals of learning about a cuisine.
Aside from the lectures, students spend at least 5 hours daily in the kitchen laboratories and undergo actual hotel work for their apprenticeship to further acquire mastery of techniques. Management classes are also incorporated in the program to complement their culinary skills. Chefs need to know about entrepreneurship, marketing and human resources if they will succeed in managing their own restaurants.
CCA, Manila students receive positive feedback when they undergo internship at different establishments. Graduates who work abroad have also been noted to meet and even exceed international placement standards. Recently, one student, Pamela Comia, won a gold medal at Salon Culinaire Competition in Bangkok , Thailand beating professional competitors.
The school has also developed partnerships with local and international institutions to allow students to pursue further studies. There is even an option to pursue further studies with partner schools in Canada and Australia.
Aside from the regular classes, CCA, Manila offers a Basic Professional Culinary and Baking Course, a 15-day module under the Continuing Education Program designed to upgrade the skills of novice chefs, food enthusiasts and housewives. Other courses will also be offered for the Continuing Education Program to address the training needs of culinary professionals.
CCA, Manila is located at 287 Katipunan Avenue , Loyola Heights , Quezon City , with tel. nos. 426-4840/ 426-4841; e-mail mailto:[email protected]; and website http://www.cca-manila.com/.
