Certificate in Professional Cookery: Professional Kitchen Skills in 30 Weeks
Kendall College's Certificate in Professional Cookery gives you 300+ real kitchen hours on a schedule that works around your life, three nights a week for three quarters, with credits that count toward a full culinary degree.
- ACF-Accredited
- 300+ Kitchen Hours
- Three Nights a Week
- Credits Transfer to the AAS
Request More Information
Program at a Glance
What You'll Learn
- Master foundational to expert culinary technique
- Work confidently in a professional kitchen
- Complete 300+ applied kitchen hours
- Understand the culinary industry and business basics
- Transfer 24 credits toward the AAS in Culinary Arts
- Enter Chicago's restaurant and catering market
Full Course List
Next start: September 21, 2026 — seats filling fast.
Admissions Requirements
- A high school diploma or GED (no prior culinary experience required)
- Online application at nl.edu with no application fee
- The program starts from foundational technique
- Financial aid review for Pell and Illinois MAP grant eligibility
- A uniform and tool kit (about $690)
Three nights a week for 30 weeks, professional culinary training that fits around your job and life.
American Culinary Federation accreditation, the same recognition as Kendall's degree programs.
All 24 credits transfer toward Kendall's AAS in Culinary Arts if you choose to continue.
Where Will This Certificate Take You?
Graduates enter Chicago’s restaurant and catering market ready to work, line cook, banquet chef, caterer, and culinary entrepreneur, with a path to sous chef and head chef as they gain experience. Kendall alumni include the owners of Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Soul and Smoke.
Chefs and head cooks earn a median of $60,990, and the field is projected to grow about 7 percent through 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 24,400 openings a year (BLS, May 2024).
How to Apply in 3 Simple Steps
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Request Information
Submit the form above. A Kendall College advisor will reach out within one business day to explain the evening schedule.
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Connect With an Advisor
Your advisor walks you through financial aid, the three-night-a-week schedule, and how credits transfer to the AAS.
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Apply and Start Classes
Submit your application at nl.edu with no application fee. Next start: September 21, 2026.
Take the First Step
No commitment required. A Kendall advisor will reach out within one business day to map your path into a culinary career.
Take the First Step- ACF-Accredited
- 300+ Kitchen Hours
- Three Nights a Week
- Credits Transfer to the AAS
*Salary and growth: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Chefs and Head Cooks (SOC 35-1011), May 2024 (median $60,990; about 7% growth and 24,400 openings a year).
**Program structure, hours, and accreditation: Kendall College at National Louis University, Certificate in Professional Cookery program sheet (nl.edu); ACF-accredited. Credits transfer toward the AAS in Culinary Arts.