Culinary Arts

Culinary Arts at Otago Polytechnic embraces tastes and explores the concept of multi-sensory food design. 

Culinary Arts is about more than just food.

Our Culinary Arts programme will allow you to design your own career by focusing on the art of cookery, food design, and business principles.

We’ll give you the technical cooking skills, creative design tools, and entrepreneurial thinking to become a market leader within the ever-evolving world of food. 
 
With our practical and supportive learning environment, you’ll be able to express your passion for food in our training kitchens, café, restaurant, food truck and on campus market days.  

You will graduate into a globally recognised field to become a chef, artisan food producer, food stylist, food educator or even to work in food product development. With the option to study on campus or in the workplace, a world of opportunities awaits you. 

Culinary Arts qualifications

Food & Hospitality

Studying food design provides you with the technical cooking skills, creative design tools and innovative business practices to become a market leader in the ever-evolving world of food. This programme will provide you with the hands-on experience to learn these skills and gain the competitive edge you need to kickstart your career.

Duration

3 Years Full-time

Delivery

On campus, Distance (Work Integrated Learning or APL)

Location

Dunedin, Distance

Career potential

Artisan Food Producer, Chef, Culinary Lead, Entrepreneur, Food Educator, Food Stylist, Recipe Developer

Cross-credit and fast-track

Cross-credit and fast-track

We can recognise and give academic credit for existing skills and experience.

Jayden Lawrence

Jayden Lawrence

"I learnt a lot about adapting to consumer-driven trends, which is constantly changing in the industry and how that could then be adapted. The business management/ entrepreneurial aspects of the Bachelor of Culinary Arts definitely help me run the business today."

More student stories

Watch Now | Real-World Experiences You’ll Gain as a Learner at Otago Polytechnic

Discover how learners from our Food Design Institute and School of Design, in collaboration with staff from Te Nohoaka O Tukiauau (Sinclair Wetlands), organised a unique public food event. The event embodies the kaupapa: 'How Indigenous knowledge can contribute to creating a more equitable food system for all.'"

Discover our Food Design Institute

Get a taste of what it’s like to study this field at Otago Polytechnic:   

  • See all programmes offered  
  • Meet your lecturers and find out what makes them leaders in their chosen area   
  • Hear about our latest news and events   
  • Learn first-hand what it’s like to study with us from real students and graduates   
  • Read about our postgraduate research and projects

Food Design Institute

Contact us

If you’re not sure what to study and would like some guidance, we’re here to help. Feel free to chat to us directly about any questions you may have.