In Niagara College’s School of Culinary Arts you can:

  • create world-class entrées and desserts;
  • learn how to ensure a safe and healthy kitchen;
  • develop and improve foods, products and operations;
  • reduce food safety risks and ensure regulations are met; or
  • achieve the cooking skills required to work in restaurants, hotels and more.
Back to Top

Niagara College's School of Culinary Arts is located at the 125-acre Daniel J. Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Our campus sits in the heart of Niagara's agricultural, wine and culinary country, which features a burgeoning craft beer industry. Niagara College's School of Culinary Arts offers opportunities unprecedented in Canadian education, with exceptional student experiences via on-campus labs, and enterprises such our 40-acre vineyard, NC Teaching Brewery, NC Teaching Distillery, NC Teaching Spa, NC Teaching Greenhouse, hop yard and apiary.

Work-integrated learning is always on the menu. Students gain experience as they prepare food for retail, restaurant service, pop-up dining, banquets and catering. As the college hosts numerous highly anticipated ticketed events, and its world-renowned campus draws prominent visitors – from royalty to dignitaries to celebrities – students are at the heart of the action.

Culinary students also learn while making a difference through NC's integrated Feed the Community program.

Back to Top

Programs

Skip Program Navigation

Baking and Pastry Arts

Female student in chef whites and hat pulling fresh baked loaf of bread out of oven.
Certificate 1 Year
Learn more about the Baking and Pastry Arts program

Baking and Pastry Arts Management

Female student in chef coat decorates a cake with orange flowers and green icing
Diploma 2 Years
Learn more about the Baking and Pastry Arts Management program

Cook Apprenticeship

Male student in chef whites dices yellow pepper in an active kitchen laboratory classroom
Apprenticeship 2 Terms
Learn more about the Cook Apprenticeship program

Culinary Innovation and Food Technology (Co-op)

Female student in kitchen reading a recipe from a book in front of her mise en place.
Advanced Diploma 3 Years
Learn more about the Culinary Innovation and Food Technology (Co-op) program

Culinary Management (Co-op)

Teaching chef in chef whites showing multiple student chefs in chef whites how to plate a dish in a teaching kitchen.
Diploma 2 Years
Learn more about the Culinary Management (Co-op) program

Culinary Skills

Student serving up salad at the pass of a kitchen.
Certificate 1 Year
Learn more about the Culinary Skills program

Professional Butchery Techniques

Chef and student working together in butchery or culinary training setting
Certificate 1 Year
Learn more about the Professional Butchery Techniques program
Go to Program Search Back to Top

News

From college exploration to university degree: Niagara College and Niagara University create flexible new pathways

September 15, 2026

NC’s General Arts and Science program is now among seven diploma programs with a direct launchpad to a degree from Niagara University thanks to a new agreement between the two long-standing educational partners. Students from select NC diploma and advanced diploma programs – from Business, Culinary Management (Co-op), and Education Assistance and Adult Supports, to […]

Tickets on sale for Winemaker’s Dinner

September 04, 2026

Toast to the harvest at Benchmark with Niagara College’s expert winemaker. NC’s Winemaker’s Dinner will be held at Benchmark Restaurant (Daniel J. Patterson Campus) on Thursday, September 24 (from 6-10 p.m.). The evening celebrates NC’s Teaching Winery, the first of its kind in Canada, and its award-winning head winemaker Allison Findlay – who is also […]

Event Management program relaunches with ultimate makeover

August 14, 2026

The award-winning Event Management program is returning to Niagara College with a modern makeover this Fall – including flexible delivery options, enhanced experiential learning opportunities and an updated curriculum designed to meet the evolving demands of today’s event industry. Based at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake – in the heart of Niagara’s premier […]

Niagara College welcomes delegation from the Republic of Georgia to explore applied learning and international collaboration

July 02, 2026

Representatives from the Government of Georgia experienced applied learning firsthand at Niagara College during a visit to the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake on June 5.  Hosted by the Partnerships and Enterprises team, the visit provided an opportunity to showcase the College’s strengths in hands-on learning, student experience, and international collaboration.   “As Niagara College […]

NC’s newest graduates ready to contribute to Niagara’s leading industries

June 10, 2026

On June 10, Niagara College celebrated the third day of its Spring 2026 Convocation ceremonies, where more than 900 graduates crossed the stage at the Welland Campus Simplii Financial Athletic Centre. The day featured two ceremonies honouring graduates from programs that support key sectors and communities across Niagara. The morning ceremony recognized graduates from the […]

Serving up success: Four Benchmark stars from Class of 2026 cap off studies with scholarship win

June 10, 2026

Success is on the menu for four new graduates from Niagara College’s Class of 2026 who were recently honoured with Benchmark Student Experience Scholarships. Established to celebrate students within the Culinary, Tourism, and Beverage Studies division who bring more to the table than just academic excellence, the winter term scholarships were awarded for leadership, teamwork, […]

NC Grad Success Story: Dean’s Award Recipient Lillianne Coron, Culinary Management (Co-op)

June 10, 2026

Originally from Montreal and now living in St. Catharines, Lillianne Coron enrolled at NC after moving to Ontario in 2021. What began as an opportunity to explore an interest in food soon evolved into a passion and a career path she had never previously considered. Since arriving at Niagara College, Coron has completed three programs, […]

Benchmark spotlights Lincoln and West Niagara

May 21, 2026

Lincoln and West Niagara took centre stage at Benchmark with a unique collaborative dinner on the menu for the one-night-only ticketed event. The sold-out dinner was the latest in its Celebrate Niagara dinner series, which brought together guest chefs from the Good Earth Food and Wine Co., Redstone Winery and Restaurant, Revalee, and Vineland Estates […]

Triple Gold for Niagara College students at Skills Ontario

May 08, 2026

Students from Niagara College hauled three gold, one silver, and four bronze medals back from the Skills Ontario Provincial Competition in Toronto, May 4-5. Madeline Rekker of St. Catharines, Victoria Paladino of Niagara Falls, and Lauren Thiessen of St. Catharines each won gold in their respective competitions, Restaurant Service, Hairstyling, and Graphic Design. Gold medalists […]

NOTL chefs unite at Benchmark for sold-out dinner

April 24, 2026

Flavours from some of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s top dining rooms converged on campus for an unforgettable one-night only dinner event. Celebrate Niagara-on-the-Lake brought chefs from local hotspots including Garrison House, Peller Estates Winery and Restaurant, Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Treadwell Cuisine, and Vintage Hotels to Benchmark on April 9 for the second installment of the College’s Celebrate […]

All News Back to Top