During the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year, Varna University of Management will start teaching a new specialty called Culinary Science. The programme is unique for the Bulgarian and the whole European higher education institutions. Moreover, it gives the students an opportunity to obtain a Professional Bachelor degree upon successful completion.
Тhe specialty combines knowledge and skills in three fundamental fields – culinary arts, food technologies, business studies and hospitality. It provides in-depth knowledge for the food, the culinary processes and the scientific explanation behind them. The students will get to know the principles of healthy cooking and the functional features of the food. The specialty helps them provoke their creativity, allows them to experiment and create not only new dishes, but a whole new taste experience, while implementing exclusive techniques in the food processing. In addition to that, the future specialists gain competence in the fields of economics, marketing and management of the restaurant, which guarantees their success on the Bulgarian and the international market.
Through the introduction of such specialty, Varna University of Management corresponds to the high demand for qualified specialists in the hospitality field not only in Bulgaria, but worldwide. For example, the statistics in the USA show that over 50% of the employers in the hotel and restaurant field report the shortage of professionally trained staff as the main weakness of the business. For this reason, they declare willingness to increase the salaries and add more social perks for qualified employees. Another essential advantage of the specialty is its multidisciplinary character, which leads to cumulative gain of knowledge and practical skills from various fields.
The lectures will be taught in the campus of Varna University of Management in Dobrich. The practical classes will take place in a high-tech training kitchen under the supervision of chef instructors with rich experience from leading restaurants in Europe and America. The studies include disciplines such as Technology of the food and the culinary processes, Microbiology, Molecular cuisine, Food production development in culinary arts, Innovations and creativity in the culinary sector, Competitiveness of the restaurant companies, Online commerce in the culinary sector and many other innovative modules.
The programme is adapted to the needs of each student via offering diverse forms of education, affordable fees, financial support and an opportunity for validation of the gained experience in the cooking and tourism field. It is suitable for high school graduates, as well as for people already working the restaurant business, who seek advanced training and improvement of their competitiveness on the labour market.
The Culinary Science Programme gives a unique opportunity for graduation with a higher educational degree in the culinary field, while studying in Bulgaria and in Bulgarian language. At the same time, the European diploma supplement gives the chance for career development in various places around the world. In addition to that, the Career centre at Varna University of Management assists with the organization of a paid internship in renowned partner business companies during the summer. The university has partners from over 80 high-end and Michelin star restaurants in Europe, in order to offer the best opportunities for practical training to its students. The main aim is to focus the student on every detail from the actual functioning of the restaurant and catering business, while also forming the values and skills required for a future entrepreneur and leader in the food industry.