Hospitality, Culinary and Tourism Management Department

Want to be a part of the Napa Valley-Bay Area renowned food and wine scene? Build extensive culinary skills through successive certificate and degree options or develop the social and management skills required for a career in hospitality management.  Either pathway opens opportunities to enhance your career and create memorable experiences for you and those that visit from around the world.

Did You Know?

• Four restaurants in the Napa Valley earned Michelin stars in 2021.
• There are more than 10,000 startups in Food Tech, the sector developing new foodstuffs and reimagining sales, distribution and delivery methods.
• Demand for managers with a culinary background in California is set to grow 16% through 2028.
• Napa Valley tourism injects more than $2 billion into local businesses and supports an estimated 16,000 jobs.
• Advanced culinary students receive hands-on training at the Napa Valley Cooking School at the NVC Upper Valley Campus, which is also home to Food Enthusiast non-credit courses.

Program Highlights

After completion of foundational classes in safety and sanitation and professional kitchen operations, students may immediately earn a Certificate of Achievement for basic culinary skills and select from two tracks of specialized training in the hospitality management or culinary sector.

Completing further coursework within the Culinary Arts pathway leads to the intermediate certificate. Students may then undertake culinary lab classes at the Napa Valley Cooking School, along with an internship earning course credit for work experience, to earn an advanced certificate. Students may opt to add general education classes to receive an AA degree in Culinary Arts.

The hospitality management pathway provides world-class customer service training and classes in management topics such as industry legal issues, cost controls and hotel operations. Graduates receive a Certificate of Achievement or can opt to add general education coursework to receive an AS-T degree in Hospitality Management in preparation for transfer to a four-year college or university.

Curricula reflect the needs of the hospitality industry as indicated by the program’s Advisory Board, made up of key Napa Valley hospitality leaders and employers, who share an active role in shaping and maintaining the program’s relevance. Students have access to a diverse and superlative panel of skilled instructors. The program closely collaborates with NVC’s well-established Viticulture and Winery Technology program to bring a strong emphasis on Napa Valley wines.