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Johnson & Wales University College of Food Innovation & Technology
What’s on the Menu?
For 50+ years, Johnson & Wales University has provided world-renowned culinary education to people who are passionate about food — people just like you. The College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT) is a place where culinary education extends far beyond the kitchen.
Every program is interdisciplinary. This approach allows you to investigate the intersection of food with everyday life. Explore topics such as product development and design, safety, sustainability, production, distribution, policy, medicine, business, nutrition, science and more.
Our reputation for excellence has helped some of the world’s greatest chefs start their journey — will you be next?
OUR PROGRAMS
Applied Food Science *
Baking & Pastry Arts
Culinary Arts
Culinary Nutrition
Culinary Science & Product Development **
Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship
* Charlotte Campus only ** Providence Campus only
Savory Ambitions
Chefs need to have expertise with professional equipment, scaling recipes, knife skills, food safety and sanitation. You’ll cover all this and more in your first year.
Once you strengthen the basics, your coursework expands to operations and management along with enhanced preparation techniques, nutrition studies and an internship to prepare you for your career.
Along the way, you’ll be guided and mentored by experienced culinary faculty with extensive industry backgrounds in fine dining, product development, sustainable food practices and more.
SAMPLE COURSES
CUL2810 Global à la Carte
Explore different flavor profiles, cultures and cuisines to develop globally influenced à la carte menus.
CUL2510 Contemporary Restaurant Operations and Management
Practice front-of-house operations and professional dining, beverage service and supervisory skills in learning labs that double as fully functional restaurants open to the JWU community.
CULN3155 Vegetarian Cuisine
Learn how to prepare nutritionally balanced vegetarian dishes that fit into three classifications: vegan, lacto and lacto-ovo vegetarian diets.
CULINARY
Sweet Dreams
It turns out that all those delicate, beautiful desserts require a lot of science and precision — but you’ll learn it all here when you master ingredient properties and characteristics, the baker’s percentage system, mixing techniques, controlled fermentation and methodologies.
You’ll also develop dessert menus, implement cost controls, and even earn certifications, becoming a valuable addition to any professional kitchen.
SAMPLE COURSES
BPA1720 Plated Desserts
Prepare and present individual hot and cold plated desserts by exploring plate design and menu concepts for pre-plated and à la minute service.
BPA1750 Chocolate, Confections & Mignardise
Learn about the cultivation of cacao, chocolate tempering methods and decorative sugar mediums to produce desserts such as hand-dipped pralines, molded bonbons, truffles and petits fours.
BPA1730 Artisan Bread & Viennoiserie
Explore the skills, techniques and equipment needed to produce artisan bread and viennoiserie through a variety of lean, enriched and laminated yeast dough products.
A Tale of Two Cities
One of our most distinct features is that we have two campuses: Charlotte, North Carolina, and Providence, Rhode Island. Each city has its own vibe, but you can be sure of one thing — they both set the bar high when it comes to food.
Both Charlotte and Providence are cities known for their food scenes, so you’ll find endless opportunities for jobs, internships, industry mentors and inspiration just steps from campus. Many top restaurants in each city are owned or operated by JWU alumni, and they love to hire fellow Wildcats.
See (or taste) for yourself by planning a visit at jwu.edu/visit. Students who visit campus for an in-person tour or admissions event before December 31 of their senior year of high school could be eligible to receive a JWU Visit Grant of up to $5,000 annually, renewable for up to four years while at JWU.
OUR CAMPUSES
Providence, R.I. and Charlotte, N.C.
Gourmet Kitchens
Whether you study at our Charlotte or Providence campus, you’ll have access to industry-standard kitchens and learning labs filled with all the tools you’ll need to make some culinary magic.
Providence
Our 82,000-square-foot Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence (CCCE) features a variety of culinary and baking kitchens, beverage labs, dining rooms and more. Or you can learn to research and design commercial food products from scratch in our Food Innovation Design Lab (FIDL).
Charlotte
In our 158,000-square-foot Academic Center, you’ll have access to dozens of culinary and baking kitchens such as the Emeril Lagasse Kitchen, which is dedicated to world-renowned chef and esteemed JWU alumnus Emeril Lagasse. Dining rooms and beverage labs are also housed in this building.
Explore the CCCE
Explore the FIDL
Explore the Emeril Lagasse Kitchen
Sky’sthe Limit
2025 JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER
Sky Haneul Kim ’14
Kim recently won the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast thanks to her incredible menu of South Korean-inspired dishes and locally-sourced seafood at Gift Horse in Providence, Rhode Island.
100+
alumni appearances on TV shows like “Top Chef,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Chopped” and more
alumni nominated for James Beard Awards in 2025 18
Even before you graduate, you can tap into our extensive network of alumni for career advice and opportunities. These alumni enjoy the chance to usher in the next generation of JWU chefs and help them acclimate to the industry.
They have opened successful restaurants and bakeries, founded businesses and companies, served as head chefs for professional sports teams and have even become television sensations. Our alumni have proven that with a JWU education, there’s no limit to what you can do.
ApplyChef!
If you haven’t applied yet, here’s what to know:
Admissions Application Components
• Common Application OR JWU Application
• High school transcript
• Essay (optional but encouraged)
• Standardized test scores (optional and totally up to you)
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Nonbinding Early Action 1: November 16
Nonbinding Early Action 2: January 4
Regular: March 1
Rolling: July 15
Apply at apply.jwu.edu
Opportunities Scholarship
Future Food Scholarship Program
Each year, CFIT hosts the Future Food Scholarship Program for applicants in culinary, baking & pastry and other food-related majors, and you’re invited to apply. Finalists will be invited to campus to showcase their recipe in person for top scholarship consideration, up to full tuition for all four years of study!
Learn more jwu.edu/future-food-scholarship
CTSO Scholarships
If you have been involved in Career & Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) such as SkillsUSA, you may be eligible for our CTSO Scholarship.
Learn more jwu.edu/ctso
ProStart Scholarship
Awarded to accepted incoming students who have participated in a ProStart curriculum, this scholarship is renewable for up to four years and provides up to $2,000. Apply for admission and indicate your ProStart participation to be considered.
Learn more jwu.edu/prostart