AA Food, Wine, and Wellness Studies - Baking & Pastry Chef De Partie

Program Description

AUF’s Associate of Arts Degree in Food, Wine, and Wellness Studies offers motivated students the possibility to join the food and wine industry through a program that emphasizes wellness and nutrition studies. Four program concentrations are available:
- Culinary Arts – Chef de Partie (WACS)
- Baking & Pastry – Chef de Partie
- Wine Studies and Enology - Junior Sommelier (WACS)
- Wellness, Health, and Nutrition

Program Objectives

The Food, Wine, and Wellness Studies program is designed to provide students with a complete educational experience in the field of gastronomy and wellness.
- Students will gain a solid knowledge of food, wine, and wellness topics from international and Italian perspectives.
- Coursework will broaden students’ knowledge of Italian gastronomy and nutrition, offering a rigorous focus on techniques, direct experience, and understanding of the Mediterranean identity of the curriculum.

General Education Requirements

All AA candidates are required to complete 21 gen ed credits in the areas of English Composition, Humanities, Mathematics, Physical and Biological Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Diversity and Intercultural Studies, and Italian language. Requirements vary according to the program. Some requirements are embedded in multiple courses, and certain programs may require additional credits to complete the associate-level program of study, as defined in the individual program curriculum.
Program Outcomes

The specialization in Baking & Pastry – Chef de Partie focuses on:
- Application of pastry ingredients and techniques
- Italian cultural context and classical pastry creations
- Italian specialty bread/pizza production
- Production/decoration/storage of desserts
- Contemporary ingredient application
- Professional pastry lab environment

Career Opportunities

Baking & Pastry – Chef De Partie: Pastry commis chef in high-end restaurants and hotels, demi-chef de partie in catering companies and commercial bakeries, pastry shop manager, recipe developer for small-medium pastry chains, pastry consultant, personal chef.

The second year of the program is recognized by WACS for the Chef De Partie qualification level.