Dolce

From the academic year 2021-22, VIVES' bachelor's program in hotel management will offer the specialization Culinary Arts, in addition to the hospital management specialization.
This program is aimed at an (inter)national audience and is the first topculinary study in Flanders at bachelor level.

The practical lessons take place in the former three-star restaurant De Karmeliet in the city center of Bruges, where the Flanders Culinary Arts Centre is also established.

"Gastronomy is the art and knowledge of preparing and tasting food and beverages.

To be successful in the hospitality and restaurant business, however, you need to be an all-round manager with both management skills and a thorough knowledge of high-quality cuisine. This new specialization within the bachelor's degree in hotel management combines the best of both worlds," says the initiators.

The aim is to form top professionals who can work in sectors such as food, restaurant and catering, consultancy on gastronomy, tourism, hospitality, etc. The possibilities are endless. In addition to being a star chef, graduates can become director of food & beverage, restaurant and catering manager, gastronomy consultant, event and gastronomy manager, food research and innovation manager, food quality and safety manager, culinary and project manager, general manager ... 

Each of the three academic years of this program includes courses on management and communication on the one hand and Culinary Arts on the other hand.

VIVES will provide the management and communication section at VIVES Bruges Xaverianenstraat.

VIVES has had a renowned bachelor's degree in hotel management for many years, which is offered in both Dutch and English.

Hotelschool Ter Duinen is in turn responsible for Culinary Arts with their chefs, supplemented by workshops of various star chefs.

This secondary school in Koksijde has been the main supplier of star chefs since 1946.

Culinary Arts, or the practical part of the training, will be housed in the Flanders Culinary Arts Centre to be established. And that will be a unique location, namely the former three-star restaurant

De Karmeliet in the city centre of Bruges. That link with chef Geert Van Hecke is not coincidental.

He graduated from Hotel School ter Duinen, has been the school's ambassador for a few years now and accepts the sponsorship of the Culinary Arts program.

It is no coincidence that the choice fell on Bruges. Bruges is a gastronomic center in Europe, with more than thirty restaurants recommended by Michelin, GaultMillau and Bib gourmand.

The aim of the Flanders Culinary Arts Centre is to promote the prominent role of Flanders and Bruges as gastronomic regions.

It should become a meeting place for all (inter)national chefs and restaurant managers to network and professionalize.

The students of the new specialization Culinary Arts will practice it in order to grow into high quality chefs with a thorough management knowledge.

It is also intended for workshops for professional chefs, demonstrations by international chefs and as a meeting room for specific management training courses for hospitality professionals.