BA Culinary Arts: Eligibility, Colleges & Admission Process 2025

• Updated on  4 Aug, 2025 by Shibam Kumar

Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts is a 3-year graduation degree that offers a comprehensive education in cooking techniques, food science, food service management, and business management. It prepares students for careers in various sectors of the food service industry and the hospitality industry. The course duration can also be 4 years, depending on the course curriculum of the institution.

 

The eligibility criteria for BA Culinary Arts are to pass class 12th with 50% marks from recognised boards. Few colleges can take a written test or an interview before admission.

 

The average fee ranges between INR 1,08,000-22,50,000. Some of the good colleges are the Indian School of Hospitality (Gurugram), ITM Institute of Hotel Management (Mumbai), Royal Global University (Guwahati), Indian Institute of Hospitality and Management (Navi Mumbai), and K.R. Mangalam University (Gurgaon).

 

Candidates who complete the course can opt for multiple roles in various hotel and hospitality establishments, including F&B Executives, Service Managers, Kitchen Managers, Chefs, Chocolatiers, Bakers, and many other job roles. The average salary that BA Culinary Arts graduates can expect is around INR 2.4-7 LPA, depending on their skills and experience.

 

Table of Contents
  1. BA Culinary Arts Course Highlights
  2. What is a BA in Culinary Arts?
  3. Why study BA in Culinary Arts?
  4. BA Culinary Arts Eligibility Criteria
  5. BA Culinary Arts Colleges and Fees
  6. BA Culinary Arts Admission 2025
  7. BA Culinary Arts Syllabus
  8. BA Culinary Arts Jobs & Salary
  9. BA Culinary Arts Vs BHM Culinary
  10. BA Culinary Arts FAQs

 

BA Culinary Arts Course Highlights

Provided below are some of the key highlights for the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts:

Particulars

Details

Course Name

Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts

Level of Study

Graduation/Bachelor’s

Duration

3 years (4 years in a few colleges)

Eligibility Criteria

Passed 10+2 with 50% marks from recognised boards.

Admission Process

Merit-Based

Course Fee

INR 1,08,000-22,50,000

Colleges

Indian School of Hospitality (Gurugram), ITM Institute of Hotel Management (Mumbai), G.D. Goenka University (Gurgaon), Indian Institute of Hospitality and Management (Navi Mumbai)

Average Salary

INR 2.4-4 LPA (freshers)

 

INR 4.2-7 LPA (experienced)

Job Roles

F&B Executive, Kitchen Manager, Culinary Executive, Assistant Chef, Head Chef, and others

 

What is a BA in Culinary Arts?

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Culinary Arts is a three-year course that provides skills in culinary arts and food preparation.

  • The course is about cooking techniques, baking, confectionery, food styling, kitchen management, dietetics, and hygiene.
  • It combines work experience in a kitchen with theory, helping the student become a chef and kitchen manager, food stylist, catering manager, or culinary entrepreneur.
  • The course also entails exposure to global foods, food safety regulation, and hospitality management, and this makes the education well balanced in order to succeed in any career that one wants to venture into the food and hospitality industry.

 

Why study BA in Culinary Arts?

The benefits of studying a BA in Culinary Arts are:

  • It offers an excellent opportunity for developing essential skills, exploring diverse culinary techniques, and pursuing a wide array of careers in the food industry.
  • This course opens up doors to becoming a chef in various settings, starting from hotels, restaurants, cruise to catering services.
  • It provides skills and knowledge for starting your own restaurant, bakery or catering services.
  • Culinary Arts graduates have lot of opportunities to get jobs at hotels, resorts and restaurants in abroad where pay scale is much higher compared to India,
  • The candidates can also land government jobs as a Food Safety Inspector in the FSSAI department or the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
  • The candidates can also opt for higher education and upskill themselves for the hotel industry. Candidates can enroll in the PG Diploma in Hotel Management.

 

BA Culinary Arts Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for taking admission in BA Culinary Arts course are as follows:

  • Passed 10+2 exams with a minimum of 50% marks from recognised boards.
  • Few colleges may take written tests or PI for evaluating the candidate's suitability for the course.
  • Good performance in written tests, PI along with good marks in past academic performance, will increase the chances of getting admission easily.

 

BA Culinary Arts Colleges and Fees

Some of the good BA in Culinary Arts Colleges that provide quality education with practical skills are listed below:

Colleges

Fee Per Year

Indian School of Hospitality, Gurugram

INR 8,40,324

Atharva College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Mumbai ss

INR 6,90,000

ITM Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai

INR 6,90,000

Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai

INR 1,08,000-1,92,000

K.R. Mangalam University, Gurgaon

INR 2,25,000

Royal Global University, Guwahati

INR 1,05,000

G.D. Goenka University, Gurgaon

INR 5,50,000

Indian Institute of Hospitality and Management, Navi Mumbai

INR 2,60,000

Culinary Institute of India & Centre of Information Technology & Management Science, Durgapur

INR 3,00,000

Sanskaram University, Jhajjar

INR 1,00,000

 

BA Culinary Arts Admission 2025

The admission process in the BA in Culinary Arts at the Indian School of Hospitality (Gurugram) is:

 

Step 1: Fill up the application form for the course on the college website.

 

Step 2: Upload all the required documents and submit the application form by paying the applicable fee.

 

Step 3: The college will then upload the merit list containing the names of selected students on their college website.

 

Step 4: The selected candidates can be called for a short interview or viva-voice.

 

Step 5: The final selection will be made depending on the performance in the interview.

 

Step 6: Selected candidates will have to pay the admission fee to allot their seat in the course and start their academic journey.

 

BA Culinary Arts Syllabus

The syllabus for BA in Culinary Arts at Atharva College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (Mumbai) is listed below:

Semester-1

Semester-2

Principles of Food Production-I

Principles of Food Production

Essential Culinary Arts –Indian- I

Essential Culinary Arts –Indian -II

Essential Culinary Arts -International

Essential Culinary Arts -International

Essential Bakery & Confectionery

Essential Bakery & Confectionery

Fundamentals of Food & Beverage Service

Food & Beverage Studies

Restaurant & Food Service Operations

Food & Beverage Guest Service

Food Safety& Hygiene

Culinary Math

Introduction to the Hospitality Industry

Business Communications

Product Knowledge

Fundamentals of Information Technology

Communication Skills – English & French

Environmental Science

Semester-3

Semester-4

Indian and International Ethnic Cuisines

Regional Indian Cuisine and Larder

Beverage Studies

Function Catering Operations

Indian Ethnic Culinary Arts (Quantity)

Intermediate Culinary Arts-Indian

Intermediate Culinary Arts – International

Larder and Short Order Cookery

Intermediate Bakery & Confectionery

Intermediate Bakery & Confectionery

Nutrition & Food Science

Menu Development and Function Catering

Food Cost Controls

Gastronomy

Principals of Management

Hospitality Information System

Applied Information Technology

Hospitality Financial Accounting

The Practice of Business Communication

Human Assets Management

Semester-5

Semester-6

Event Planning & Management

Advanced Culinary Arts – Indian

Advanced Culinary Arts- Indian

Advanced Culinary Arts – International

Advanced Food Production

Chocolaterie

Advanced Pastry Arts

Project Research (Culinary Based)

Food Legislation

Experimental and Innovative Cuisine

Food Styling & Presentation

Advanced Culinary Arts

Personality Development and Executive Soft Skills

Food Tourism

Indian Culture & Traditions

Indian snacks

Strategic Management

Indian confectionary

Hotel Engineering and Maintenance Management

Kitchen Facilities Planning and Environmental Consciousness

Security and safety in catering establishment

Entrepreneurship and Restaurant Startup

Organizational Development & Behavior

Eco friendly practices in culinary operation

Hospitality Services Marketing

Introduction to Maritime Hospitality

 

BA Culinary Arts Jobs & Salary

The graduates have lots of opportunities in the hospitality and hotel industry with numerous job profiles. Some of the common jobs available on job portals like Naukri.com and Indeed are listed below:

Job Role

Recuiter

Experience Level

Average Salary

F&B Executive

Cushman & Wakefield

0-1 year

INR 2.4-3.6 LPA

Chocolatier

SearchLAB

2-5 Years

INR 3.6-5.2 LPA

Chef-Culinary Specialist

Bayfield Food Ingredients Pvt Ltd

3+ years

INR 4-7 LPA

Kitchen Manager

The Sanctuary Bar and Kitchen

8-12 years

INR 5.4-6.6 LPA

 

BA Culinary Arts Vs BHM Culinary

BA Culinary Arts concentrates more on culinary creativity, food preparation techniques, and simple management based on cooking, hence suited to those who wa.n to be cooks or culinary entrepreneurs. On the other hand, BHM Culinary is a more extensive training in hospitality management, including hotel operations, front office and housekeeping skills, and culinary arts.

Features

BA Culinary Arts

BHM Culinary

Duration

3 years

3-4 years

Focus Area

Culinary creativity, food culture, basic management

Hospitality management with culinary skills

Core Subjects

Cooking techniques, food history, menu planning, food styling

Hotel management, culinary techniques, front office, housekeeping

Career Opportunities

Chef, Food Stylist, Culinary Entrepreneur

Hotel Manager, Restaurant Manager, Culinary Chef

Skillset Emphasis

Creative skills, basic management, and culinary theory

Management skills, hospitality operations, culinary basics

 

BA Culinary Arts FAQs

Who are the top recruiters for BA in Culinary Arts graduates?

The candidates, after completing this course, can land jobs in any hotel or hospitality setting. However, some of the top recruiters in India are Marriott Group, Oberoi Hotels, ITC Hotels, Taj Group of Hotels and Hyatt Regency.

Is it possible to pursue an online degree in BA Culinary Arts?

The BA Culinary Arts program is not offered entirely online in India, few institutes may offer hybrid programs. However, it is good to have a full-time course for learning practical skills and knowledge.

Can I start my own business after completing a BA in Culinary Arts?

Yes, it is definitely possible because the course provides skills and knowledge which can help in setting up personal business. One can open a bakery, restaurant, or even start catering services which are good businesses with high earning potential.

Which are some of the BA Culinary Arts best colleges in India?

The top BA Culinary Arts colleges are Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Culinary Arts (IIHMCA), Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Culinary Academy of India, Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts, IHM Aurangabad, and IHM Delhi. Other prominent colleges are SNDT College, MIT World Peace University, and Chandigarh University.

What is the salary of BA in Culinary Arts per month?

The monthly BA Culinary Arts salary depends on experience, geographical distribution, and the position he holds. The monthly salaries of freshers range between INR 15,000 to 25,000. Experience plays a key role in determining the salaries, with 1-3 years of experience leading to a raise of INR 20,000 to 35,000 a month, whereas more than 5 years' worth of experience, a professional may earn in the range of INR 50,000 to 1,00,000 a month.

Which is better, B.A. or BSc in Culinary Arts?

A B.A. in Culinary Arts tends to put a focus on the cross-cultural, creative, and management aspects of food, with topics including food history, menu planning, hospitality business management, and also with moderate practical training. In contrast, a BSc in Culinary Arts specializes more in the subject of diagnostic and technical aspects of food preparation and provides much more practical lab work in the kitchen, food technology, and innovation through research.

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