Utilizing the US-DOL registered, American Culinary Federation Education Foundation’s Apprentice curriculum guidelines, enhanced with unique course offerings, the student is fully engaged in a “learn while you earn” environment. Over seven globally recognized certifications are built into the program to measure student progress and produce a graduate that is ready to launch their career.

Since 1937, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Apprenticeship (OA) has worked closely with employer and labor groups, vocational schools, state apprenticeship agencies, and others concerned with apprenticeship programs in U.S. industry. Detroit Institute of Gastronomy is registered with the State of Michigan Department of Labor as a Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Program allowing students access to many opportunities.

In 1979, the ACFEF apprenticeship program became a US DOL registered apprenticeship program. This program was developed with the help of Jack Braun, CEC, AAC, Ferdinand Metz, CMC, AAC, and L. Edwin Brown. This program took the traditional European system of apprenticeship and combined it with the education system of the United States. Over the years of development and refinement, this program is a dynamic culinary arts program that combines on-the-job learning with online classroom instruction to provide future culinarians entering today’s workplace with comprehensive training in both the practical and theoretical aspects of work required in this highly skilled profession.

The standards of this training program are developed by chefs with a realistic view of a foodservice operation that includes competency-based learning objectives designed for the classroom and workplace setting. This model is purposefully designed to provide complimentary and reinforceable knowledge and skills.