Pathway guide
Culinary Arts and Hospitality Pathway Guide
At a glance
This guide covers a high school culinary arts and hospitality pathway in Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Hawaii. It sets out the rules that differ by state. The how-to for staffing, partnerships, approvals, facilities, curriculum and scheduling sits in six implementation toolkits, linked in the launch steps at the end.
What the pathway leads to
No state among the seven licenses cooks or chefs. Employers hire on skill and food safety credentials. What students can earn in high school is industry credentials: ServSafe Food Handler and Food Protection Manager, the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement, ACF Certified Fundamentals Cook, and on the hospitality side the AHLEI Hospitality and Tourism Specialist (HTS). After high school, students go to work in restaurants, hotels and institutional kitchens, to a college culinary or hospitality program, or to a culinary apprenticeship.
The decisions you face
- Whether to run a public-facing restaurant, café, catering service or food truck. None of the seven state food codes exempts school teaching kitchens. Serving the public means a health department permit, plan review and, in most states, a certified food protection manager.
- Whether students are paid. A school restaurant that pays students, and any paid co-op, makes students employees. Federal hazardous occupations rules then apply inside your own kitchen: no floor dough mixers for anyone under 18, and slicers only under a written student-learner agreement.
- Which credential system to build on. ProStart (culinary) and AHLEI HTM (hospitality) both run through national organizations with state affiliates. The ProStart certificate needs 400 mentored work hours, so it depends on employer placements.
- Which program code to file under. In Pennsylvania, only Baking and Pastry (12.0501) and Institutional Food Worker (12.0508) carry statewide SOAR college credit; a program filed under 12.0500 does not.
- How far hospitality placements go with alcohol. Ages to serve alcohol range from 17 (Michigan, with conditions) to 21 for bartending (Virginia and Missouri). Placements in hotel and restaurant food and beverage need written task limits.
Where the states differ most
| Topic | Range across the seven states |
|---|---|
| Certified food protection manager | Required as person in charge in North Carolina and Arizona; one per establishment in Michigan, Virginia and Pennsylvania; no state rule in Missouri or Hawaii |
| Bakery machines for employed 16- and 17-year-olds | Federal countertop-mixer allowance (5 quarts or less) in six states; Hawaii’s state order has no carve-out at all |
| Age to serve alcohol | 17 on-premises in Michigan with server training; 18 in Virginia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Hawaii; under 18 barred in North Carolina |
| Projected cook job growth, 2024 to 2034 | From 7.8% (Michigan) to 26.0% (Arizona) |
| Statewide college credit | North Carolina course articulation; Pennsylvania SOAR for two program codes; Michigan agreements with MSU and Mott Community College |
Items are labeled Confirmed, Confirm with the agency, or Changing. Last checked October 5, 2026.
Jobs and pay
Cook jobs are projected to grow faster than the national rate in five of the seven states, led by Arizona, Virginia and North Carolina; Michigan’s growth is about half the national rate. Chefs and head cooks earn far more than cooks but are a much smaller occupation, with projected growth from 1.6% (Michigan) to 18.3% (Arizona) against 7.1% nationally.
Cook jobs are projected to grow fastest in Arizona and slowest in Michigan
Projected change in restaurant cook jobs (SOC 35-2014), 2024 to 2034
Show the numbers
| State | Projected change, 2024 to 2034 |
|---|---|
| Arizona | +26.0% |
| Virginia | +23.3% |
| North Carolina | +22.4% |
| Missouri | +17.1% |
| Hawaii | +15.4% |
| Pennsylvania | +14.5% |
| Michigan | +7.8% |
| United States | +14.9% |
Cooks, restaurant (SOC 35-2014)
| State | Median annual wage, May 2025 | Jobs in 2024 | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $36,980 | 37,410 | 5,960 |
| Virginia | $36,750 | 40,300 | 7,680 |
| North Carolina | $35,400 | 49,940 | 9,230 |
| Arizona | $38,670 | 35,140 | 6,710 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,580 | 54,500 | 9,320 |
| Missouri | $36,940 | 25,680 | 4,510 |
| Hawaii | $45,420 | 12,280 | 2,120 |
| United States | 1,460,200 | 250,700 |
Chefs and head cooks (SOC 35-1011)
| State | Median annual wage, May 2025 | Jobs in 2024 | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $60,070 | 5,530 | 640 |
| Virginia | $63,270 | 3,930 | 510 |
| North Carolina | $61,130 | 4,420 | 590 |
| Arizona | $59,890 | 3,700 | 520 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,860 | 6,080 | 750 |
| Missouri | $64,480 | 2,020 | 240 |
| Hawaii | $77,360 | 890 | 110 |
| United States | 197,300 | 24,400 |
Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state file, May 2025. Jobs and openings are from state long-term projections via Projections Central, 2024 to 2034. Chef and head cook jobs usually require years of kitchen experience, so plan the pathway around entry as a cook. Confirm with the agency whether Culinary Arts is on Arizona’s 2026-27 regional in-demand list for CTED funding in your region.
Credentials students can earn
Cooks and chefs are not licensed, so food safety and program credentials are what tell an employer what a graduate can do. All of the credentials below come from the National Restaurant Association family (ServSafe, ProStart and AHLEI) or the American Culinary Federation, and none states a minimum age.
| Credential | How it works | What a school needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServSafe Food Handler | Basic food safety training and assessment for line staff | A ServSafe course; often taught in year 1 | |
| ServSafe Food Protection Manager | 90-question exam, 75% to pass, valid 5 years. ANAB-accredited (ID 0655), so it meets certified food protection manager rules. No minimum age; a student photo ID is accepted. | A proctored exam; the teacher or a partner can serve as instructor and proctor | |
| ServSafe Allergens and ServSafe Alcohol | Add-on certificates; Wilson Talent Center (Michigan) awards Allergens in year 1 and Alcohol in year 2 | A ServSafe course | |
| ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA) | Two-level program. Students pass the Level 1 and Level 2 national exams, complete 400 hours of mentored industry work experience and a competency checklist. COA holders can use NRAEF scholarships and the ProStart Collegiate Passport (credit at 75+ colleges). | Join through the state restaurant association affiliate and register the teacher as a ProStart educator. Employer placements for the 400 hours. | . Confirm with the affiliate: how hours are verified. |
| ACF Certified Fundamentals Cook | Entry-level American Culinary Federation certification | ACF program arrangements | |
| AHLEI Hospitality and Tourism Specialist (HTS) | The current exam for AHLEI’s high school Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) curriculum, 2nd edition (2021), which runs one to four years. Virginia lists 100 items, 180 minutes, 70% to pass, $50 list price, given at school. | AHLEI HTM curriculum and exam access | |
| AHLEI START and Guest Service Gold | Certified Kitchen Cook, Restaurant Server, Front Desk Representative, Guestroom Attendant, Breakfast Attendant, Maintenance Employee; Certified Guest Service Professional | AHLEI exam access |
AHLEI’s older high school credential, the Certified Hospitality and Tourism Management Professional (CHTMP), required two exams and 100 hours of hospitality work. Several state lists still name it. Confirm with AHLEI whether a CHTMP can still be issued before you list it as the program credential.
ProStart affiliates by state: Michigan Hospitality Foundation (100+ schools; also runs AHLEI HTM), VRLTA Foundation (Virginia), NCRLA Foundation (North Carolina), Arizona Restaurant Association foundation (9 schools), PRLA (Pennsylvania), Missouri Restaurant Association (97 schools, in partnership with DESE), and Hawaii Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (program still developing).
What each state counts
| State | Culinary and hospitality credentials on the state list | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | State list for 12.0500 is in CTEIS. ServSafe and ProStart are in common use. | : the CTEIS list |
| Virginia | Culinary Arts I and II course pages list ServSafe Food Protection Manager, ProStart COA, ACF Certified Fundamentals Cook and AHLEI Certified Kitchen Cook. Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation I lists AHLEI HTS, Certified Guest Service Professional, Certified Front Desk Representative, ServSafe Manager and CHTMP. | : the Board-approved list |
| North Carolina | The 2025 articulation agreement ties an ANSI-accredited Food Protection Manager certification to FH11 and FH12, and ACF Certified Fundamentals Cook, a pre-professional culinary certification or the ProStart COA to FH13. | |
| Arizona | Credential list is in ADE’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program description files; the technical standards name none. | |
| Pennsylvania | NOCTI end-of-program assessment for approved programs; ServSafe Food Handler and Manager in common use (Lancaster County CTC example). | : the 2026-27 NOCTI test |
| Missouri | DESE industry-recognized credential list for culinary not found. | |
| Hawaii | No state list found. |
Working with minors
For the full federal and state rules, a task-by-task decision path and a student-learner agreement template, see Working with Minors in CTE Pathways.
Child labor rules apply only when a student is employed. Unpaid work in a class lab is not employment. A school-run restaurant that pays students, or an unpaid placement that fails the primary-beneficiary test, makes the students employees, and every rule below then applies inside your own kitchen, along with hour limits and work permits. Use the federal machine rules as the safety rule in your class lab too.
Federal rules
| Federal rule | What it covers in a kitchen | Exemption? |
|---|---|---|
| HO 10, meat-processing machines (29 CFR 570.61) | Operating, setting up, adjusting, repairing, oiling or cleaning power-driven meat slicers, grinders and similar machines. A deli slicer is covered whatever is on it: meat, poultry, seafood, bread, vegetables or cheese. | Yes: student-learners and apprentices under a written agreement, with use incidental, intermittent and brief under close supervision |
| HO 11, bakery machines (29 CFR 570.62) | Operating or assisting with horizontal or vertical dough mixers, batter mixers, and bread dividing, rounding and molding machines. A floor-model mixer (20 or 60 quart) is covered. | No exemption of any kind. Two carve-outs at 16 and 17: countertop mixers that are portable, not hardwired, no more than 1/2 horsepower, with a bowl of 5 quarts or less, and not used for meat or poultry; and pizza-dough rollers with enclosed gears and safety microswitches (operation only, never setup, adjustment, repair or cleaning). |
| Cooking at 14 and 15 (29 CFR 570.34(c) and (i)) | Cooking only on electric or gas grills with no open flame and deep fryers that raise and lower baskets automatically. No rotisseries, broilers, pressure fryers or high-temperature devices, and no baking. Cleaning equipment and handling oil filters only at 100°F or below. | Not applicable |
| Hours at 14 and 15 | 3 hours on a school day, 18 hours in a school week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Not applicable |
The student-learner exemption needs a written agreement between school and employer, work that is incidental to training, and close supervision. It never covers a floor mixer.
State rules
| State | Meat and bakery machines for 16- and 17-year-olds | What you file | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | R 408.6208(9)(c) and (f) bar all minors from power-driven bakery and meat-processing machines. A written school-employer agreement under MCL 409.118 takes the job outside the state act, and students employed by their own school are exempt (R 408.6206(c)). Federal rules still apply: slicers under a student-learner agreement, floor mixers never. | Youth work permit through LEO’s online portal (from October 2, 2026); 409.118 agreement on file at the worksite | . : the portal is new. |
| Virginia | State meat and bakery orders (16VAC15-30-110 and -120) exempt certified apprentices and student-learners, but federal HO 11 still controls bakery machines. Under 16, no cooking or baking except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars or cafeteria serving counters (16VAC15-30-230). | Work-training agreement signed by employer and school coordinator, filed with DOLI (Va. Code 40.1-100) | . Va. Code 40.1-100(D)(5) adds a separate route for culinary arts apprenticeship or work-based learning at 16 and older; it does not limit the work-training exemption. (DOLI): how DOLI wants the agreement filed. |
| North Carolina | 13 NCAC 12 .0406 bars under-18 work with cutting or slicing machines in canneries and seafood and poultry processing; FLSA student-learner and apprentice exemptions apply. Federal rules govern restaurant kitchens. | Youth employment certificate; NCDOL Supervised Practice agreement, where used, approved by NCDOL before the start date (submit about 60 days ahead) | |
| Arizona | A.R.S. 23-231 bars all minors from power-driven meat-processing and bakery machines. A.R.S. 23-235 exempts career education students from the state list, but federal rules still apply. | No state filing found for 16- and 17-year-olds | |
| Pennsylvania | The state list bars minors from power-driven food slicing, chopping and grinding machines (exempt: apprentices, student-learners and graduates of an approved vocational program) and from bakery machines (countertop-mixer carve-out only). | Work permit for every minor; training agreement and plan for cooperative education; 28 hours per school week | |
| Missouri | No state machine rules; federal HO 10 and HO 11 govern. | None found for 16- and 17-year-olds | |
| Hawaii | HAR 12-25-47 covers meat machines in retail and service establishments and exempts student-learners under subsection (c), on the conditions in 12-25-43 (a DOE-approved cooperative vocational program, intermittent and brief work under close supervision, school safety instruction). It also exempts apprentices and trainees whose agreement is registered with DLIR within 30 days. HAR 12-25-48 bars all power-driven dough and batter mixers of any size, dough brakes and sheeters, bread dividing, rounding, molding and slicing-wrapping machines, and cake band saws, with no exemption and no countertop-mixer or pizza-roller carve-out. Under 16, no cooking except at soda fountains, lunch counters, snack bars or cafeteria counters (12-25-58). | Certificate of Age (eCL-3) online | . |
In Hawaii, treat every power-driven mixer, including a countertop mixer, as off-limits to employed minors unless DLIR advises otherwise.
Alcohol service ages
| State | Serving alcohol | Bartending | Other limits on minors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 17 may sell or serve at an on-premises licensee after server training, with a supervisor 18 or older on the premises who has also completed server training (MCL 436.1707(7)); 18 at off-premises licensees | No separate age in statute | Minors 16 and older may work where alcohol is sold or consumed only if food and other goods are at least 50% of gross receipts; 14 and 15 may not work in on-premises consumption areas (MCL 409.115) | |
| Virginia | 18, under the conditions in Va. Code 4.1-200 | 21 to mix drinks (Va. Code 4.1-307) | Off-premises sales at legal working age with a manager 21 or older present | |
| North Carolina | Under 18 may not prepare, serve, dispense or sell, except at the point of sale for off-premises consumption (G.S. 95-25.5(j)) | Not checked; ask the NC ABC Commission | At premises with an on-premises ABC permit, 14-year-olds may work only on the outside grounds, with written parental consent, in work not involving alcohol. Youths 15 to 17 may work inside in jobs that do not prepare, serve, dispense or sell alcohol (G.S. 95-25.5(j)). | |
| Arizona | 18 to serve, sell or handle liquor at on-sale premises; under 18 may clear tables and stock supplies (A.R.S. 4-244) | No separate age | At off-sale retailers, 16 and older may check out and carry unbroken packages with a supervisor 18 or older | |
| Pennsylvania | 18 to serve or dispense (47 P.S. 4-493(13)); 16 and 17 may serve food, clear tables and carry drinks left on tables. A 17-year-old graduate may be treated as 18 (40 Pa. Code 5.14). | 18 | Under 16 may not work at retail licensed premises, with listed exceptions | |
| Missouri | 18 as servers where food is at least 50% of sales (RSMo 311.300) | 21; no one under 21 may mix drinks or serve across the bar | Under 16 may not work where alcohol is sold unless other goods are at least 50% of sales (RSMo 294.040) | |
| Hawaii | 18 to 20 may sell or serve as part of their job, with supervision (HRS 281-78(b)(3)); under 18 only in commission-approved waiter training programs run with the University of Hawaii, the community colleges or federal programs (HRS 281-78(b)(4)) | Set by county liquor commission rules | HIDOE programs are not named in the training exception | (state). : county liquor commission rules. |
Write task limits on alcohol into every hotel and restaurant food and beverage placement agreement.
Licensing and outside approvals
Cooks are not licensed, but the kitchen can be. Every state food code among the seven is built on the FDA Food Code, and none excludes school teaching kitchens. A student restaurant, café, catering service or food truck that serves the public should expect a health department permit, plan review before construction or remodel, and a certified food protection manager (CFPM) where the state requires one. Whether a lab that serves only students needs a permit is a local health department decision. Ask before you open to the public and before any remodel.
| State | Agency | What it approves | Manager and food handler rules | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Local health departments license food service establishments (MDARD sets the rules) | License and plan review. The Food Law’s definition of a food service establishment (MCL 289.1107) has no school or teaching-kitchen exclusion. Wilson Talent Center runs a licensed public food truck. | At least one CFPM at every licensed establishment (MCL 289.2129). No statewide food handler card found. | . : whether a students-only lab needs a license. |
| Virginia | Virginia Department of Health (restaurants), through local environmental health offices; VDACS for retail food | Food establishment permit | The person in charge holds a CFPM, or the establishment has an employee who does (12VAC5-421-65, as amended, in effect since September 10, 2026). No school exemption found. | . The amended rule took effect September 10, 2026. Confirm with the local office: treatment of a CTE student restaurant. |
| North Carolina | DHHS, through county environmental health | Permit required for every food establishment (G.S. 130A-248(b)). Public school cafeterias are exempt from the permit fee only. | Person in charge must be a CFPM (15A NCAC 18A .2600, since 2014); Risk Category I establishments exempt. | . Confirm with the county: treatment of a CTE kitchen. |
| Arizona | ADHS, with county enforcement | Food establishment permit | Person in charge must be a CFPM, with exemptions for some establishment types (since January 31, 2022). Maricopa County also requires a Food Handler’s Certificate for every food-handling employee. | . Confirm with the county: handler cards outside Maricopa. |
| Pennsylvania | Department of Agriculture, or the county or municipal health department | Retail food facility license | At least one employee with an accredited food manager certificate. Exemptions include nonprofit retail food facilities and school booster groups. | . : whether a public CTC restaurant falls under the nonprofit exemption. |
| Missouri | DHSS and local health departments | Local permit under the Missouri Food Code (2013) | No state CFPM rule. Kansas City requires a food handler card (or a certified manager on duty with 80% of handlers carded); Jackson County requires food handler permits. | . : St. Louis city and county. |
| Hawaii | Department of Health, Food Safety Branch | Food establishment permit and placard under HAR 11-50 (2022 Food Code, effective August 24, 2025). Facilities inspected by another agency under an agreement with DOH are exempt. | No CFPM rule. The person in charge must complete a DOH-approved food safety course (HAR 11-50-20(c)). | . : whether a HIDOE student restaurant needs a permit. |
ServSafe Food Protection Manager meets the CFPM rule in Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona and Pennsylvania. Plan for at least one certified adult (usually the teacher) on duty whenever the kitchen serves the public.
Who can teach
Every state has an industry-based route for an experienced cook or chef. No occupational license applies to cooks, so the route turns on documented kitchen experience. Some state inventories say the culinary teacher must hold a food protection manager certificate (North Carolina and Hawaii). Neither claim was confirmed in a rule, and ProStart and its state affiliates state no such requirement.
| State | Credential for an industry hire | Kitchen experience | Culinary-specific requirements | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 12.0500 endorsement, or an Annual Career Authorization requested by the district | 4,000 hours within the last 10 years | None found; no manager certificate requirement found | |
| Virginia | Technical Professional License, or a Provisional License first | 4 years of supervisory experience, or the trade routes; 9 semester hours of professional studies; every initial CTE licensee needs an industry credential | Culinary endorsement requirements not checked | |
| North Carolina | Family and Consumer Sciences license (Foods and Nutrition, Culinary Arts) | Set by the CTE Licensure Manual | The 2025 Licensure Manual is said to require an ANSI-accredited food protection manager certificate before teaching; not confirmed | |
| Arizona | Standard CTE Certificate, Option C (6,000 hours) or the Specialized CTE certificate | 6,000 hours on Option C; 15 semester hours of CTE professional knowledge afterward | Not checked | (general route) |
| Pennsylvania | Career and Technical Instructional I, or the Experience-Based certificate while finishing credits | 8,000 hours, or 4,000 plus a bachelor’s | Pass the occupational competency assessment for the area | |
| Missouri | Career Education Temporary Authorization Certificate | 4,000 to 6,000 hours depending on degree, within the last 10 years | None found | |
| Hawaii | CTE Permit, Standard Limited License or Emergency Hire | 3 years full-time in the field | Industry certification where one exists. A manager certificate requirement was claimed but not found. | : HIDOE and HTSB |
The Staffing toolkit covers recruiting, pay and shared staffing.
Instructor certifications worth funding
Fund ServSafe Food Protection Manager (renewed every 5 years) for every culinary teacher. It meets the manager rule for a public-facing student restaurant in five of the seven states. Register the teacher as a ProStart educator through the state affiliate, and fund AHLEI educator access if you teach the HTM hospitality curriculum.
Program, curriculum and lab
A culinary or hospitality program needs state CTE program approval like any other pathway. The health department approves the kitchen separately if it serves the public (see Licensing and outside approvals). The Approvals toolkit lists each state’s process and deadlines.
Program codes by state
| State | State program | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General (12.0500), open to new programs; Hospitality Administration/Management (52.0901). Local “Foods” electives outside the CIP are formalized through an MDE New Program Application via the CEPD. | : 2025 CIP list |
| Virginia | Restaurants and Food/Beverage Services pathway: Introduction to Culinary Arts (8249/8250, recommended), Culinary Arts I (8275: grades 10 and 11, 2 credits, 280 hours) and Culinary Arts II (8276: grades 11 and 12, 2 credits, 280 hours). Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation I (8202: grades 10 and 11, 1 credit, 140 hours). Specializations in Baking and Pastry, Restaurant Operation, Catering/Banquet and Quantity Food. | . : specialization codes. |
| North Carolina | Culinary Arts Applications (CULA) pathway in the Hospitality, Events and Tourism cluster: FH10 Culinary Arts and Hospitality I (no prerequisite, 20 or fewer students recommended), FH11 II Applications Honors, FH13 III Honors (concentrator), then FH14 IV Applications Honors or a work-based learning course | . : CIP code and FH10’s Math Option Credit. |
| Arizona | Culinary Arts (12.0500.00; standards validated November 2024, Technical Skills Assessment from 2025-26) and Hospitality Management (52.0900.00). At least 51% of program time must be hands-on. | |
| Pennsylvania | SOAR programs: Baking and Pastry Arts (12.0501, Program of Study 41) and Institutional Food Worker (12.0508, Program of Study 30). Many CTCs run Culinary Arts under 12.0508 to qualify for SOAR. No hospitality program is on the SOAR list. | . : whether PDE approves non-SOAR 12.0500 programs. |
| Missouri | DESE’s Family and Consumer Sciences and Human Services section runs Hospitality and Tourism cluster programming and partners with the Missouri Restaurant Association on ProStart. Course codes and CIP were not found. Programs are formalized through DESE’s career education program application. | : DESE FCSHS |
| Hawaii | Culinary Arts (10 schools) and Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism Management (6 schools) in the Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation cluster. Course codes TPU7216 Culinary 1 and TPN7223 Culinary 2; no hospitality course found in the catalog. | . : CIP codes and a current catalog. |
The lab
A teaching kitchen that serves the public is built to food code, so bring the local health department in for plan review before you design or remodel. Plan these items with your facilities staff:
- Hoods, fire suppression and ventilation. Michigan’s 61v grant bars ventilation updates and Arizona puts infrastructure costs on the recipient, while Missouri’s Enhancement Grant pays 50% of renovation.
- Equipment that paid students may use. If students will ever work as employees in the kitchen, buy countertop mixers of 5 quarts or less alongside any floor mixer, and set slicer rules in writing. In Hawaii, no power-driven mixer is open to employed minors.
- Class size. Virginia sets culinary lab class size in 8VAC20-120-150; North Carolina recommends 20 or fewer students in FH10.
- A certified manager on duty. Whenever the kitchen serves the public, in states with a manager rule.
The Facilities toolkit has each state’s equipment funding.
Curriculum
ProStart supplies a two-level culinary and restaurant management curriculum; AHLEI’s Hospitality and Tourism Management supplies one to four years of hospitality. Choose the one your state’s credential list and local employers favor, and check that it covers the state program standards. The Curriculum toolkit has a review rubric.
Credit after high school
| State | College credit | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Statewide agreements through MDE. Michigan State University: 12.0500 to HB 265 and HB 291 (6 credits), with a B in each CTE course and admission to MSU, valid July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031. Mott Community College: 12.0500 to Baking and Pastry, 1 to 6 credits, expiring November 1, 2026. An Oakland Community College agreement is listed but its link did not open. | (MSU). : Mott renewal. : Oakland. |
| Virginia | No statewide agreement checked. | Confirm locally |
| North Carolina | 2025 High School to Community College Articulation Agreement: FH10 through FH13 articulate to CUL-140 Culinary Skills I or CUL-142 Fundamentals of Food Applications; FN41, FN42 or FH courses articulate to CUL-110 and CUL-110A Safety and Sanitation. | . : grade and score conditions. |
| Arizona | No statewide agreement found; dual enrollment by college agreement. | Confirm locally |
| Pennsylvania | SOAR for 12.0501 and 12.0508 only. Lancaster County CTC’s 12.0508 Culinary Arts lists 9 to 11 credits at HACC, Montgomery County CC, Delaware County CC and others. A 12.0500 program earns no SOAR credit. | |
| Missouri | No statewide agreement found. | Confirm locally |
| Hawaii | The inventory names DCAPS dual credit with Kapiʻolani Community College Culinary Arts and UH Maui College for hospitality; only the DCAPS name was confirmed. | Confirm with the college |
The ProStart COA also opens the ProStart Collegiate Passport, credit at 75+ colleges nationally. Check which partner colleges in your region honor it.
Apprenticeship
Federal registered apprenticeship standards let apprentices start at 16, and registered apprentices may use slicers under the HO 10 exemption, though never a floor mixer. North Carolina’s CULA pathway lists a work-based learning apprenticeship course (WA10). Ask local hotel, restaurant and institutional food employers whether they sponsor a registered culinary apprenticeship and what they credit from high school.
Academic credit
North Carolina describes FH10 as counting for Math Option Credit; confirm with NC DPI what that credit satisfies before you advise students. Before awarding any academic credit for a culinary course, such as nutrition science toward a science credit, confirm that the substitution still meets state university admission requirements. In Michigan, where no state crosswalk exists for a culinary-to-academic substitution, use the S4IS CTE Crosswalk prototype (Product A) as interim guidance. The Curriculum toolkit covers the review.
Launch steps
Work through these steps in order; several can run at the same time. The launch guide links every toolkit named below.
| Step | What to do | Toolkit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Confirm regional demand | Check projected cook growth for your state and talk with local restaurants, hotels, caterers and institutional food employers about hiring. | Scheduling and student timing toolkit |
| 2. Form the advisory committee | Include restaurant and hotel employers, the state restaurant association affiliate and a community college culinary or hospitality program. Ask which credentials they hire on. | Clinical and work-based learning partnerships toolkit |
| 3. File CTE program approval | Use your state’s process and deadline. In Pennsylvania, choose 12.0508 or 12.0501 if you want SOAR credit. Confirm the credentials are on the state list. | Approvals and applications toolkit |
| 4. Choose the credential system | ProStart, AHLEI HTM, or both; join through the state affiliate and confirm how it verifies ProStart work hours. Confirm with AHLEI that HTS is the credential to list. | Curriculum toolkit |
| 5. Hire the instructor | Use the state’s industry route and fund ServSafe Food Protection Manager. | Staffing toolkit |
| 6. Build or upgrade the kitchen | Health department plan review first if the kitchen will serve the public; hoods and fire suppression; countertop mixers for any paid student work. | Facilities and equipment toolkit |
| 7. Decide how the kitchen serves the public | Get the health department permit for a restaurant, café, catering or food truck. Decide whether students are paid; if they are, put work permits, hour limits and machine rules in place. | Approvals and applications toolkit |
| 8. Arrange work-based learning | Placement agreements with written machine and alcohol task limits; student-learner agreements for slicer use; state filings (Michigan 409.118 agreement, Virginia DOLI filing, North Carolina Supervised Practice approval before the start date, about 60 days ahead, Pennsylvania permits). | Clinical and work-based learning partnerships toolkit |
| 9. Get credit agreements in writing | College articulation and apprenticeship credit, before recruiting. | Curriculum toolkit |
Review status and sources
Last checked October 5, 2026. An independent check on October 5, 2026 tested 15 claims against official sources and corrected 2. These items are open for reviewers:
- Health department treatment of school kitchens. Whether a students-only lab or a public student restaurant needs a permit: Michigan local health departments, Virginia local VDH environmental health offices, North Carolina county environmental health, Arizona counties, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture or local health department (including the nonprofit exemption for a public CTC restaurant), Missouri local health departments, and the Hawaii DOH Food Safety Branch.
- Hawaii bakery machines. Resolved Oct 5, 2026: HAR 12-25-48 covers any horizontal or vertical dough or batter mixer, with no size limit and no exemption, so countertop mixers are covered (HAR 12-25-48, labor.hawaii.gov).
- Hawaii alcohol. County liquor commission rules on bartending ages and minors.
- North Carolina bartending age. Ask the NC ABC Commission.
- Virginia work-training filing. How DOLI wants a work-training agreement filed. Va. Code 40.1-100(D) adds a culinary arts route and does not limit the exemption. Ask DOLI. Last checked Oct. 3, 2026.
- Credential lists. Michigan CTEIS list for 12.0500; Virginia Board-approved list; Arizona ADE program descriptions for Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management; Pennsylvania 2026-27 NOCTI test; Missouri DESE IRC list; Hawaii any list.
- AHLEI. Whether CHTMP is still issued, and any age floor for HTS or START exams.
- ProStart. How each state affiliate verifies the 400 work hours.
- Program codes. Virginia specialization codes; North Carolina CIP for CULA and the meaning of FH10’s Math Option Credit; whether PDE approves non-SOAR 12.0500 programs; Missouri DESE course codes and CIP; Hawaii CIP assignments and a current catalog.
- Instructor rules. Whether North Carolina’s Licensure Manual or Hawaii requires a food protection manager certificate for culinary teachers (NC DPI; HIDOE and HTSB); Virginia culinary endorsement requirements.
- College credit. Mott Community College renewal after November 1, 2026; the Oakland Community College agreement; North Carolina grade and score conditions; statewide agreements in Virginia, Arizona, Missouri and Hawaii.
- Local food handler cards. Arizona counties outside Maricopa; St. Louis city and county.
Sources
Jobs and pay
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file) and Projections Central state long-term projections, 2024-2034
Credentials
- ServSafe Examinee Handbook
- ANAB Food Protection Manager directory
- NRAEF ProStart Program Overview
- AHLEI High School Overview and Hospitality and Tourism Management
- VA CTE Resource Center, Hospitality and Tourism Specialist
- ProStart affiliates: Michigan Hospitality Foundation, VRLTA, NCRLA, Arizona Restaurant Association, PRLA, Missouri Restaurant Association, HRAEF
- Wilson Talent Center Culinary Arts and Hospitality
Working with minors and alcohol
- 29 CFR 570.61 (HO 10), 29 CFR 570.62 (HO 11), 29 CFR 570.34 (570.62 also read on Cornell LII, https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/570.62, October 5, 2026)
- DOL YouthRules restaurant self-assessment
- HAR ch. 12-25
- 16VAC15-30
- Va. Code 40.1-100
- NCDOL Youth Employment Rules
- 13 NCAC 12 .0406
- A.R.S. 23-231
- PA DLI, Child Labor Law Prohibitions
- Missouri DOLIR child labor summary
- MCL 436.1707 and MCL 409.115; Michigan LCC enforcement information (https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/lcc/enf-viol/enforcement-information)
- Va. Code 4.1-307 and Virginia ABC Licensee Responsibility Guide
- G.S. 95-25.5
- A.R.S. 4-244
- PLCB Legal FAQ: Minors on the Licensed Premises
- RSMo 311.300
- HRS 281-78
Food codes and health department licensing
- FDA Food Code 2022, Chapter 2
- MDARD Food Service License, MCL 289.1107, MCL 289.2129
- 12VAC5-421-65
- G.S. 130A-248 and NC DHHS CFPM position statement
- ADHS Food Code changes overview and Maricopa County Food and Restaurants
- PDA Food Employee Certification
- 19 CSR 20-1, DHSS Food Safety Training, Kansas City food handler training, Jackson County food handler permits
- Hawaii DOH Food Code changes, August 2025 and HAR 11-50
Programs and credit
- VA CTE Resource Center, Culinary Arts I, Culinary Arts II, Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation I
- NC CTE CMS, CULA pathway and NCCCS 2025 articulation item
- ADE Culinary Arts and ADE Hospitality Management
- PDE SOAR Framework and Lancaster County CTC Culinary Arts
- DESE Family and Consumer Sciences and Human Services
- Hawaii Academies, Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation and HIDOE course descriptions
- MDE/MSU culinary agreement and MDE/Mott CC Baking and Pastry agreement
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