Challenge yourself and stretch your skills. Make the industry take notice of your expertise. Move your career forward. Whatever your personal and professional goals, ProChef Certification can help you achieve them. Combining hands-on training, an approach to learning that’s both stimulating and supportive, and the flexibility to work only on the skills you need to, the ProChef Certification program is perfect for busy foodservice professionals. And when you’re done, you’ll have not only a valuable new credential—you’ll have a whole new outlook on what it means to be a professional chef.
In 2023, ProChef Certification celebrated its 20th year validating competencies and issuing credentials to culinarians around the world. To date the CIA has certified over 1,700 culinarians. ProChef Certification is active in the US, Brazil, Jamaica, and China. As the culinary world continues to evolve, ProChef Certification must evolve as well. Therefore, we are announcing the following changes to ProChef Levels 1, 2 and 3. These changes will tentatively be implemented as of May 1, 2024.
ProChef Level 1 will now be a 4-day exam. The first day will be an orientation to the exam facility and will also test knife skills, egg cookery, and stock competencies. Days 2-4 will test the culinary competencies as in the current model.
These hands-on, 30-hour courses offer a dynamic gateway into the essential skills, methods, and flavor systems that define global culinary excellence. Designed for culinary professionals seeking to deepen their technical mastery, each course focuses on one key component of foundational technique to demonstrate how skills like developing global soups and stocks, creating international sauces, applying core cooking methods, working with grains and plant-based ingredients, and composing globally inspired salads, sandwiches, and breakfasts reflect the ways that cuisines take shape across the globe.
These courses also offer an interconnected foundation that supports the advanced global expectations of the ProChef® Level II and III exams. More importantly, they help chefs think like global culinarians by strengthening their ability to recognize patterns across cuisines, adapt techniques with intention, and bring cultural awareness to the plate—all in an engaging, hands-on environment that encourages curiosity and growth.
These courses are taught by an exceptional team of CIA chefs whose global expertise brings each topic to life. Chef Phil Crispo, Chef Bruce Mattel, Chef Rebecca Piezer, Chef Hinnerk von Bargen, Chef Victor Gielisse, and Chef Howie Velie draw on careers that span international culinary research, global curriculum design, plant-forward innovation, and cross-continental teaching. Their experience ensures that every course is grounded in authentic technique, cultural context, and advanced professional skill.
Baking
The Genoise competency will be removed. All other test elements remain the same.
Global Cuisines
Candidates will now have a choice of global cuisines at Level 2. Candidates are now required to select 2 of the following three cuisines at Level 2. The third will be required for Level 3:
Additionally, the option for a dessert as one of the three courses or dishes has been added to the global cuisine competency.
Healthy Cooking
Healthy cooking is being replaced by Plant-Forward cooking. Candidates will be given a basket of ingredients with which they will need to execute a 3-course menu with no more than 2oz of animal protein per 3-course serving.
Garde Manger has been removed from level 2 and added to level 3 as an elective competency.
Global Cuisines
Only one global cuisine is required for level 3. Candidates will complete the third required region based on their selections for level 2.
Human Resources and Financial Management remain unchanged with the exception of modernized content.
Food and Wine Pairing has been removed as a requirement and is now an elective.
New elements for Level 3 include:
Pastry
Candidates will have 5 hours to prepare 4 portions of a plated dessert.
Elective
Candidates will select one of the following electives:
More information on each individual section and competency will be released as it is finalized. Please check back here often to find the new course guides and learning resources.
The ProChef Certification program was created by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world’s premier culinary college, to provide hands-on skill validation, recognize professional achievement, and give you the knowledge and credentials to advance your career. Certification from the CIA provides the ultimate stamp of approval.
The Culinary Institute of America is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. Read more here.
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