19 Week Culinary Arts Degree in Palermo, Buenos Aires
Chef Training in Buenos Aires
The Mente Argentina Professional Chef Degree Program boasts an impressive faculty that consists of successful professionals with a passion for culinary arts and teaching. They are among some of the best in their fields of specialization and there are instructors from various areas of expertise who know how to teach students to excel in these areas.
Highlights
- Professional chef training
- Introduction to culinary arts and food tech
- Pastry, baking, pasta, wine appreciation, and food hygiene course
- Learn more about restaurant and bar service and management
- Mente Argentina culinary arts degree transcript and diploma
- Intensive program equivalent to a two-year degree
- Full access to activities and excursions
- 19 weeks accommodation
Accommodation
Accommodation options in Buenos Aires
All of the accommodation options are located in the most exclusive neighborhoods in Buenos Aires such as Palermo, Belgrano, Barrio Norte, or Recoleta, close to public transportation so that you can safely and easily navigate the city during your stay. All accommodations are reviewed prior to student check-ins to make sure that they are clean, shared with welcoming and friendly roommates or families so that you can enjoy a comfortable and pleasant experience from the very beginning.
Shared apartments
If you are looking for an independent living situation where you can easily meet other students in Buenos Aires or If you want to feel free or feel that you are old enough to share your life with a host family supervision, this is the perfect option for you. Your roommates will be other students between 20 and 30 years old who are working, studying, or doing both things in Buenos Aires, Argentina. You may have roommates who have recently arrived in Buenos Aires so you can explore the city together or your roommates may have been living here for a few months so they can help you transition into life in Argentina.
Amenities:
- Private room
- Cable TV
- Superb location guaranteed
- Cleaning service included
- Towels and sheets included
- Kitchen access (fully equipped)
- Free WIFI
- All utilities included
Family houses / homestay
Homestays are the ideal option for students who are looking for consistent interaction with Argentines and who are open to different living situations and willing to adapt to the structure and values of the host family. Students living in homestays have the chance to learn about the cultural traditions and the daily life of an Argentine family.
Mente Argentina’s homestays are often women or married couples with children, all of whom host students regularly and have received outstanding feedback from previous participants. The families choose to host students because they enjoy opening their homes for cultural exchange and they are committed to making sure that you have a fulfilling experience.
If this is your choice, you will be able to share the meals with the family (optional) or do your own cooking.
Amenities:
- Private room
- Cable TV
- Superb location guaranteed
- Towels and sheets included
- Free WIFI
- All utilities included
- Optional meal plan
- Kitchen access (sometimes)
Student residences / dorms
Mente Argentina offers students the chance to live in dorms that are located in two of the best neighborhoods in Buenos Aires: Belgrano, Barrio Norte, Palermo, and Recoleta. If you are young, have a tight budget, and don't mind sharing your room with other people this might be the right option for you.
Amenities:
- Superb location guaranteed
- Towels and sheets included
- Optional meal plan
- Shared bedroom
- Internet access and computer lab
- Common dining and TV area
- All expenses included
- Common WIFI area
Private apartments
Private apartments provide participants with more privacy and independence than any other accommodation option. In every apartment, there is a bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, a local phone, and internet access. Living alone, you will have the opportunity to get to know Buenos Aires at your own pace. If you are expecting visitors during your time here or prefer being on your own, this is might be the best option for you. Private Apartment Program fees include a studio or 1-bedroom apartment in the best areas of Buenos Aires. Bigger apartments are available upon request.
Amenities:
- Cable TV
- Superb location guaranteed
- Cleaning service included
- Towels and sheets included
- Kitchen access (fully equipped)
- Free WIFI
- All utilities included
Program
Culinary Arts Degree in Argentina
In recent years, developments in the gourmet food and restaurant industry as well as an increase in demand for high-quality service have triggered a need for trained professional chefs internationally. With this in mind, Mente Argentina has designed a program adapted to the ever-evolving needs of international gastronomy.
This is an intensive program, created specifically for students who are passionate about gastronomy and expanding their culinary skill set. Aspiring chefs in the Mente Argentina Professional Chef Degree Program will take intensive classes for five months which cover the same content as a 2-year Culinary Arts degree program.
Students will learn to plan and organize various types of kitchen operations, such as restaurants, hotels, and catering companies. In just five months, graduates will master basic and advanced cooking techniques. Students will learn the gastronomic concepts behind their practical skills which will allow them to independently create original recipes using both classic and modern culinary theory.
In addition to learning all about cooking and food, the student will obtain a comprehensive education in marketing, costs, and budgets, and an introduction to wine. The student will have command of all practical and technical facets of cooking and kitchen and restaurant management, where they will also learn how to plan and execute their own culinary endeavors.
Introduction to culinary arts
This course seeks to foster professional chef skills starting with an awareness of the kitchen team and their various roles in running a successful service. Students will learn how to prepare la mise en place, which includes learning vegetable classification and cutting techniques. They will learn about all different types of knives, cookware, and ovens and when and how to use them.
The course then moves on to an introduction to cooking which involves learning facts and theories of cooking methods, and the classification of cooking techniques: boiling, poaching, steaming, braising, stewing, frying, sauteing, grilling, broiling, baking, glazing, browning. Students will also engage on a practical level as they learn sauces: definitions, main sauces, and derivatives, and finish with a study of main courses.
Pastry
The course begins with a theoretical introduction, including la pate a choux and ptissire crme. Students will learn how to make a variety of basic dough: mass brise, mass, and mass sable sucre. Instruction will continue onto meringues: Italian, French, and Swiss. Students will also learn custard, mousses, parfait, bavarois, smoothies, heavy shakes, and other desserts.
Costs and budgets
The course will educate students on cost and budget concepts and classification. Instructors will outline budget objectives and functions considering realistic costs in a gastronomic business. Students will learn costing methods, costs for decision making, cost standards, and tools for use.
The course will cover the Contribution Margin, breaking even, budget, and budgetary control. Students will gain an understanding of the advantages of budgetary control, requirements for making a budget, sequence processing, classification of budgets, as well as budget control and variations. Students will engage in a budget planning project and a project which requires them to create a plan to improve profits.
Wine appreciation
Instruction begins with the theory of tasting including basic tastes and their location within the mouth. Students will apply their knowledge while tasting domestic and imported wines, as well as wines from different grape varietals and wines from various regions of the country. The course will discuss the winemaking process, classification, and the aging and conservation of wines. Students will study processes at national and international wineries.
Service bar and restaurant
Students will learn the importance of menu presentation and protocol for taking commands and types of commands. Instruction will encompass cutlery maintenance and hygiene, management and utilization of china, dish and tray transport, and management and use of glassware. Students will learn how to install stations, and perform different types of service: American, English, French, and Russian.
Students will be able to plan and execute wine courses with the help of a sommelier as they learn his/her functions and qualities. Students will gain an understanding of the different types of wine bottles, the glasses intended for each type of wine and service, wine decanting and redirecting as well as types of corks- according to manufacture measure and classification.
Food hygiene
This course emphasizes the importance of food safety and hygiene by educating students on food-borne diseases, food poisoning, food alterations, and ways to avoid combustion, as well as types of unpleasant food contaminations and ways to avoid them. Students learn what the responsibilities of the chef are in such situations and common dangers and risks in the kitchen in this area
Students will be able to identify critical control points, standards of hygiene, air, and water. Instruction will also cover hygienic, sanitary kitchen design, health regulations, and Good practices (BMP) applications.
Bakery
Students will learn about dough and gluten development as it is crucial to understanding the technical nature of baking. The course will also cover flour composition and function, and salt composition and function. Students will master the knowledge of dairy products, specifically, butter and milk, and their compositions and functions. Baking is an exact science.
Instruction will include a study of yeast, its composition, function, and fermentation methods. Students will advance to making flavored bread, and French bread, when they will also master the sponge working method and the method of direct labor. Students will also learn to identify the causes of defects in baking bread and how to avoid such errors.
Pasta
This course will teach students how to make basic pasta dough and cuts of pasta, as well as stuffed pasta of different cuts with various fillings. Students will learn how to use natural and artificial coloring, and how to cook and store pasta. The course will also cover classic Italian pasta sauces, gnocchi, open, and closed pasta, and how they are all used in restaurants.
Marketing
The course will begin by defining marketing and looking at its fundamental concepts. Students will progress to a study of strategic planning and the market. Students will look at the competitiveness of gastronomic companies and both the macro-environment and microenvironment of companies. Students will consider demographics, economics, technology, and culture in their marketing plans and demand analysis.
Instructors will explain the determinants of demand and consumer behavior, and how to use that information to position your marketing approach in the consumer's mind. By the end of the course, students will have mastered the marketing mix: product, price, place, and promotion.
Professional cooking training
Students will learn the importance of menu presentation and protocol for taking commands and types of commands. Instruction will encompass cutlery maintenance and hygiene, management and utilization of china, dish and tray transport, and management and use of glassware. Students will learn how to install stations, and perform different types of service: American, English, French, and Russian. Students will be able to plan and execute wine courses with the help of a sommelier as they learn his/her functions and qualities. Students will gain an understanding of the different types of wine bottles, the glasses intended for each type of wine and service, wine decanting and redirecting as well as types of corks- according to manufacture measure and classification.
Recommended Spanish level
Intermediate Spanish required.
Included excursions
Buenos Aires city tour
A city with a fascinating history and with a very active social and political life. This city tour shows the highlights of Buenos Aires, while covering the history of Argentina and its people. Learn about the events that have shaped Buenos Aires when visiting the National Congress, Casa Rosada (Main Government Building), Manzana de las Luces (the first site for the University of Buenos Aires), Argentine Workers Union Building, Evita Museum, and San Telmo, among others.
Graffiti street art tour
If you love street art or just want to see a different side of the city, this is a great opportunity to explore the world of graffiti in Buenos Aires. This tour promotes the extraordinary street art scene in Buenos Aires. The tour takes participants to secret graffiti hotspots and art galleries, while explaining the context and origins of one of the most unique urban art scenes in the world. You will finish the tour in the city's only stencil bar where artwork is ready for purchase.
La Boca - San Telmo - Puerto Madero tour
This is a wonderful opportunity to discover the historic part of Buenos Aires. The tour starts in the colorful, scenic neighborhood of La Boca. Then, you will visit the Boca Juniors Football Stadium and you will also walk along the narrow streets one of the oldest neighborhoods in San Telmo where you will talk about the origins of Tango. Finally, you will end the tour in one of the most exclusive, and modern neighborhoods of the city, Puerto Madero.
La Bomba del Tiempo percussion show
All of the programs include free passes to a concert, where you can dance the evening away at an incredibly unique show from a 17-piece improvisational drum group. They incorporate Central American and African rhythms with samba and Argentine folk beats. Musicians play a wide variety of drums like congas, djembes, maracas, and bells. The ultra hip Konex Cultural Center has been hosting the drum group for over four years and it is always one of their most popular events.
Night out
Experience a different side of Argentine culture and hospitality while enjoying locally made liquors. The Mente Argentina staff will take all of the students out to a local bar to drink a couple Quilmes cervezas (Argentine beers) or fernets (a popular liquor in Argentina). This is a fun way to meet everyone studying in Buenos Aires with Mente Argentina! The coordinators love sharing local hot spots with students and enjoying a little bit of the incredible nightlife together!
Pub crawl
Mente Argentina regularly goes on pub crawls in different neighborhoods of the city, stopping by three bars and ending the night at one of Buenos Aires most well known clubs! The pub crawl is a great way to meet other international people studying in Buenos Aires, people just traveling through Argentina, and other Mente Argentina participants. This includes: free pizza, beer, and wine for the first hour, complimentary shooters at each bar, drink discounts, transportation to the club, and free admission!
Tango lessons and milonga
No one should leave Argentina without trying to learn tango - la danza del abrazo -the dance of the embrace. Tango originated in Buenos Aires and is an integral part of the citys culture and history. Group lessons will teach you basic steps while you have fun with your friends. You will also have the chance to go to a milonga (tango dance club) where people of all ages come to dance tango to live music. It is a great opportunity to experience Argentine culture.
Tigre and Delta tour
The delta of the Ro de La Plata, located 20 miles away from Buenos Aires is an ideal day tour spot for porteos and tourists alike. People come from Buenos Aires and surrounding areas to spend the day by the river, shop in the outdoor market, and enjoy the beauty of the delta. During our visit to Tigre, you will see the Parque de La Costa, the Puerto de Frutas (outdoor market), and take a boat tour which will allow you to see the sights of Puerto Tigre (Tigre's harbor).
Location
The training is located near the best parks, bars, and restaurants in Buenos Aires, just across the Alto Palermo Shopping Mall.
Things to do (optional)
Optional tours
Bariloche and Puerto Madryn Tour: Bariloche, known for its stunning scenery, is undoubtedly the most popular southern city visited by people from all over the world. Bariloches mountains, lakes, glaciers, forests, hiking trails, and ski resorts are part of its natural beauty and allow for a wide variety of year round activities. Puerto Madryn, is famous for its scenic location on the southern coast, which makes it an unparalleled destination for whale watching and penguin watching. This quiet seaside city is a bird and sea life reservation with incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Colonia, Uruguay Tour: Only one hour away from Buenos Aires by ferry, Colonia, Uruguay is located on the opposite bank of the Rio de la Plata. Colonia is perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway. This distinctive little town is characterized by cobblestone streets, historic buildings, rustic restaurants, shops and quaint bed & breakfasts. Similar to other destinations in Uruguay, Colonia also has beautiful ocean views and quiet beaches.
El Calafate Tour: a city in Patagonia, Argentina. It is situated in the southern border of Lake Argentino, in the southwest part of the Santa Cruz Province. Building on its must visit location, El Calafate has grown quickly to cater to and profit from the visitors to nearby Los Glaciares National Park. Many visit to see such natural wonders as Perito Moreno Glacier, a massive glacier thats actually composed of many other pieces of shifting ice. Yet travelers will find that El Calafate is much more than merely a gateway to the Patagonian wildits a fun town offering all sorts of outdoor adventures.
Iguazu Falls: The Iguazu Falls are located in the Province of Misiones in Argentina, on the borders of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. The massive waterfalls of the Iguazu River are the most impressive part of an already stunning landscape. The national park home to the falls is also famous for its plant life and wild life which make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Argentina.
Mendoza: Mendoza, in the foothills on the eastern side of the Andes Mountains, is one of the most beautiful provinces in Argentina. It is best known as Argentinas wine region, but its natural beauty also makes it a popular destination for those who want to hike, raft and mountain climb. The main industries in Mendoza are olive oil production and wine making. The Greater Mendoza region is the largest wine producing area in Latin America making Mendoza one of nine cities worldwide in the network of Great Capitals of Wine. Mendoza is perfect for wine lovers who want to learn more about the Argentinas famous Malbec, tour the wineries and see the breathtaking vineyards where the grapes are grown.
Montevideo and Punta Del Este: Montevideo is the pleasant capital city of Uruguay, a country in South America. It is situated on the east bank of the Rio de la Plata and is the southernmost capital city in South America. Punta del Este is a beach resort town in Uruguay complete with casinos, beaches, yachts and lots of tourists. It is known for its beaches, surfing, beautiful people and an ardent night scene. There are many travel sights, including the amazing restaurants. It's been called the Monaco of South America.
Salta and Juju: Known as "Salta la linda" (Salta the beautiful), it is one of the Argentine provinces that has worked to preserve its colonial architecture as well as its natural features. The variety and beauty of the landscapes in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy are spectacular: the magnificence of their mountains, valleys, gorges, and the plant life in their national parks are just some of their main attractions. Numerous villages, monuments and historic sites like pre-colonial ruins complement excellent gastronomy, museums and shopping.
What's included
- Professional chef degree full tuition cost
- All chef degree program materials
- Official Culinary Arts Institute transcript and diploma
- Guaranteed admission and enrollment
- Accommodation in the exclusive area of Palermo, Barrio Norte or Recoleta (all utilities and expenses included)
- Private airport pick up
- Private airport drop off
- Official transcripts and certificates
- Welcome orientation
- Mente Argentina welcome kit (calling card, insider's city guide, maps, and more)
- Full access to Mente Argentina tours and activities
- Mente Argentina ISIC International Discount Card
- Cell phone
- Conversation Exchange Partner – Language Exchange Passes
- Health club membership: gym membership included
- Mente Argentina on-site assistance and support services 24/7
What's not included
- Airfare
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Ministro Pistarini International Airport
28 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE). Once you arrive in Buenos Aires, a Mente Argentina Representative will be waiting at the airport holding a sign with your name on it. From there, you will be driven directly to your accommodation where you will meet your on-site program coordinator. Enjoy a worry-free start to your Mente Argentina Program.
Once a flight is reserved to depart Buenos Aires, they will arrange an airport drop off with sufficient time to get through airport security and customs if necessary.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 10% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.