Do I need to be a chef to enrol in the Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management?

No, but you should have meaningful exposure to restaurant operations, either kitchen-side or front-of-house. The programme is not aimed at complete beginners.

How is this different from an MBA?

An MBA is a generalist business degree. The Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management is industry-specific — it spends its time on hospitality and food-service realities rather than generic strategy frameworks.

Will the qualification help me open my own restaurant?

It gives you a structured commercial framework, but opening a restaurant also requires capital, location, licensing and luck. Treat the master's as one of several tools you will need.

Can I study while running a kitchen?

Many students do. Online and distance modes are designed for working hospitality professionals.

How long does the programme take?

Typically twelve to eighteen months depending on mode of study. Confirmed at enrolment.

Fees vary by mode and intake. Contact admissions for the current schedule.

Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management | HICL | Harold International College of London

Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management at HICL

The Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management is for senior kitchen and front-of-house professionals who want to think about restaurants the way owners and investors think about them — in terms of unit economics, brand, supply chain and people, not only in terms of the pass.

It pairs culinary leadership with the harder business disciplines that decide whether a great kitchen becomes a great restaurant. If you have spent ten years as a Chef de Partie, Sous Chef or Head Chef and you are starting to look at your own site, this is the right qualification to sharpen your commercial thinking.

Why this master's exists

Plenty of brilliant cooks open a restaurant and close it within eighteen months because they underestimate the back office. Lease negotiation, P&L, cost-of-goods, allergens, licensing, rota planning under a real wage bill — these are the things that quietly sink food businesses. The Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management treats those topics with the same seriousness as menu design.

Who This Programme Is For

Head Chefs and senior sous chefs preparing for executive or ownership roles.
Restaurant general managers wanting deeper culinary credibility.
Hospitality entrepreneurs planning to open or franchise a concept.
Family-business operators taking over a restaurant group.

Career Pathways

Graduates typically progress into executive chef, restaurant general manager, multi-site operations director, food and beverage director and owner-operator roles. The Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management also supports consulting work for new restaurant launches.

How the Programme Is Delivered

Available on-campus, online and via distance learning. Module structure and intake calendar are confirmed at enrolment. The master's assumes you can apply concepts to a working operation, so case-based assessment is common.

Entry Requirements

A bachelor's degree in hospitality, culinary arts or a related field, or significant senior industry experience.
IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
A short statement of intent describing your culinary and management background.

Apply for the Master in Restaurant & Culinary Management

If you are ready to think like an owner rather than only a craftsman, this is the right next step. Click Enroll Now and admissions will respond within one working day.