Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland
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Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland is a culinary school located in
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
and a sister school of César Ritz Colleges Switzerland. For the first 2 years of their studies, Bachelor's students are based at the Le Bouveret campus on the shores of
Lake Geneva Lake Geneva is a deep lake on the north side of the Alps, shared between Switzerland and France. It is one of the List of largest lakes of Europe, largest lakes in Western Europe and the largest on the course of the Rhône. Sixty percent () ...
. In their final year students transfer to the campus in
Brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...
, also in the canton of
Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...
. Le Bouveret campus also houses the Mosimann Collection, an extensive collection of culinary memorabilia provided by Chef Anton Mosimann, OBE. As of 2024, the academy is ranked seventh in the world in the hospitality and leisure category by
QS World University Rankings The ''QS World University Rankings'' is a portfolio of comparative college and university rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, a higher education analytics firm. Its first and earliest edition was published in collaboration with '' Times ...
. Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland is the highest ranking culinary school in Switzerland.


Academic Programs

For Undergraduate students, a dual bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts is offered in partnership with University of Derby, U.K. Students can choose between 3 pathways allowing them to focus on Pastry & Chocolate, Vegetarian cuisine, or Culinary Arts. The Bachelor's program also includes 2 internships, allowing students to gain a year's professional work experience during their studies. Postgraduate students can undertake a dual Master's degree in Culinary Management, also offered in partnership with University of Derby, U.K. Shorter professional programs are also available, including a 15-month Swiss Grand Diploma and 2-year Swiss Higher Diploma programs.


History

Founded in 1991 as a hotel management college, Domino Carlton Tivoli International Hotel Management Career Centre as the school was then known, welcomed its first students to its campus in Lucerne's Carlton-Tivoli Hotel building overlooking the shores of
Lake Lucerne Lake Lucerne (, literally 'Lake of the four Waldstätte, forested settlements' (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), , ) is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country. Geography The lake has a compli ...
the following year. In this location, the school grew and developed in its first years, establishing initial relationships with both
Johnson & Wales University Johnson & Wales University (JWU) is a private university with its main campus in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded as a business school in 1914 by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales, JWU enrolled 7,357 students across its cam ...
and
Lynn University Lynn University is a private university in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. Founded in 1962, the university awards Associate degree, associate, Bachelor's degree, baccalaureate, Master's degree, master's, and Doctorate, doctoral Academic degr ...
, as well as introducing a specialized course in the culinary arts. In 1996, DCT International Hotel & Business Management School was formed when a group of the original Swiss founders formed a partnership to take over from its original investors. DCT also expanded its program offerings, adding courses specializing in European Gourmet Cuisine and in European Pastry and Chocolate to the initial Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma programs in Hotel & Tourism Management, as well as establishing partnerships with
Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...
and the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. DCT's European Culinary Management program was the first outside the USA to earn full accreditation by the
American Culinary Federation The American Culinary Federation (ACF) is a professional chef's organization established in 1929 in New York City. It was formed as a merge of three chefs' associations in New York City, the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, the Vatel Club and ...
. In 2003, DCT moved its campus out of the 100-year-old Carlton-Tivoli Hotel building and further along the shores of
Lake Lucerne Lake Lucerne (, literally 'Lake of the four Waldstätte, forested settlements' (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), , ) is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country. Geography The lake has a compli ...
to the village of
Vitznau Vitznau is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Lucerne (district), Lucerne in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Lucerne (canton), Lucerne in Switzerland. History Vitznau was first mentioned in 998. In the 19th ce ...
. In this setting, DCT continued to develop and grow, including the addition of an MBA in Hospitality Management program and the new Master Gourmet Culinary Arts course, plus an expanded relationship with
Lynn University Lynn University is a private university in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. Founded in 1962, the university awards Associate degree, associate, Bachelor's degree, baccalaureate, Master's degree, master's, and Doctorate, doctoral Academic degr ...
and its Switzerland Program. During this time, its culinary program was one of the first group of 22 programs – and the only one outside North America – designated by the
American Culinary Federation The American Culinary Federation (ACF) is a professional chef's organization established in 1929 in New York City. It was formed as a merge of three chefs' associations in New York City, the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, the Vatel Club and ...
as an "Exemplary Program". In 2011, Swiss Education Group acquired DCT University Center. DCT was renamed to Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland and expanded to a campus in Le Bouveret shared with sister school César Ritz Colleges Switzerland which had launched its own culinary program in 2006. In 2012, the Vitznau campus moved to downtown
Lucerne Lucerne ( ) or Luzern ()Other languages: ; ; ; . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and part of the Lucerne (district), di ...
– back to the centre of the city where the school was founded more than two decades earlier. The César Ritz Colleges/Culinary Arts Academy campus was housed in modern facilities in
Lucerne Lucerne ( ) or Luzern ()Other languages: ; ; ; . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and part of the Lucerne (district), di ...
near Löwenplatz, bordering the city's historical and central shopping districts. In 2022, the Lucerne campus was closed and its programs consolidated onto the other Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland campuses in Le Bouveret and Brig, both in the canton of
Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...
. In 2025, César Ritz Colleges consolidated all classes and operations to its campus in Brig, granting full use of the Le Bouveret campus to Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland.


Partnerships & Accreditations

Industry Partnerships include: * Ritz Paris *Ritz Escoffier Culinary School *Mane *Alessi Academic Partnerships include: *
University of Derby The University of Derby, formerly known as Derby College, is a public university in the city of Derby, England. It traces its history back to the establishment of the Derby Diocesan Institution for the training of schoolmistresses in 1851. It ...
(at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels) *THE-ICE – The International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education *
EduQua Swiss quality label for further education institutions (eduQua) (in ''German'': Schweizerisches Qualitätszertifikat für Weiterbildungsinstitutionen "eduQua" ) is a Swiss quality label for continuing and adult education. eduQua was founded by t ...
– the Swiss national quality assurance body


See also

*
Cesar Ritz Colleges César Ritz Colleges Switzerland is an educational institution located in Brig, Switzerland. named in honour of César Ritz. The college specializes in entrepreneurship and business management education with emphasis on the hospitality sector. ...
* HIM Business School *
Swiss Hotel Management School Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) is a private hospitality management school in Montreux and Leysin, Switzerland. As a traditional hospitality school, it educates and trains students in hotel management and in the hospitality and tourism indus ...
* Swiss Education Group


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland Hospitality schools in Switzerland Business schools in Switzerland Hospitality schools