Catering Professional
Catering has evolved into an experience-driven service industry that blends hospitality, logistics, team management, design aesthetics, marketing, and compliance. This online catering course will help you build skills to coordinate complex events, produce safe, consistent food at scale, and adapt your offerings across weddings, corporate events, and social functions.
You will progress through seven scaffolded modules, reinforced by applied case studies and module quizzes to learn the...
Offered in partnership with your preferred school
California State University Pomona College of Professional and Global Education
Learning method
for additional information
Catering Professional
Details + Objectives
Course code: GES624
What you will learn
- Plan event menus aligned to guest experience goals, budgets, dietary needs, and production realities
- Apply professional food safety and sanitation practices for catering operations
- Build staffing plans, timelines, and on-site service workflows for successful events
- Create pricing structures grounded in cost control and profit strategy
- Use modern techniques and trend-aware differentiation, such as plating, beverage service, global cuisine, sustainability and technology
How you will benefit
- Gain the operational confidence to execute events smoothly in the face of real-world constraints
- Build a practical, portfolio-ready capstone catering plan you can adapt for real clients
- Improve profitability with pricing, budgeting, and cost-control skills aligned to real catering business decisions
- Expand into new market segments with a clear understanding of service models and expectations
- Differentiate your brand with sustainability and modern operations, such as farm-to-table sourcing, technology adoption, and trend positioning
- Prepare to pass the Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE) exam offered by the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)
How the course is taught
- Self-paced, online course
- 6 Months to complete
- Open enrollment, begin anytime
- 100 course hours
Instructors & Support
Chef Brooke Preston
Chef Brooke Preston is a pioneer in nutrient-dense, healing cuisine, with more than three decades of experience transforming familiar comfort foods into deeply restorative meals that support the body's innate intelligence. Her work began in 1992 with Tita's Kitchen, one of the Bay Area's first meal delivery services focused on whole, healing foods, well ahead of the wellness movement becoming mainstream. As her work evolved, so did her mission: to empower people with practical, delicious ways to reclaim their health.
Requirements
Prerequisites:
No prior experience required. Basic computer literacy is recommended.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 10 or later.
- Mac: macOS 12 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Any word processing application (not included in enrollment).
- Microsoft Word Online
- Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
More About
About Certification: National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)
The Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE) designation is a nationally recognized program and shows a mark of excellence for catering and event professionals—empowering you to fast-track your career or business. Obtaining your CPCE certification also shows your employer and clients that you have demonstrated experience and expertise, giving you a competitive advantage.