BA in Culinary Business Development
Course Overview
The BA in Culinary Business Development is a three-year UK Level 6 honours degree bridging kitchen craft with business growth. Sitting inside the LSCAHM Tourism, Events and Food Business department, the programme is aligned with UKHospitality growth themes, Institute of Hospitality operator-development benchmarks and Craft Guild of Chefs professional standards, and includes a year-two placement in a restaurant group, catering operator or food brand.
By graduation you can scale a food business from single site to multi-outlet, run a franchise or licensing conversation, and complete a final-year dissertation or capstone commissioned by a UK operator.
Key Features
- Curriculum aligned with UKHospitality growth themes and Institute of Hospitality benchmarks.
- Compulsory year-two placement in a restaurant group, caterer or food brand.
- Modules on multi-site opening, franchising and licensing.
- Live sponsor briefs from London operators with growth ambitions.
- Small tutor-visible cohorts across on-campus, online and distance modes.
- Final-year dissertation or sponsor capstone supervised by senior culinary operators.
What You Will Learn
- Scale a food business from single site to multi-outlet.
- Interpret operating economics across covers, spend and average check.
- Structure a franchise, licensing or joint-venture conversation.
- Design brand, menu and service consistency across multiple sites.
- Assess site, catchment and lease decisions for expansion.
- Build a growth plan with capital, hiring and stock modelling.
- Present a strategic growth proposition to investors and lenders.
- Apply UK food-safety, employment and consumer-protection law to expansion.
Who This Course Is For
- School leavers targeting culinary business growth roles.
- Owner-operators of single-site food businesses planning expansion.
- Advanced Diploma holders progressing to a full UK honours degree.
- International applicants seeking a UK-recognised culinary business BA.
- Working F&B business development staff formalising their credentials.
Career Pathways
- Culinary Business Development Manager
- F&B Business Development Manager
- Restaurant Operator (Growth Portfolio)
- Multi-unit Manager
- Franchising Manager
- Culinary Entrepreneur
- Food Business Analyst
- Catering Operator (Growth)
The LSCAHM careers service supports every BA cohort with placement matching, alumni introductions and an annual industry-careers day featuring restaurant groups and food brands.
Entry Requirements
- A-levels (or equivalent) at BBB or above, OR a UK Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
- GCSE English at grade 4/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C (or equivalent).
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
- Two academic references and a personal statement outlining your interest in culinary business growth.
- International applicants receive dedicated visa and accommodation support from LSCAHM admissions.
Why Study at LSCAHM
LSCAHM teaches culinary business development inside a working culinary and hospitality college, so BA students learn beside the chefs, restaurant managers and event operators who will actually deliver the growth they design. That interlock is what makes expansion plans credible.
Central London places restaurant groups, food brands and UKHospitality within a short tube ride of every classroom.
Apply for BA in Culinary Business Development
Applications for the BA in Culinary Business Development open across UCAS-cycle and rolling international windows. Apply for the LSCAHM Bachelor's programme with industry placement included and admissions response within one working day. Enrol Now.
