Botanical CuisineCócaireacht Luibheolaíoch

The BA (Hons) in Botanical Cuisine is a new unique honours culinary arts based course offered by TU Dublin and is the first degree of its kind in Europe. This 'Farm to Plate' culinary degree course is aimed at producing contemporary chefs to meet the rapidly changing trends in food  and to creatively and confidently innovate plant-based food production and service.

In the world of culinary arts, chefs who are International leaders, are driving change through the following focus. These areas are fast becoming trends for the future of food.

• Growing their own fruit and vegetables
• Sustainability
• Ethical sourcing of food
• Zero Waste
• Health and wellness in menu design
• Plant-based cuisine, where vegetables are taking centre stage on the menu and meat and fish are treated as a ‘side’ on the plate
• Chef self-care and positive kitchen culture

This 'hands-on' course has a strong emphasis on the practical skills and knowledge needed for the education of 'future chefs'. It has three main pillars of study and practice: 

1. Culinary Arts
2. Applied Food Science & Wellness
3. Food Culture- technology & learning

Michelin- starred chefs from Copenhagen, Finland and Ireland inspired the course design. It is recognised by industry as an exciting development in culinary education.

Work Placement

An industry placement of 16 weeks (approx. 400 hours) during and/or following Year 1 (but before starting Year 2) will give you lots of practical,real-world experience.

See Advanced Entry information below

Opportunities to work in diverse roles in the food sector including;

• At a senior level within a professional kitchen in hotels, restaurant or workplace catering
• Culinary innovation and food product development
• Food marketing
• Food photography
• Training
• ‘Farm-to Fork’ food production
• Sustainable restaurants
• Spa resorts
• Health and wellness menu production
• Operating food event spaces for consumer experience

We are currently closed for Advanced Entry Applications. The courses that will be open for advanced entry will be listed on the CAO website in January 2025. For information on how to make an Advanced Entry application, please visit our CAO Hub. 

If this course opens for advanced entry, the following will apply:

To qualify for Advanced Entry applicants must be currently studying, completing, or have successfully completed, studies at Level 6, 7 or 8 in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or an equivalent, in a related area. You must demonstrate by providing transcripts of results that you have achieved the learning outcomes for each stage you wish to advance past, for example:

• To enter Year 2 via Advanced Entry, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Year 1.
• For entry to Year 3, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1 and 2.
• For entry to Year 4, you must demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for Years 1, 2, and 3.

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website.

Having studied Culinary Arts for 4 years and earning my Bachelor of Arts level 7 degree, it felt natural to want to progress. I heard about this course from my lecturer Annette Sweeney. The course was new, beginning in 2018 and to me seemed like the perfect option to progress in a field that is so relevant to me as a chef.

The food world is always changing, and being on top of trends is so important. The course offered me a chance to dive deeper into botanical cuisine, something which I am passionate about. It offered me as a student a chance to dive deeper into the world of botanics, gardening, farm to fork and much more. There is no other course in Ireland out there like it, and I believe it is a fantastic opportunity to learn and discover more about the world around us.

Being able to learn and study at Airfield (a well-known and established food business/farm) was a fantastic opportunity. We were able to get hands on in areas such as farming, bee keeping, gardening and much more.

If you are someone who has an interest in food, the outdoors and how the world around us relates back to our eating habits and food we choose to eat, but also wants to learn more about 'farm to fork' and other aspects of the culinary world e.g. our ecosystem then this course would be perfect.

The university itself has many facilities and is very engaging with its students. The campus is big, lively and enjoyable to be in.

Iseult Kinsella, Current Student

Successful graduates may progress to a masters degree (Level 9). Recommended for this course is, TU280 Master of Science in Applied Culinary Nutrition which further develops the graduate's knowledge, skills and competencies in Cuisine, Health and Wellness.