Fine Dining Restaurant Service

Are you passionate about the world of service and gastronomy, and dream of making it your reality? This program will enable you to acquire high-end food and beverage service techniques in the dining room.

Overview

The Service de la restauration gastronomique training course will teach you to deliver exceptional table service and customer experience. It will make you an accomplished waitress or waiter, ready to work in the best restaurants in Québec or anywhere else in the world.  

Key elements of the program

• Intensive program leading to a DVS in less than a year 
• Two internship placements, which may be abroad, depending on the student’s profile 
• Action learning in the ITHQ’s restaurants 
• Enrichment course in analytical tasting  
• Introductory training in butler service 
• Experienced and passionate instructors 

Acquire all your high-end service basics in less than a year!

What you will learn
The art of high-end service

• Proper self-presentation
• Elements of exceptional customer service: courtesy, discretion, active listening and discernment
• Analytical tasting
• Ability to explain menus and wine lists
• Serving food, wine and beverages in accordance with the state of the art 
• Dexterity, coordination, attention to detail, memory and planning of movements
• Teamwork, time and stress management

Partner

SAQ

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SAQ

Through the Fonds SAQ and the Fondation de l’ITHQ, the SAQ provides financial support for the enrichment activities of this program, including visits to vineyards and microbreweries in Québec. 

Program structure and courses

Duration and schedule

• Program starting in the fall and winter  
• Spread over 10 months on a full-time basis (2 course sessions and 2 internships) 
• Includes a total of 1 109 hours (ministerial program totalling 960 hours) 
• Daytime courses and practical applications in the evening 

Hands-on experience

Compulsory internships:

• 3-week (105 h) unpaid end-of-program internship in Québec, Canada or abroad, depending on the student profile
• 3-week (105 h) paid or rewarded internship in a high-end establishment in Québec, Canada or abroad, depending on the student’s profile

Practical applications:

• Practical courses at the ITHQ’s restaurants
• Participation in competitions and various gastronomic activities

Diploma

• Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in Service de la restauration from the Ministère de l’Éducation
• ITHQ Signature certificate in Service de la restauration gastronomique
• MAPAQ certificate in Hygiene and food safety for food handlers 
• Éduc’alcool attestation of the Action Service program 

Admission

Admission application periods

Admission requirements

To be eligible for this program, you must: 

• Have a Secondary School Diploma (SSD) or equivalent education, OR
• Be at least 16 years of age and have successfully completed your Secondary 3rd French (or English, if you studied in English), Second Language (English or French, as the case may be) and Mathematics courses, or equivalent education.
• Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written French. 

Selection criteria

The selection of applications also takes into account the following criteria:  

• Academic file 
• Related training 
• Relevant professional experience, validated by compliant work certificates

To maximize your chances of selection, we strongly encourage you to attach all supporting documents to your application. 

Required documents

Here is the list of documents you must include with your application depending on your status: 

Admission application procedure

• Applicants must ensure that they meet the program’s admission requirements before submitting their application.      
• Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.       
• For your admission file to be considered complete, it must contain a copy of all the official documents required by the ITHQ in accordance with your status, as listed above.
• These documents must be legible and saved in PDF format. Documents in a language other than French or English must also be accompanied by a certified translation into French or English.            
• Some documents required by the ITHQ may not be requested automatically on the admission platform. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure that all the documents on the list in accordance with your status have been uploaded to your file before submitting your application.  

Costs and financial aid

Program fees

Use the program fee calculator to find out about the costs of this program.

Financial aid and scholarships

Looking for financial support for your study project? Find out about the different options available to you.  

Learn more

Future prospects

An exciting and rewarding job

Working in the service industry will allow you to dive head first into the world of gastronomy, meet enriching people and develop interpersonal skills that will serve you throughout your life. In addition to being an exciting and rewarding profession, being a waiter or a waitress is one of the best ways to earn a living in the restaurant business, even at the start of your career.